^. r.o v^.oTrM 3 1833 01 103 4854
PSYNOLDS HSSTOl
GENEALOGY COLLtCTlON
Gc
978.6
1/6
1783790
AN
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
OF
THE YELLOWSTONE VALLEY
EMBRACING
THE COUNTIES OF PARK, SWEET GRASS, CARBON,
YELLOWSTONE, ROSEBUD, CUSTER
AND DAWSON
STATE OF MONTANA
WESTERN HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
irsoTso
ACKMOWLEDGMCK'T
nT is impossible to mention individually each one who has assisted to
produce this book, therefore we make use of this general method of
extending our thanks to each and ever}- one who have so kindly given
information or pointed out where we might obtain it. The hearty and
ready responses to our requests lead us to believe the people are deeply
interested in having the history correct. To this end we have labored as
faithfully as as we could do and trust the results will be found worthy of
approval.
One of our presidents has said: " The best heritage the pioneer can leave
to future generations is the simple yet powerful story of his life; of hardships
endured, of dangers passed, and the final victory over wilderness and desert
plain." In the spirit of this excellent quotation our work has been carried
forward and we now pass it to a generous and intelligent public.
The Publishers
ENDORSEMENTS
Livingston, Montana.
Having read, in manuscript form, the histon,' of Park county, Montana, which is to be a part of the
volume entitled, "History of the Yellowstone Valley," to be published by the Western Historical Publishing
Company, of Spokane. Washington, we certify that, to the best of our knowledge and belief, the work is sub-
stantially accurate, authentic and complete, forming a standard and reliable record of events from the earliest
.days of exploration and settlement to the present time. .\s such we endorse it and commend it to the people
of Park County.
Signed,
S. L. HoLLIDAY,
Frank Henry,
Alfred Myers.
Big Timber, Montana.
W.'. the undersigned, a committee of citizens of Sweet Grass county, have read, in manuscript form,
that part of the "History of the Yellowstone Valley" relating to Sweet Grass county, to be published by the
Western Historical Publishing Company, of Spokane, Washington. The work bears evidence of extensive
research and a careful compilation of data relating to the history of our county, and is a clear, comprehen-
sive and accurate record of events in this county from the arrival of the first white men to the present time.
As such we endorse and commend it as substantially accurate.
Signed,
Thos. K. Lee,
A. G. Yule,
Mrs. C. T. Busha.
Red Lodge, Montana.
We. tlic undersigned citizens of Carbon county, hereby certify that we have examined with care that
portion of the "History of the Yellowstone Valley," that relates to Carbon county, which is to be published
by the Western Historical Publishing Company of Spokane, Washington, and we cheerfully endorse it as
being a true and comprehensive narration of facts as they occurred, to the best of our knowledge.
Signed.
W. A. Talmace,
D. G. O'Shea,
J. E. MUSHBACH.
ENDORSEMENTS
Billings, Montana.
The undersigned, a committee of Yellowstone county. Montana, citizens, have examined so much of the
"History of the Yellowstone Valley" as relates exclusively to Yellowstone county, which work is to be
published by the Western Historical Publishing Company, of Spokane. Washington. We find the history to be
a substantially accurate and comprehensive record of events of this county from the time of the earliest ex-
plorers up to the present day, and as such we endorse it.
Signed,
Fred H. Foster,
J. M. V. Cochran,
J. D. Matheson.
Forsyth. Montana.
We, the undersigned citizens of Rosebud county, Montana, having examined that part of the "History
of the Yellowstone Valley," which relates to Rosebud county, and is to be published by the Western Histor-
ical Publishing Company, hereby certify that it is a true and comprehensive narration of facts, and as such we
endorse it.
Signed,
Jereml-\h F. Crimmins.
T. J. Thompson,
Thos. Alexanper.
Miles City, Montana.
We, the undersigned citizens of Custer county, Montana, having been selected as a committee to ex-
amine the manuscript of the history of this county to be published by the Western Historical Publishing
Company, hereby endorse it as an authentic and comprehensive record of events from the earliest days of set-
tlement of this county to the present time; and we cheerfully commend it as reliable and worthy.
Signed,
W. F. Schmalsle,
H. C. Thompson,
Mary E. Savage.
Glendive, Montana.
We, the undersigned citizens of Dawson county, Montana, certify that we have examined that portion
of the "History of the Yellowstone Valley," which relates to Dawson county, and which is to be published by
the Western Historical Publishing Company, of Spokane, Washington, and we hereby endorse it as an
accurate and comprehensive record of events as they occurred in this territory.
Signed,
D. R. Mead,
H. S. Davis,
Henry Dion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
CHAPTER I.
Dawn of Discovery.
Spaniards First White Men to Visit Montana— Cabezo de Vaca 1535-36— John of Padilla 1537— Francisco
Vasqiiez de Coronado 1541 — Juan Roderiquez Cabrillo in the Waters of the Smiling Pacific 1543 —
M. de la Verandrye, French E.xplorer. Penetrates Country to Near Present Site of Helena T743 —
Pierre Coquard. Historian of Verandrye E.xpedition— Expeditions of 1752-53— Jonathan Carver's
Explorations 1766-68 i
CH.APTER It.
Mississippi to the Co.^st.
Personnel of the Lewis and Clark Party — .Ascent of the Missouri Begun May 14, 1804^ Wintering at the
Mandan Village— Sacaj a wea, the Bird Woman— At the Mouth of the Yellowstone— Up the Missouri—
The Big Muddy— Milk River— The Musselshell— Windsor Creek— First View of the Rockies— Ju-
dith's River — Slaughter River — Indecision as to the Right Course at the Mouth of Marias River — ■
.\rrival at the Great Palls of the Missouri— Through the Gates of the Rocky Mountains— .At the
Three Forks — Up the Jefferson— .\cross the Continental Divide— Find the Headwaters of a Tributary
of the Columbia — .'Xcross the Bitter Roots — To the Pacific Ocean — Return to Travelers' Rest June 30,
1806 — The Return Journey .Across Montana 4
CHAPTER III.
The Indi.\n W,^RS.
Most Disastrous Indian Battle nn Record, the Custer Massacre— Cause of the War— Force Sent to Sub-
due tlic Hnsliles— Sioux Chiefs Sitting Bull. Crazy Horse. Gall. Black Moon and Low Dog— General
Sheridan Conducted .Ml Directions— Plans for the Campaign— General Custer with the Seventh
Cavalry Proceeds .Against Sitting Bull's Forces — Fighting bv Major Reno — Custer's Entire Command
Killed— Not One Left to Tell the Story— Lieutenant Godfrey's .\rticle on the Battle— Fixing the Re-
sponsibility-General Miles' Campaign After the Battle of the Little Big Horn— Defeat and Surrender
of the Hostiles— The Messiah Craze of 1890— Death of Sitting Bull— The Nez Perce War- Cause of
the Breaking Out of Hostilities— Thirteen Settlers Killed— Joseph Defeats Colonel Perry in First
Battle— General Howard Engages the Nez Perce in Battle— Joseph's Masterly Retreat— He Defeats
General Gibbon in Big Hole Valley— Captured by General Miles Near Bear Paw Mountains— De-
portation to Indian Territory— Return to Northwest 22
CHAPTER IV.
The Fur Tk.\ders.
Manuel Liza. First Montana Fur Trader, Leaves St. Louis in Spring of 1807— Establishes Fort Liza at
Moutlh of Big Horn River— The First Buildifig Erected in Montana— The .Adventures of John Colter-
Organization Missouri Fur Company. 1808-9— Fort at the Three Forks of the Missouri— The Com-
pany Goes Out of Business— Rockv Mountain Fur Company Organized 182J— Posts Built at Mouth
of Yellowstone and Mouth of Big Horn— Government's Expedition Under C.eneral Henry Atkm.son
1825 a Failure— Changes in Management of the Rockv Mountain Fur Company and Disorganization
—John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company Begins Operations in Montana 1828— Establishes Fort
Union— Description of Fort— Winning the Blackfeet's Friendship— Estaljlishment Fort Piegan— .At-
tacked by Bloods— Fort McKenzie— F. A. Cheardon Massacres Piegan Indians— Fort Cheardon—
Fort Lewis— Fort Benton— Fort Campbell— Fort Van Ruren— Fort Cass— Fort .-Mexander- Fort Spary
—Other Fur Companies and Trappers— Operations of the Hudson's Bay Company in Montana 34
CONTEXTS.
CHAPTER V.
From Beaver Pelt to Ballot Box.
Catholic Missionaries Take Up the Work in Montana— Father P. J. DeSmet Visits the Flathead Country
1840— Comes Again Ne.xt Year, Accompanied by Fathers Nicholas Point and Gregory Mengarmi—
Establishment St. Mary's Mission— Fathers Peter DeVoss and Adrian Hoeken Arrive 1843— St.
Mary's Mission Abandoned 1850— John Owen Purchases the Property and Establishes Fort Owen— St
Ignatius Mission Founded 1854— Settlers of the Early Fifties— Life in the Settlements in Bitter Root
Valley and Hell Gate Ronde During Fifties— The Stuarts Arrive in Montana— Early Settlers East
of Mountains — First Towns — Fort Benton — LaBarge City — Deer Lodge City — Bannack City — Virginia
City — Helena^Butte — Philipsburg — Pioneer -Bozeman — Transportation and Emigration 47
CHAPTER VL
The Political Divisions.
Montana Formed From Original Territory of Louisana and the "Oregon Country" — Louisiana Pur-
chased by the United States — Territory of Orleans and District of Louisiana — Later Divisions of
Original Louisiana Territory — Creation of Nebraska Territory , Dakota Territory, Idaho Territory —
West of the Rockies — Tlie Oregon Controversy — -Creation of Oregon Territory — 'Washington Territory
— ^Montana Territory Created May 26. 1864 — Those Instrumental in Creation of Territory — Bitter Root
Valley Saved to Montana — Counties Formed by Early Washington Legislatures — Western Montana
a Part of Clarke, Skamania. Walla Walla. Shoshone, Spokane and Missoula Counties — Montana
Counties Created by Idaho Leoi-I.iturc — Counties Formed bv First Montana Legislature — Missoula —
Deer Lodge — Beaver Head — Ma.li-ini — Ji-ffcrson — Edgerton (Lewis and Clark) — Gallatin — Choteau —
Big Horn — Indefiniteness of C'luniy I'm nimlaries — Meagher — Dawson — Custer — Silver Bow — Yellow-
stone— Fergus — Park — Cascade — Flathead — \'alley — Teton — Ravalli — Granite — Carbon — Sweet Grass —
Broadwater — Powell — Rosebud — Sanders 60
CHAPTER VII.
History of Montana's Mines.
Character of Montana's Mineral Deposits — Coal — Precious Stones — Presence of Precious Metals Known
at Early Date— ■'Benetsee" the Discoverer of Gold in Montana— Prospectors of 1856— John Silver-
thorne, the Mvsterious Miner — The Stuart Partv — "Gold Tcm" — Discovery of the Grasshopper Placers
—Placer Mine's Found on Big Hole River. Xnrth Boulder Creek, Gold Creek, Deer Lodge— Rush to
the Grasshopper Dicgings and Fnmidingof Bannack — Discoverv of the .-Mder Gulch Placers — Ex-
tract from Henry Edgar's Diarv-The Big Stainprdc-The Most Pmlit^c Placer Ever Discovered on
Earth— Founding of Virginia Citv— Population -t Ten rii,.usan,l Wiilini Xmety Days— Other Set-
tlements in Alder Gulch— More Placer Discuiries ni \-icinity— Disc-viTv nf Last Chance Gulch-
Story of the Discovery by R. Stanley — Rush to the New Mines — RattlcMiake District Formed — Found-
ing of Helena — Selection of the Name — Other Gulches — Oro Fino. Grizzly. Nelson, Confederate.
Ophir. McCIellan, First Chance. New York, Montana Bar— Placer Discoveries in the Butte Neigh-
borhood-German Gulch— Elk Creek, Bear. Lincoln and Highland Gulches— Placers on Cedar Creek
-Hydraulic Machinerv and Ditches- Amounts Taken from Placer Mines— Famous Nuggets-
Quart? Miiiins:- First' Lode Worked— Mines and Mills of Bannack. Helena. Virginia Citv— Trout
Creek, Tr^iw Creek. Silver Bow. Blackfoot and McCIellan Districts— Silver Mining— First E.x-
periment Near Bannack— First Silver Mill— First Smelter— Lull in Mining Operations— History of
the Butte Mines — Other Early Mining Districts— Montana's Production of Gold and Silver 71
CHAPTER VIII.
The Reign of Terror.
Condition of Society in Early Days— Arrival of Vanguard of Desperate Characters, Henry Phminier.
Charlie Reeves, "Cyrus Skinner and .Augustus Moore— Organization of Road Agent Band— Personnel
of the Band— Methods of Operating— Character of Henry Plummer— First Atrocity to Arouse Pub-
lic Indignation to an Extent of Attempting to Mete out Punishment— .A Remarkable Trial— Toughs
Control the Town of Bannack— Plan to Kill All Participating in the Trial— Murder of Dillingham
—Miscarriage of Justice in Dealing with his Murderers— Graphic Description of Life in Bannack and
Virginia City— Murder of Nicholas Tbalt by George Ives — Indignation of People .^roused- Trial and
Execution o'f Ives— Effect of the Execution 93
CHAPTER IX.
The Vigilantes.
A Reversal in Conditions— List of Men Executed by Visilantes- Organization of the Vigilance Society-
Oath Taken— Pursuit of the Murderers Begins— Confession of Yager (Red)— Execution of (Jeorge
Brown and Erastus Yager — Consternation Among the Lawless — Bannack Citizens Co-operate with the
COXTEXTS.
Virginia City Organization — Plummer, Ray and Stinson Attempt to Leave tlie Country — Their Arrest
and Execution — Public Opinion Approves Work of Vigilantes — Spectacular Execution of Jo Pizan-
thia — Dutch John Wagner Meets the Fate of His Comrades — Capture and Execution of Jack Galla-
gher, George Lane (Club Foot George), Boone Helm, Frank Parish and Hayes Lyons — Steve
Marshland Hunted Down and Hanged — Bill Bunton the Next to Suffer the Penalty for liis Crimes^
Executions of George Shears, Cvrus Skinner, AKc ('.utcr. lohnnv Cooper. Bob Zachary and William
Graves (Whiskey Bill)— Bill Hunter, the Last AKnilHi- mi I'lummer's Gang, is Dealt with by the Vig-
ilantes— End of the Reign uf Teirnr — F.nconiiiim- I )in i\w Vigilantes — Langford's and Dimsdale's
Opinions— Later Work of the Vigilance OrganizatiMii^ 105
PART II.
PARK COUNTY,
CHAPTER I.
EXPLOR.MION AST) E,\RLV SeTTLE.MENT lSci6 TO 1882.
Captain William Clark's Party First White Men in the County — Evidences nf White Man's Occupancy
—Jim Bridger's Story of the Elk Horns— Creating the Crow Reservation— Ca[)tain Raynolds Expedi-
tion Discovery of Gold in Montana — Prospectors Visit Park County— The James Stuart
Party— The Discovery of Gold in the Emigrant Gulch— The Opening of liuzcnian Route— Boze-
man and Bridger Emigrant Trains— Other Trains— The Rush to Emigrant Gulch— The Curry
Mining District Formed— The Shorthill Party— Sharthill District Formed — Laws of the District-
Founding Yellowstone City — Description of "Town — Social Life — Living on 'Meat Straight' — Prices of
Provisions— (Sold Found on Shields River— Discovery Hunter's Hot Springs— Indian .\ttack— Many
Leave Emigrant Gulch— Curry District Deserted— Emigrant Gulch Abandoned— All Flee for Safety-
Resumption of Mining — Discovery of Gold in Bear and Creice Gulches — Amount of Gold Taken from
Emigrant Gulch— First Farming' in Park County— John Bozeman Killed by Indians— Operations of
Territorial Militia in Park Countv — The Mutiny — New Boundaries Crow Reservation — Crow Agency
on Mission Creek— Benson's Landing— Early Stock Raisers— the Folsoni Party— Washburn— Doane Ex-
pedition Through the County —Dr. Hunter Settles at the Hot Springs— Dr. Hayden's Expedition-
Discovery and Earlv Historv Clark's Fork Mims— Murder of Dr. Frost— Dr. Hunter's Place At-
tacked—Removal of Crow .\gencv— Tallin Iliij:i ■ Killed — Pursuit of the Murderers— -Alfred Myer's
Relief Expedition— Fight With theiii.l:!^ >' mmhs by Nez Perces— Attack on Henderson's
Ranch— Crows Finallv Cede Park Cmii i , ! ^h of Prospectors to Newly Opened Clark's
Fork Mines— Building the Northern
CHAPTER II.
P.^ssiNG Events — 1883 to 1907.
Beginning of a New Era— Earlv Countv Formations— First Attempt to Create ViUard (Park) County-
National Park Branch Completed— Bozeman Tunnel Finished— Congress Asked to Create Park
County— Refuses to Act— Plans to Secure the Gallatin County Representation in Legislature of 1885—
Results in Defeat— Death and a Special Election Give East Siders One Representative— .•\lmost a
Sectional Feud Over Countv Division Question- .'Kbortive Attempt of Bozeman tn Give Part of
County to Yellowstone— Bridger (Park) County Bill Introduced— Stubborn Fight— Bill Defeated—
Reaction from Boom Davs— Return of Prosperous Times— Severe Winter of 1886-87— Early Prepara-
tions for Campaign in Legislature of 1887— A Strong Petition— Park County Bill Passes Council and
House— News in Livingston— Gov. Leslie Signs the Bill— Boundaries of New County— Provisions of
Bill— Organization of the County Government— The First .Assessment- County Seat Contest— -Abortive
Attempt to -Annex Red Lodge Countrv to ^■^l!-wslMnc Oninty— Fir^t Attempt to Build Court House-
Bonds Defeated— Census of 1890— -Anotlur .Attempt to Cut Off Red I^d.ge Oiuntry— Fight for Pos-
session of the Ceded Crow Lands— Park C>.uu{\ Rested by Yellowstone— County Grows in Wealth
and Population— Voters -Again Decide .\t;ain-t Building Court House— -Attempt to Create Sweet Grass
County Defeated— Panic of iSg.^ Hits Park Countv Hard— Every Bank in County Fails— Business
Paralyzed— The Great Railroad Strike— Northern Pacific Completely Tied Up— Stranded Passen-
gers -Appeal to President Debs— .And are Refused Relief— Railroad to Hold Park County Responsible
for Damage to Propertv— Tempnrarv Mail Facilities— Engine Leaves Livingston for the West— Engin-
eers Go on Strike— Engine Returns to Livingston— Writs Issued Out of United States District Court
Served on Strikers— Strikers Withdraw Protection to Company's Property— Prevent the Pulling Out
of a Train— Failure of the Company to Enlist Deputies— Superintendent Appeals to Park County for
CONTENTS.
Protection — Gets Little Satisfaction — Fort Yellowstone Troops Guard Muir Tunnel — Northwest
Placed Under Martial Law — Arrival of Train Guarded by Government Troops — Assault by Captain
Lockvvood — Soldiers Patrol the Town — Indignation of Citizens — Protests to War Department and
Governor of Montana — End of Strike — Whitewashing Captain Lockwood — Execution Robert Ander-
son— Loss of Territory by Formation Sweet Grass County — Also Carbon County — Desperate Strug-
gle to Defeat These Bills — Court House Litigation — Voters Finally Approve Construction — Building
Completed — Return of Prosperous Times — Murder of Sheriff Young — The Man Hunt — Census of
1900 — Murderer Martin Zidmair Suicides — The Park County of Today 131
CHAPTER in.
Livingston.
Towns and Postoffices of Park County — Location of Livingston — Its Scenery — .'\s a Commercial Cen-
ter— The Advance Guard of Railroad Construction — ^Benson's Landing — Founding of Clark City (Liv-
ingston) — Rapid Growth of that Village — Platting of Livingston Townsite — Proves Death Knell of
Clark City — .^11 Move to New Townsite — Business Enterprises in December, 1882 — The Boom Year
of 1883 — Why the Railroad Shops Were Built Here — .Active Building Operations — First Business
Houses — A Fire Company — Education and Religion — Organization Congregational Church — Meth-
odist— Episcopal — Early Secret Societies — Review of the Year's History — The Reaction of 1884 — First
National Bank Fails — A Year of Fires — Vigilantes Drive Out "Tough" Element — Better Fire Protec-
tion— .Another Fire — Rebuilding — Recovery From Hard Times — Prosperous Years — Livingston Ranks
Seventh .Among Cities of Montana — Population in 1888 — Incorporated — First Municipal Election — City
Government Begins — Electric Lights — 1889 a prosperous Year — Early Postofifice Business — First Regu-
lar Election — Census of 1890 — Water Works — Substantial Improvements in 1891 — New School Build-
ing— Other Improvements in 1892 — Panic of 1893 — Livingston National, Merchants and National
Park Banks Go Under — Bankruptcy — Business Paralyzed — The Yellowstone Out of Its Banks — ■
Cloudburst Brings Disaster — Peoples Party Enters Municipal Politics — Opera House Burned — City
Hall Built — Livingston Begins Prosperous Era — Census of 1900 — Turn Down Municipal Ownership-^
County High School — Election 1900 — Improvements by Railroad Company — Great Activity in 1901 — •
Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Invested in 1902 — The New Depot — Real Estate Values — More
Fires— High School Building— Worst Fire in City's History— E.xcellent Showing in Census of 1904—
Carnegie Library— Flood in 1905— Livingston in Late Years— Livingston's Churches— Secret Socie-
ties— Unions I4g
CHAPTER IV.
Other Towns.
Gardiner — Located at Entrance to Yellowstone National Park — The Name — Why a Town was Built at
the Mouth of Gardiner River — Its Founding — First Business Houses — Contest for Possession of the
Townsite — Railroad Does Not Come to Gardiner — Ed Stone Secures Title to Site — Townsite Platted
— Litigation — Uncertainty as to Title — Expecting Railroad to Extend — During the Eighties — Wiped Out
by Fire — Rebuilding — .Activity in 1895 — Railroad Extends in 1902 — Followed by a Boom — L^nsuccess-
ful .Attempts to Incorporate — Electric — Formerly Horr — Camp of a Coke Company — Postoffice Es-
tablished— Early History — Rapid Advancement in 1900 — Fire — Name Changed to Electric — Strikes
— .Aldridge — Coal Mining Camp — Founding — Townsite Platted — Cooke — .A Mining Camp — Oldest
Town in County — Visit of Jay Cooke, Jr., and Associates — Naming the Camp — Rush to the Camp in
1882 — Rapid Building of the Town — A Typical Mining Camp — Platted — Town Lot "Jumping" — Pro-
posed Change in Name — Mining Operations in Middle Eighties — Long and Continued Struggle for
Railroad — Defeated by Congress — Depressing Effect — Title to Lots Finally Cleared — Quiet for Many
Year.s — Mining Resumed in too; — Present Status of Cooke — Jardine — Gold IMining Camp — Com-
paratively Xiw T>i\vii--K:ipiil Muilding — Large Sums of Money Expended — Fridley — First Known
as Emmrani Siahnii- Sriil.d m ]SS6 — Shields — Clvdepark — Springdale — Hunter's Hotsprings — A
Noted Ilcalih Ri-Mii-|),.CMMiv -f the Springs— Dr. A. J. Hunter Settles There— Building of Sana-
torium— Sale 01 Propertv — Inipriivement in 1886 — Platting Mendenhall Townsite — Later History- —
Cokedale— Formerly a Thriving Village— Founded in 1886— A Lively Camp— Townsite Platted— Post-
office — Census of 1890 — Disastrous Fire — Mine Closed — Town Depopulated — Mines Reopened — -Again
a Prosperous Village — Fire Destroys Business Part of Town — Permanent Shutdown of Mine — Death
Knell of Cokedale — Cinnabar Station — Founding the Town — -Slow Growth — .Attempt to Boom the
Town — A Second Attempt — Extension of the Road to Gardiner a Death Blow to Cinnabar — Chico —
The Warm Spring.s — Chicory — Was to Have Been the Site of a City — Looked Fine on Paper — Muir,
the Tunnel Station — Historic Ground — History of Muir City — The Tunnel Town — Its High Altitude
— Rockcreek — Myersburg — -Lat — Bruffeys — Contact — 'Pinecreek — Chimneyrock — Miner — Brisben — Trail
Creek — Daileys — Sphinx — Muhlerin — Coal Spur — Hopper.s — Mission — Elton — Maxwell — Hoflfman —
Hicks Crevasse— Cowles—Cleora— Bryan 160
CHAPTER V.
Political.
Early Political Hi.stor>---Part of Gallatin County— First County Officials Named by Legislature-Appoint-
ments Caused by Resignations— Minor Officers Named— Conventions in 1888-First Election Precincts
—first Election— Shows Park County Republican— Election of Delegates to Constitutional Conven-
CONTEXTS.
tion — First Election Under State Auspices — Nearly a Clean Sweep for the Republicans — Election
1890 — Democrats Make Showing in 1892 — Republican Landslide Two Years Later — Park County
Almost Unanimously for Bryan in 1896 — County ( Irticc^ 1 )i\ idcd — Four Tickets in Field in 1898 —
All Get a Slice— Campaign of 1900 Most Exciting in Hi>ti:ry of Park County— Six Tickets to Select
From^Result is Close — Mixed Set of Officers Chosen — (Juiet Campaign of h.joj— K. ]iuiili, ms Get
Majority of Offices — Republican Landslide in 1904 — Roosevelt's Big Majority — Ciuit. i i. : 1 ittue of
School Superintendent— Democrat Wins— Election of 1906— Number of Votes Ca-.t h) I .hli |'i>,;inct—
Republicans Secure Most of the Offices 174
CFL^PTER VI.
Descriptive.
Location and Boundaries — Geology of the County — The Glacial Period — The Mountain Ranges — Belt —
Bridger — Crazies — Absaroka — Prominent Peaks — Story of Old Baldy — Cinnabar Mountain — Electric
Peak— Yellowstone River— Its Tributaries— Shields River and Tributaries— Clark's Fork— Soda Butte
Creek — Boulder River and Tributary Creeks — Industries--Mining — ^Minerals Found in the County —
Gold and Silver Mining — Report of State Mine Inspector for 1906 — Coal Mining — Copper and Iron
Ores — Farming and Stock Raising — Irrigation — Paradise Valley — Shields Valley — Timber 183
PART III.
SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Before County Organ iz.\tiox — 1743 to 1894.
The Name Sweet Grass — M. de la Verandrye First White Man to Put Foot on Sweet Grass County
Soil — Captain Clark's Trip Through the Countv — The Fur Traders — ^Opening of the Bnzeman
Route — Travel .Across the Future Sweet Grass County— The Treaty of 1868— The Crow
.\gency — The Northern Pacific Survey — First Settler in Sweet Grass County — Settlers of
Year 1877 — Arrivals in 1878— First Voting Precinct— The Bozeman-Miles City Stage Line—
The Stage Stations — Settlers of 1879 — Drowning of Thompson and Gage — Settlers of Early
Eighties — The First School — Crows Cede Lands West of the Boulder— Many Settlers in 1882 — Build-
ing Northern Pacific Railroad— Railroad Brings New Conditions — Passing of Stage Stations— Kil-
ling of John Brady— First Irrigating Ditch— Park County Created— Crows Cede Last Sweet Grass
County Lands— Prosperity in 1892— First Attempts to Create Sweet Grass County— Defeated in the
Senate — How Livingston Received the News — How Big Timber Took the Defeat — Panic of 1893. 190
CHAPTER II.
After County Organ: z.\tiox — 1895 to 1907.
Divisionists Lay Their Plans— Secure Solid Delegation to the Legislature— The Sweet Grass County Club
^The Big Timber Convention — The Resolutions — County Officers Selected — Petition Circulated — Liv-
ingston Marshals Its Forces Against Dismemberment — ^Representative Collins Introduces Bill in House
— House Committee Favorably Reports Bill — Amendment by Committee — Bill Passes the House —
Reported in Senate — Passes the Senate 7 to 11 — Receipt of the News in Big Timber — Governor Rick-
ards Signs th Bill — A Monster Demonstration — The Boundaries — Provisions of the Bill — County Gov-
ernment Begun— Settlement With Old Counties— D ebts of $57,943.67 Assumed— First Assessment-
Big Timber Made Permanent County Seat— Census of 1900— Park County .Attempts to Get a Slice of
Svveet Grass County — Tables are Turned at Next Session of the Legislature — Boundaries .Are I'n-
changed — Current Events of Later Years — Fina ncial Standing of the County — Fight Against
Formation of Roosevelt County — Opposition Successful 198
CHAPTER III.
Political.
Taxation Without Representation — Naming the First Officer-^— Change Made by Committee of the House
of Representatives— Constitutionality of Section of Bill Naming Officers Questioned— County Officers
-Appointed to Remedy the Defect— First Conventions— Republicans Split— Democrats and Silver Re-
CONTEXTS.
publicans Fuse — Precincts and Judges for the First Election — Exciting Campaign of 1896 — Bryan Car-
ries the County — Standoff on County Ticket — Three Tickets in the Field in 1898 — Republicans Gener-
ally Successful — McKinlcy Carries the County in 1900 — Republicans Again Get Majority of Officers
—Dominant Party Elects Every Candidate in 1902 — J. W. Bailey Elected Senator at Special Election
in 1903 — Roosevelt's Big Majority in 1904 — Republicans Take Everything — The Primary Election of
1906 — Genera! Election Names All Republicans 205
CHAPTER IV.
Descriptive.
Boundaries — Area — Character of Land — The Mountains — A Well Watered Comity — The Streams from
the South — Boulder River — Power Going to Waste — Stillwater River — Streams from the North —
Tributaries of the Musselshell— Relation of Streams to the County's Prosperity— Irrigation— 'Valley of
the Yellowstone- Boulder 'Valley- In the Valley of the Sweet Grass- Big Timber and Other Valleys
Farming on the Stillwater— Prices of Farm Lands— Yields— Stock Raising— The Mineral Resources-
The Boulder District— Building Stone — Coal— Lime Rock— Iron Ore— Copper— Minerals in the Crazies
History of Mining Operations in the Boulder District 211
CHAPTER V.
Big Timber and Other Places.
Towns and Postoffices of Sweet Grass County— Big Timber— Its Location— The Boulders— As a Busi-
ness Center — The Name — The Big Timber Road House — Is Succeeded by the Bridge Construction
Camp of Dorni.x — A Little Village Comes Into Existence — Platting of Dornix — Business Houses
of the Little Town— Railroad Moves Its Station Up the River— Names the Place Big Timber— Dornix
Deserted— Everybody Moves to the new Town of Big Timber— First Business Houses— The Fern.—
Sunday School and Church Work— A Noted Wool Shipping Point— The Town as Seen by a Living-
ston Editor in 1886— John Anderson Plats Townsite— Additions— The First Fire— Census of 1890—
Prosperous Times — The First Bank — Building Operations of 1891 — First National Bank Started —
Prosperous Times of 1892— The Panic— Business is Paralyzed— First National Bank Fails— The
Cause — Reorganizes as the Big Timber National Bank — Series of Disastrous Fires — Work of Incen-
diary— Criterion Building Burned — Mastin & Co's Feed Barn — Conflagration of March 29. 1894 —
$20,000 Loss the Following Month — ^Becomes a County Seat Town — Flouring Mill Established — An
. Electric Light Plant — Fire in 1896 — First Effort to Bring About Incorporation — Attempt Abandoned
— Passing of the Hard Times Period — Prosperous Year of 1899 — Census of 1900 — County High
School Established — First Woolen Mill in Montana — People Ask for Incorporation — A Hard Fought
Campaign— /Incorporation Defeated — The Cause — Militia Company Organized — Another Attempt to
Incorporate — Legal Tangle Over Petition — Commissioners Call an Election — Incorporation Carries —
Exciting Campaign for the Selection of First Officers — "Progressive Citizens" Win — Officers Chosen —
Municipal Government Begun — Old Officers Reelected — Election of i904^Fire Company Organized —
Another Disastrous Fire — Elections of 1905 and 1906 — Vote to Issue Bonds for Water Works — Prog-
ress During 1906— Big Timber as a Business Center— Schools— Churches— Secret Societies— Melville-
Its Location— Its Business Houses— Founding of the Town— The Town in 1888— Later History— Nye
— Early Prospectors on the Upper Stillwater— A Minneapolis Company Begins Operations— Found-
ing Nye City— A Big Rush— Townsite Platted— A Flourishing Camp— the Postoffice— Mining Oper-
ations Suspended— The Camp Deserted — Postoffice Moved— Other Places— Grey Clifif— Reed— Howie
— Formerly Sweet Grass — The Change in Name — McLeod — Wormser — Platting Wormser City —
Merrill— B'usteed— Reynolds— Manila— Dehart ". . . 218
PART IV.
CARBON COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Current Events.
Prior to 1892— Inception of Red Lodge— Development of the Coal Deposits— Agricultural Possibilities At-
tract Early Settlers — Indian Reservation Opened — Settlers Come Rapidly — Some Movement for
County Organization— Takes Definite Form— Bill For Carbon County Passes— Enabling Act— First
County Officers— Early County Business— Prosperity of County in Various Lines— Forest Reserve-
Assessed Valuation — New Coal Fields — Brilliant Future for Carbon County 231
CONTEXTS.
CHAPTER n.
Cities and Towns.
Red Lodge — Early Davs of the Town — First Business Men — Incorporation of Red Lodge — Early Officers
—Rapid Growth— First Large Fire— Need of Fire Protection Patent— Move> for This End— Excel-
lent Results of Fire Protection— A City's Pndc— Bonds for Water Supply- R..ckv Creek Source of
Water Supply— Best in the State— Infantry C.inii)anv Organized— Increased Output in Mnies— Catas-
trophe in Mines— Bad Condition of .\ir in Mines— City Officials- Churches in City— Secret Socie-
ties of City — Advantages of Red Lodge — Bridger — Business Houses, Churches, and Societies —
Joliet, Location and Advantages — Gebo and other Towns of the County 234
CHAPTER III.
Descriptive.
Carbon County, the "Gem of the Mountains" — Resources — Place of Former Range — Now Supporting
Many Agriculturists — Alfalfa a King — Fertility of Soil — Fruit Possibilities — Irrigation — Coal the
Leader — Bear Creek Company — Amalgamated Copper Company's Coal Holdings — Butte & Helena
Parties — Petroleum Fields — Limestone — Cement — Sulphur — ^Dairying — Honey Product — Thorough-
bred Horse Raising — Altitude and Climatic Conditions 241
CHAPTER IV.
Education. ^L.
Beginning of the Educational History of County- — ^First Log Building — Organization of Districts —
Numbered from One to Eighteen — Reports of County Superintendent — Rapid Increase in School Pop-
ulation— High School — Curriculum Contains Three Courses 244
CHAPTER V.
Political.
Enabling .^ct — Officials Take Oath — Precincts Established — First Election — Later Elections — County
Seat Election — Other Elections in Order — Special Election — Carbon County not Strongly Partisan... 247
PART V.
YELLOWSTOXE COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Early Exploration — 1743 to 1863.
The Word "Yellowstone" — Its Derivation — Mi-tsi-a-da-zi — Rouche Jaune — Yellov -Stone — Yellowstone
— In-dian Inhabitants of the Yellowstone Valley— Bannacks — Crows — Captain William Clark Passes
Down the Valley in 1806 — Clark's Description of Pompey's Pillar — Father P. J. DeSmet Passes
Through the County in 1840 — The Future Yellowstone County Placed in Crow Reservation — Cap-
tain John Mullan Carries Survey Through the County in 1853 — The Stuart Party of 1863 — Enters
Future Yellowstone County — -Adventure With the Thieving Crows — Annihilation of the Party Nar-
rowly .-K verted — A Terrible Ordeal 257
CHAPTER II.
Later E-xploration and Early Settlement — 1864 to 1882.
Condition of the Yellowstone Valley in the Early Sixties— Efifect of the Gold Discoveries— Opening the
Bozeman Route — Crow Reservation of 1868 — Northern Pacific Survey of 1871 — Plans for the Survey
of 1872 — Major Baker Commands the Escort — Colonel Hayden Undertakes the Survey — .Attacked
by the Siou.x — Baker's Battle — The Commander's Conduct — Indians Repulsed — ^The Losses — The
Survey Abandoned — Who Was Scared? — Survey Comjilcted in 187.1 — The Expedition under Colonel
Brown — First Steamers on the Yellowstone — Ypno\'-;tiiiir \\'ia;i"i Road and Prospecting Expedition
— Its .Adventures — Results in Failure — Horace Countryman the First Settler of Yellowstone County
— Other Settlers of 1875 — Government Expedition Under General Forsyth — The Josephine and Rose-
CONTEXTS.
bud on the Upper Yellowstone — The F. D. Pease Expedition — Plans to Settle the Yellowstone Val-
ley— Buikling Fort Pease — Relentless War of the Sioux — Garrison Almost Wiped Out — Relief from
Fort Ellis— The Wolfers and Hunters— Their Adventures— Eflfect of the Custer Massacre and Sub-
sequent War on the Sioux — Settlers of 1876 — The Bozenian-Miles City Stage Line — Settlers of
1877 — The Stage Stations — Cantonment Terry — History of its Establishment by General W. T. Sher-
man— The Nez Perce Flight — Whites in Full Possession of the Country — Founding of Towns and
Trading Posts — Settlers of 1878 and 1879 — Census of 1S80— Big Emigration of 1882 — Founding of
Billings — Northern Pacific Enters Future Yellowstone County — Beginning of a New Epoch 255
CHAPTER III.
Since County Organ iz.\tio.\ — 1883 to 1907.
A Country Irrigated with Human Blood — Wonderful Change in One Decade — A Division of Custer
County Demanded — Plan of Action Outlined — Campaign for Erection of Yellowstone County
— Friends of the Movement in Power — Sele<:ting the Name — Little Opposition — The News in Bil-
lings— Mass Meetings — Provisions of the Act — First Meeting of the County Commissioners — Unsuc-
cessful Attempt to Make Settlement with Custer County— Court. House Purchased— Jail Erected—
First Tax Levy — First Assessment — Trouble with Piegans — Progress of the County Shown by
.Assessed Valuations — Railroad Building— A Try for the "Panhandle" of Park County— Poor Show-
ing at the 1890 Census — Struggle Between Park and Yellowstone Counties for Possession of the
Ceded Crow Lands — Yellowstone County Wins and Extends Its Boundaries — The "Hard Times" Pe-
riod—Building the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad— Big Loss of Territory by the Creation
of Carbon and Sweet Grass Counties — Another Act Giving Yellowstone County Jurisdiction Over
Portion of Crow Lands — The Census of 1900 — Erection of Court House — Opening of Crow Lands
in 1906^-Boundaries Extended — Defeat of the Roosevelt County Bill — Progress During Recent Years 273
CHAPTER IV.
Political.
Politics Before Birth of County— The First Election Precincts— One Thousand Votes Cast at Election
of 1882 — The Vote by Precincts — Yellowstone County Formed — Commissioners Named in the Bill — •
Treasurer Apipointed — Preparations for the First County Election — Twelve Precincts Created — Short,
Active Campaign — First Party Conventions — Democrats Win Everything — Change in County Officers
Before Next Election — Democrats Sent to Constitutional Convention of 1884 — Republicans Elect Every
Officer in 1884— The Tax-payers" and "Peoples" Tickets— Politics of the Several Precincts— A "Stand-
off" in 1886— Republicans Elect Majority of Officers in 1888— Election of Delegates to Constitutional
Convention of 1889 — Big Majority for Constitution in Yellovi-stone County — Republicans Make Nearly
a Clean Sweep at First State Election — Election of 1890 — Harrison Carries County over Cleveland in
1892 — Both Parties Represented in Court House — Big Vote in 1894 — Republicans Capture County — Ex-
citing Campaign of 1896— Bryan Carries County — Democrats and People's Party Get Majority of
Offices — Fusion .\gain Successful in 189S — Complications in 1900— McKinley Carries the County over
Brvan— Fusion Forces and Republicans are Both Represented in the Court House— Republicans Win
in '1902— Exciting Election to Name Representative— Bever Wins by One Vote— The Enormous Vote
of 1904— Roosevelt Carries the County Over Parker by a Record-Breaking Majority— Three Demo-
crats Elected— Election of 1906 Gives Republicans Most of County Offices— Democrats Elect Three... 279
CHAPTER V.
Billings, the "Magic City,"
Why Termed the "Magic City"— Location— Occupies a Strategic Position— Railroads— Population— Com-
pared with Other Cities of Montana— Reason of Its Supremacy— Date of Its Birth— Superseded by
Old Town of Cnulson— First Settlers in the Vicinity— Founding of Coulson— Its Early History—
Tcwnsite Platted — Lively Times in the Spring of 1882— Why Billings Was Not Built at
Coulson— Coulson in the Fall of 1882— Slowly but Surely It Moves to New Town— Now
Onlv a Memorv— Billings a Fiat Town— Minnesota & Montana Land & Improvement Company Or-
ganized— Search for a fownsite— Whv It was Decided to Build on Clark's Fork Bottoms— The Part
P'aved by .■\lkali Creek— Townsite Platted— First Buildings Erected — The Boom — Thirty Days'
History— Pace Continues All Summer— Trafficking in Town Lots— The Water Question— Postoffice
Established— -Arrival of the Railroad— .\ttempt to Incorporate in 1882— First Street Railway in
Montana— Was a Failure— The Irrigating Canal— Its Effect on Billings— Progress ef the Town Dur-
ing Fall of 1882— Business Houses in October- The Depot Controversy- The Land Company Scored
—Comparative Dull Times in Winter 1882-83— Renewed .Activity in the Spring— .Artesian Well
Com,pany— Sinks a Nine Hundred Foot Hole— No Water— Billings Board of Trade Organized— In-
corporation Defeated in 1883— A Handsome School Building Erected— Progress During 1883— End of
the Boom Days— Big Business Done in 1884— Fire of Tuly 14— Proves a Benefit to the Town— Fire
Company Organized — Territorial Legislature Grants Charter— Adopted hv the People- Beginning of
Municipal Government — Officers of the City 1885 to 1907— -A $60,000 Blaze— Followed by Another
Fire— Insurance Companies Threaten to Withdraw— Hook and Ladder Company Organized— Condi-
tions of i88s-^Water Works Svstem Installed— Building Record for 1886— Lighted by Electricit.v—
CONTENTS
Billings Fire Department Organized — Succeeded by the Maverick Hose Company — Conditions Dur-
ing Late Eighties — ^Census of 1890 — -Murder and Lynching — Billings Club Organized — Yellowstone
Fair Association — Re-incorporation Under General Law — "Hard Times" Period — Quick Recovery —
Events of the Late Nineties — Census 1900 Shows Big Increase — The Library — Marvelous Growth
Since 1900 — Cause of the Growth — Billings' Manufactories — Its Wholesale Houses — The Things of
Which the City is Proud — Building Operations in 1907 — The Churches — History of the Congrega-
tional Church — Methodist Episcopal — St. Luke's Episcopal — Catholic — Baptist — Secret and Frater-
nal Societies — History of the Masonic Orders — A. O. U. W. — ^Grand Army of the Republic — Odd
Fellows — Knights of Pythias — Other Early Day Societies — Trades and Labor Organizations 290
CHAPTER VI.
Other Towns.
Columbus — Its Location — Formerly Stillwater — First Settled Portion of Yellowstone County — Stage Sta-
tion and Postoffice — Coming of the Railroad — The Town in 18S5 — Townsite Platted — Name Changed
to Columbus — 1899 a Prosperous Year — Census of 1900 — Ambition to be a County Seat Town — In-
corporation— Laurel — Its Birth — Townsite and Additions — A Growing Town — Park City — Its Busi-
ness Houses — Its Beautiful Site — Founded bj' Ri.pon, Wisconsin, Colony — Its Founding as Told by a
Correspondent — First Business Houses — Postoffice Secured — The Town in 1883 — In 1885 — Today —
Huntley — Formerly in the Reservation — A Growing Town — The "Huntley Project" — Old Town of
Huntley — Built on Historic Ground — The First Citizens — Postoffice and Stage Station — Named by
Hunters — Census of 1880 — Business Houses in 1885 — Junction — Location and Business Enterprises —
Founding — Formerly Terry's Landing — Later Junction City — A Lively Town in the Early Days — In
1880— Townsite Platted— Destroyed by Fire— One Year Later— In i8is,S— At the Present Time— Mus-
selshell— Leading Town of North Yellowstone County — Allendale — .Anita — Ballantine — Bull Mountain-
Clermont — Corinth — Custer — Fattig — Lockwood — Mifflin — Peritsa — Pompey's Pillar — Ronald— Round-
up— Summit — Toluca — Waco — Wolf Spring — Rapids 307
CHAPTER Yll.
Descriptive.
Boundaries — Area — Topography — Elevation — Soil — Scenic Beauties — Tribute to the County by Fred H.
Foster — County Well Watered — The Yellowstone and Tributaries — The Musselshell and Tributa-
ries— Creeks of the Lake Basin — Climate — Temperature Statistics — Stockraising Industry — Cattle —
Horses — Sheep — Poultry — Swine — Bees — The Farming Industry — Corn — ^Wheat — Barley — Oats —
Flax — Potatoes — Dairying — Garden — Fruits — Sugar Beets — Alfalfa — Irrigation — What it has
Done — Its Possibilities — History of the First Canal — ^Comparison of the Principal Ditches — Crops
Under the Big Ditch — ILarly Day Irrigation Canals — 'Work of the Billings Land & Irrigation Com-
pany— What it has Done for Billings and Yellowstone County — Report of the Carey Board — The
Huntley Project — Coal Fields_ of Yellowstone Conn ty 312
PART VI.
ROSEBUD COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Current Events.
Rosebud County Correctly Named — Scene of Custer Massacre — First Settlers in Rosebud County — North-
ern Pacific Railroad— Government Agency at Lame Deer — Agitation for New County of Rosebud —
Enabling Act— County Starts— Settlement of Crow Indian Reservation— Yellowstone Valley— Mil-
waukee Railroad 319
CHAPTER II. :
Cities and Towns.
Forsyth. County Seat— Name— First Merchant— First Fire— Fire of 1901— School Building— Churches-
Outfitting Center— Bonds for Bridges— Railroad Payroll — Business Men's Association— Roscljud—
Busby— Crow Agency— Other Postoffices 323
CONTEXTS.
CHAPTER III.
Descriptive.
Size of Rosebud County — Resources Varied — -Population — Productive Valleys — Yellowstone Valley —
Froze-to-Death Valley — Rosebud Valley — Tongue Valley — Porcupine Bottom — Soil — Irrigation
Ditches — Stockraising — Sheep and Cattle in County — Railroad Land — ^Crow Reservation — Crow Ii>
dians — Climate — Railways — Coal — Development 326
CHAPTER IV.
POLI TICAL.
Appointment of Officers for New County by Governor — County Seat — Election of 1902 — Election of 1904
— Election of 1906 — Registry Districts 328
CHAPTER V.
Educational.
County's Short Existence Makes Little Educational History — First School in County — First School in
Forsyth — School Report of 1901 — County High School Not Decided — New School Building in For-
syth 330
PART VII.
CUSTER COUNT V.
CHAPTER I.
Current Events.
General History in Previous Chapters — Early Partition of Territory Now in Custer County — Early Settle-
ments—Military Forts— Custer County Named— First Tax and Officers— BufTalo Hunting— North-
ern Pacific Railroad — ^Sheep and Cattle Ranging in the County — Indian Depredations — Mission of
Bishop Brondel— County Commissioners Discharged by Legislature— Stock Losses in 1886-7 — Capt.
Brown Forms Company to Fight Indians — Tribute to Custer and Men — Crow Indians Cede Land —
Assessed Valuation of Custer County — Financial Statement of County — Stock Industry — Irrigation
— Fuel — Oimatic Conditions ' 331
CHAPTER II.
Cities and Towns.
Miles City — First Merchant — Change of Location — Live Newspaper — Water in Spring of 1881 — Railroad
Reaches Miles City — Exodus of Undesirable Element — Population in 1881 — Death of Wm. Rigney
Incendiary Fire — First Artesian Well — Another Fire — Numerous Fires — Electric Lighting Bonds
Voted — Carnegie Public Library — Churches — Officers of the Town — Shipments of 1905 Other
T°^vns 343
CHAPTER III.
Descriptive.
Large Territory — Climate — Thin Population — Streams — Description of Country — Best Horses and Cattle
in Custer County — County High School '. 354
CHAPTER IV.
POLIT ICAL.
Political History Romantic— County Board Holds First Session— Record of Elections— Officers Ousted
from Office — Record of other Elections to Date .356
CHAPTER V.
Educat ional.
Custer Population Wide Awake for Education— Largest School District in the United States— First
School— School Report for 1879— Other School Reports— Review of the Schools— Other Reports—
Ursuhne Convent— Coming of the Nuns— Struggle for the Institution— Progress of the Convent.. .. 363
CONTENTS
PART VIII.
DAWSON COUNTY
CHAPTER I.
Current Events.
Early History — Boundaries of First County — No Organi ii i. m FnK Encampments — First Settlers —
Route of Northern Pacific— Re-creation of Dawson ( ■ T n- of the Butifalo in 1883— Small
Ranching — -Sheep Industry — Dawson County Loses l>: iSi}i, — Area — Better Facilities for
Crossing Yellowstone — Bonds Issued — -Bridge Built — Imyi!i i! i.-M-rnment Project — Assessed Val-
uation of Dawson County — Superior Advantages 369
CHAPTER II.
Cities and Towns.
Glendive, "Gateway of Montana" — First Thought of Building Glendive — Railroad Completed in Spring of
iSSi— Early Business Men— Killing Buffalo Principal Industry— Stock Business— First Fire— Dispute
Concerning Title to Townsite — Glendive Fire Department — Fire in 1903 — Water System — -Sewerage
System — Religious Denominations — Fraternal Soci eties — Wibaux — Tokna — Other Postoffices 372
CHAPTER III.
Political.
Early Political History — First County Commissioners — S
CHAPTER IV.
Descriptive.
Prior to the .-Kdvent of the Northern Pacific — Early Settlers Change the Scenes — Watered Well — Rich
Agricultural Lands — ^Climate Excellent — Paramount Industry is Stock Raising — Bad Lands — Fuel —
Rich Resources — Excellent Prospects 382
PART IX.
CHAPTER I.
Press of the Yellowstone Valley.
Park County — Livingstone Gazette, First Newspaper — Is Succeeded by Livingston Tribune — Birth of the
Daily Enterprise — Its Suspension — The Weekly Enterprise — Its History — National Park Pioneer —
Livingston Sentinel — Establishment of the Livingston Post — Its Subsequent History — Livingston
Herald Has an Existence of Seven Years — Is Sold at Mortgage Sale — Montana Agriculturist — Silver
Republican — Park County Republican Plays a Part in the Press History of Park County — Wonderlan-d
— Revived as the Wonderland News 655
Sweet Grass County — Only One Paper in the County — Four Started — -Big Timber Pioneer — First Printed
in Livingston — Changes in Proprietorship — In Politics — In Size — Sweet Grass and Boulder Blade —
Comes to an Untimely End — Big Timber E.xpress — History of That Paper — Its Suspension — Yellow-
stone Leader — Story of Its Birth — Later History — Consolidated with the Pioneer 659
Carbcn County — Red Lodge Picket, the Pioneer Paper — The Vociferator — The New Idea — Carbon County
Sentinel — Carbon County Democrat — Carbon County Chronicle — Carbon County Republican — Joliet
Taxpayer — Later Named Joliet Journal — Bridger Tribune 661
Yellowstone County — Newspaper History of Over Twenty-five Years — Newspapers of Today — Recollec-
tions of the Early Days — A. K. Yerkes Founds the Coulson Post — Moves to Billings^. D. Matheson
Becomes Proprietor — Post Joins the Merger— Bromley & Devine Launch the Billings Herald — Made
CONTENTS
a Daily — Changes in Ownership — Suspends Publication to Enter the Gazette Combine — Short Life of
the Daily Rustler — Gazette Publishing Company Formed — Absorbs All the Billings Papers — All
Three Plants Destroyed by Fire — The Daily Gazette and Montana Stock Gazette — History of These
Publications — J. D. Matheson Starts the Billings Times — History of that Journal — Montana Wool
Journal — The Lurid Montana Vociferator — Its Happy End — Stillwater Bulletin — Yellowstone Valley
Recorder — ^Brief Existence of the Columbus Express — Billings Republican — Billings News — Tri-
County News — Laurel Sentinel — Billings Daily Journal-^Montana Farm — Editorial Writers of the
Early Days 662
Rosebud County — Dearth of Newspapers — Forsyth Times the First — Rosebud County News — Its Sus-
pension 667
Custer County — Yellowstone Journal. First Newspaper in the Yellowstone Valley — Major McElrath —
General Nelson A. Miles Interested in its Publication — The Daily Journal — History of the Paper —
The Chronicle — Weekly Press — Daily Press — 'Daily Rustler — Daily Record — Stock Growers Journal —
Daily Gazette— Miles City Independent 667
Dawson County — Glendive Times — Daily Times — Yellowstone Press — -Glendive Independent — Dawson
County Review — Yellowstone Monitor 66g
I
INDEX
PAGE
Adamson. William C 4/8
Albin, Bert R 437
Algaard, Albert 439
Allen. George J 620
Allen, William A 419
Allen, William H 412
Ailing, Ira M 434
Ames, John T 555
Amos, Henry S 447
Anderson, Arthur C 533
Anderson, August W. T 583
Andrew, Robert 596
Arne^nn. Anthony H 391
Anhnn. Martin 531
Arihun, nW H 599
A^h, Gtorse W 6
Austin. Thomas R 426
Awe, Fred 601
Babcock, Albert L 652
Badgett. L. S 619
Ball. William 439
Ballinger, M. S 549
Bamber, John 486
Barley. Matthias 543
Bauman, Herman 602
Bedford, Daniel C 623
Bickerdvke^ Hiram B 592
Bigelow, Deforest W 5"
Billman, Andv 557
Birkeland. Ole 408
Bishop, Jerome A 532
Bitle, Arthur 421
Black, Madison M 651
Blair, Ervin G 506
Blair, Harrv B
Blakesley, Reinza W 493
Blewett, John 553
Boggio. Charles 63
Bohne. Henrv A 628
Bonefield, Peter S86
Bostic, Elmer T 473
Bottler, Philip 547
Bowker. Joseph J 5I7
Brady. Samuel O'N. C 498
Bray. Monfort
Breck William C
Brewer, Isaac W 584
Brewster. George W 400
Brooks, Warren E 582
Brown. Joseph 521
Brownlee, Robert 469
643
PAGE
Brown. Joseph T 387
Bruffev. George A 404
Burg, Charles A 616
Burke, J. O. L 464
Burla. Gwen F 460
Burnett, James M 639
Cahoo, George H 647
Calhoun. James H 484
Camp, Edgar B 451
Campbell, George C 525
Carlson, Charles 472
Carlton, Paul H 430
Carwile, Nathaniel G 429
Cedergren Brothers 444
Cedergren. Money 0 444
Cedergren. Richard E 444
Chance, Nathan 415
Chapman. Henry 503
Cheney. William H 454
Clark, John G 554
Clark, Samuel E 626
Cleveland. George W 600
Connell. Merritt E 594
Cook, J. W 584
Coppedge. John D 627
Corbin, Harvy A 515
Cowan. Walter 0 453
Crawford. A. M 417
Crinuiiin*. Tereniiah F 5';6
Cross Charles R 524
Cutler, Robert E 519
Danim. Jnlm 623
Darroch, John M 565
Dickson. William E 514
Dow, George R 606
Draper, Frank W 496
Droste, John 631
Duffev. William 463
Duffv. Owen 520
Duffield, Harry 394
Dumont, Charles 44'
Dunning, Grant 61 1
Edwards. John E 399
Eggen, Ole 540
Eichhorn, Joseph 577
Ellis, Harry 585
Enochs, W. A 565
Fevler Samuel 523
Fitzgerald, Selleck M 505
PAGE
Flanagan, Michael 610
Flvnn, John 456
Fo'ster, Fred H 465
Forster. John 453
Fowler. John T 493
Eraser, John 559
Frost, John H 459
Garrison, Albert T 445
Gass, Alexander S 647
Geisdorff, Fred 620
Goodwin, William E 447
Goulding. Frederick J 46s
Grant. Charles F 527
Greenway, Henry J 621
Grosfield, Abraham M 398
Gruel, Louis 5i8
Gruel. Max 507
Guiler, John L 483
Hall. John H 466
Halvorsen, Hans J 390
Hanning, Emil 561
Harrington. Abraham 528
Harris Charles L 409
Hartley, Jacob M 563
Haskin, Orlando E 495
Hatch. Charles E 645
Hawkins, James B 448
Hayden. Nathaniel 50i
Ha'vnes. William N 396
Heigeland. Sivert 617
Henderson, C. W 597
Hendrickson, Henry C 572
Henrv. Frank 650
Herbert. Kirk E 443
Herbert, George 539
Herein! Osten E S02
Herman. Frank N 5I5
Hiber. Charles E 542
Hicks. Theron W 492
Hirsch. George 483
Hogan, Ben 635
Hogan. Thomas S 520
Hoines, Gunder 1 618
Hollopeter, Beniamin S 479
Hooper, John C 474
Hooper. Joseph G 411
Hope. John C ■• 489
Hoppe, Walter M 587
Hopple Samuel J 558
Horton, W. H 49'
INDEX
PAGE
Howard. A. McC 446
Howard, Henry C 480
Hudson, Claud E 402
Hudson. Robert B 486
Humplircvs. Nathaniel J 607
Hundley.' Alexander 566
Hunter, Guv D 49.3
Huntington. William C 623
Hurley, Michael 529
Hutton. J. W 560
Huxtable, John P 497
Hym. James 59i
Indreland, Samuel
Itzin, William ...
Jellison, Francis J 399
Johnson, Albert 548
Johnson, Anton H 435
Johnston. William B 649
Jones, William C 542
Kaiser, Edward 525
Kellett, Frank 45°
Kelsey S. Walter 49°
Kemmis. Thompson .\ 397
Kennedy, Edward B 450
Kennedy, James 574
Kennedy, James F 403
Kent, Thomas 442
Kimes, John 638
King, James 618
Kirscher, Peter 541
Knapp. Louis R 472
Knapp. William J 467
Knowles. William E 543
Koch, Charles 640
Krise. John W 405
Kujath, Herman 615
LaMott, Allen B 471
Lande, Jacob T 581
Laney, John W 462
Lantis, Charles D 576
LaRoche, Fernando 499
Larsen, John 531
Lathom, George D 575
Lavelle. William 484
Lay. Joseph 436
Lehfeldt, Hermann 545
Lehfeldt. Ludwig C 544
Leimbach, Ferdinand 567
Lennon, Martin 430
Leslie. Edward 431
Lindsay. William 458
Logan, Arthur C 444
Logan. John T 618
Lovely. John A 566
Lovering. Owen 422
Lowe, Milton C 488
Lowe, William 461
Lukinbeal. William E 588
Lutzenhiser, J. H 5,30
Mace, George ^2i
MaGee, Elias F 626
Mahr, Charles 598
Marsh, Jesse 416
Maryott, John L 643
Mason, Joseph E 513
Mattson, Olaf W 568
McCarty, Francis M 418
PAGE
McCune, Mary S 581
McDonald, Hector 503
McDonald. Malcolm M 573
McDonald. Richard L 568
McGehee, Edward 613
McGirl, Thomas 432
Mcintosh, A. W 509
Mcintosh, Daniel 596
McKinney, Frank 604
Meadors, Annette 440
Meadors, John P 431
Melum, B. M 455
Mendenhall, Conway B 583
Mendenhall, Cyrus B 413
Mentch. Alexander 585
Merritt, Orson 437
Meyer, William F 624
Miles, Arthur W 614
Miller, John A 595
Miller, Soren R 608
Milligan, Grant 634
Morgan, John A 564
Morris, Robert 0 600
Morrison, A. J 571
Morse, Sidney F ; 409
Moss. Preston B 490
Myers. Benjamin F 575
Myrebo, Betuel 605
Neilson, Peter 582
Nelson. Nels .A 550
Nelson. Olof 523
Nelson, Peter W 475
Newman, Edwin M 630
Newman, Mark T 625
Newnes, Sam 526
Nichol, John 591
Nielsen, Ole C 519
Nilson, Olaus 552
Nix, William J 539
Northway, Joseph Z 410
Nutting, William B 632
O'Brien, John 407
O'Connell, Samuel 5S9
O'Donnell. Ed 448
O'Leary, Albert P 495
Olson, Gus 612
Osborne, Frank B 498
O'Shea, Daniel G 634
Ostrum, Gunder 648
Padden. Willard B 605
Palmer, William W 608
Peden, David 406
Phelps, George H 598
Pierce. George W 546
Piper. Lewis C . . . 587
Potter, Charles J 401
Powers, George "W 433
Powers, Maurice ;;79
Prewett, Silas C 475
Pruett. Levi C>o3
Rademaker. M. "B 1 jo6
Ramsey, Charles A 602
Randall. James N 504
Rea. James E 537
Reed, George W 550
Renlund. Sanfrid 637
Reno, Ludlow B 427
Rich. .Mbert A 415
Rife, S. L 61Q
P.VGE
Robison, William 826
Rowland, Robert B 535
Rowland. William 420
Russell. David H 457
Russell, Edwin C 639
Sample, Henry A 47°
Sanford, Jacob T 392
Schaudel, Julius 551
Schmalsle, William F 434
Scott, James N 529
Scott, William J 424
Selleck, Charles W 516
Selway, J L 417
Seupke, Wfilliam 562
Shaf er, Louis H 537
Sickler, Arthur R 393
Simpson, Charles M 569
Simington. George R 022
Simpkins. Joseph T 558
Sirrine, Clarence 425
Sirrine. Warren 0 423
Solberg. Jacob 613
Sorenson. Marce 560
Spang, .■\lban D 426
Sproule, George 595
Stack, Thomas F 506
Staffek, John C 403
Stafford. John M 548
Stanbach, Henry J 494
Standen, Fred 527
Steele. James 609
Steele. Robert 609
Stewart. John S 637
.Stole. Jonas P 402
Stone, William B 389
Strickland, Benjamin 570
Strider. Frank 636
Strong, William 579
Sumcr. Rudolph 509
Succetti. John 530
Swan, Lawrence T 563
Teesdale, R. B 552
Terrett, William W 488
Thompson, Henry C 540
Thompson, Iver 536
Toliver, Solomon C 556
Toston, George 517
Town, Annie E 500
Tripp. Daniel W 478
Troger. .Albert 534
Tunnell. Sam. P 508
Tuttle, Samuel J 570
Tyler Riley 644
Van Houten, John W 512
Volin, Charles E 438
Wakefield. George W 393
Walters. I. W 562
Wastpeter. Tnhn 553
Weast, |acr,l, P 534
Weaver. Cliauncev R 636
Weaver. J. R 650
Welcome, George W 601
Wentworth. Maurice S 646
Wesch. Philip 404
West, James 627
Westbrook, Walter R 640
Whitbeck. James K 632
White, W. D 628
Whitney, Frank S 617
PAGE
Wilder. Elmer '466
Wolff, William W 641
Wood. G. W 629
Woosley, James 522
PAGE
Wright. Eugene P 545
Yegen. Christian 476
Yegen, Peter 476
PAGE
Young, George T 590
Young, William W 421
Youngstrom. Swan 635
Youst. Claudius D 468
INDEX
PORTRAITS
PAGE
Arch, Entrance to Yellowstone
National Park i6l
Bab'^ock, Albert L 632
Bickerdyke, Hiram B 592
Bison, a herd of 319
Brewster, George W 400
Brown, Joseph T 387
Burke, J. O. L 464
Calhoun, James H 480
Crawford, A. M 416
Custer Battlefield 319
DeSmet, Father -48-
Dickson, William E 512
Draper, Frank W 496
Eichhom, Joseph 576
Emigrant Peak 119
Flanagan, Michael 608
Guiler, John L 480
PAGE
Harrington, Abraham 528
Hawkins. James B 448
Herman, Frank N 512
Hirsch, George 480
Howard, Henry C 480
Hutton, J. W 560
Kellett. Frank 448
Kennedy, Edward B 448
Koch, Charles 640
Lantis, Charles D 576
Lantis, Mrs. Charles D 576
Lantis, Miss L. E 576
Lehfeldt, Hermann 544
Lehfeldt. Ltidwig C 544
Marsh, Jesse 416
Maryott, John L 640
Mason, Joseph E 512
McCarty, Francis M 416
PAG
McGirl. Thomas 432
Miller, Soren R 608
Meyer, William F 624
Montana Haying Scene 191
O'Dor.nell, Ed 448
Palmer. William W 608
Palmer, Mrs. William W 608
Powers. Maurice 576
Powers, Mrs. Maurice S76
Selway, J. L 416
Sheep, Band of 233
Steele, James 608
Steele. Robert 608
Van Houtcii. John W 512
Westbronk. Walter R 640
Wolflf, William W 640
Wright, Eugene P 544
Wright, Mrs. Eugene P 544
PART I
HISTORY OF MONTANA
CHAPTER
DAWN OF DISCOVERY.
To the Spaniards is due the credit of being
the first white men to explore the territory now
within the confines of the State of Montana,
and to Cabezo de Vaca should the distinction
of being the very first be given. He, in 1535,
with two soldiers and a treacherous Moor,
Stephen the Moor, left Mexico with the purpose
of exploring the north, of which they had so
often heard the Indians speak. They returned
in 1 536, and, while it is not known what terri-
tory they traversed, fi-om their description and
physical geography, their travels must have led
them to what is now known as the South
Saskatchewan and Sun rivers, beyond the ]Mis-
souri and Yellowstone.
The first missionary father who visited this
northern territory was a Franciscan Friar,
John of Padilla. In the year 1537 he was sent
by Coronado, then governor of New Gallia, to
explore the country to the north. The treach-
erous Moor, Stephen, was again chosen as
guide. The Moor with a few followers pre-
ceded the main company and because of many
attempted depredations was finally killed by the
native Indians. The party who had accompan-
ied the Moor in the lead now turned back and
met the priest and his followers, but the priest
was not to be influenced by this and pushed on
to the northward, but on sight of the Seven
Cities he stopped.
The Cavalier of Salamanca, Francisco Vas-
quez de Coronado, arrived in Mexico about
1539, and in 1540 set out in charge of an army
corps, composed of 800 natives and 300 Span-
ish nobles, and according to the statement of
Coronado they took possession of the entire
territory of the Missouri, south and north of
the 40th parallel of latitude, beyond the domain
of the Emperor Tartarax in May, 1541.
On May tenth, 1543, is recorded the first
discovery of Oregon, of which western Mon-
tana was once a part. Juan Roderiquez Ca-
brillo, in command of a Spanish squadron,
came up the coast of California and anchored
in a bay as far north as 40 degrees of latitude.
Nothing more was accomplished in the way
of explorations in the northwest for two hun-
dred years after the Spaniards made their at-
tempt to find out the nature of the territory
under their possession. The next explorations
were made by the French in 1737-38 when
Jean Frederick Philippearin, known as Count
de IMaurepas, was secretary of state in France.
He sent explorations to the equator, north and
south pole, and to then imperfectly known
coasts and countries. In 1738 M. de la Ver-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
andrye was despatched to America and was
to make an overland journey to the Pacific
ocean. To this able explorer we have to look
for the first authentic history of the state of
Montana. The traveler, having reached Can-
ada, started with his party from Montreal,
passed through Lake Superior, and, going as
far to the westward as possible, passed along
the foot of Lake Winnipeg, ascended the As-
siniboine river and directed his course toward
the Rocky mountains. For many days they
traveled over large tracts of land free from
timber but covered with very tall grass. In
several places where it was known that no
European had ever traveled, were found great
pillars of stone leaning upon each other. The
pillars consisted of one single stone each, and
sometimes such stones were found laid one
upon eacli other, resembling a wall. At one
place on the prairie several hundred miles west
of Montreal, the party discovered a large stone,
like a pillar^ and in it a smaller stone about a
foot long and four or five inches broad, covered
on both sides with characters unknown. This
curiosity was separated from the pillar and
transmitted to the secretary of state at Paris,
where missionaries conversant with Eastern
languages affirmed that the inscription was in
Tartaric characters. Without reaching the
main range \'erandrye was compelled to aban-
don the expedition, his party having got mixed
up in a war which the Indians of these parts
were waging against each other. The editor
of the New York Documents, concludes from
his analysis of many letters and official docu-
ments bearing on the expedition, that the coun-
try then explored was west and north of Min-
nesota. Three hundred miles west of Lake
Winnipeg on the Assiniboine, he states, they
erected Fort La Reine, three others being
erected further west, the most distant of which
stood on the l)ank of the Paskoyac, a fork of
the Shekatchiak. Against this opinion are
many references to the waters of the upper
Missouri, which leave no doubt that the Ver-
anclrye party reached many of the valleys of
Montana. Kalm, the Swedish scholar, who
met the A'erandrye party in Canada in 1749,
agrees with Garneau that the party did not
cross the main range; but both are willing to
concede to its members the honor of entering
the valleys between the Great Belt and the
main range. Granville Stuart and his fellow
members of the Montana Historical Society
agree in the belief that the explorers left Fort
La Reine, on the Assiniboine river, went up
the Mouse river in a southerly direction, and
then crossed over to the Missouri to a point
a little below where is now Fort Berthold.
Then they ascended the Missouri as far as the
Gates of the Mountains where the river breaks
through the Belt range (near Helena), and
ascended those mountains on the first of Janu-
ary, 1743. Thence they passed up Deep or
Smith's river, and over to the head of the Mus-
selshell ; thence south to the Yellowstone cross-
ing, through which they went up Pryor's Fork
and through Pryor's gap, to Stinking river,
which they crossed, and continuing south came
among the Snake Indians on Wind ri\-er, who
told them that on the south of Wind river
mountains was Karoskiu, now Green river.
The Snakes also told them not to go further
south or they would be killed by the Sans Arcs,
a branch of the Sioux, who were watching at
Wind river pass for any parties that might be
passing that way that they might kill and rob
them. On the 19th of Alay, 1744, they re-
turned to the upper Missouri, and in the Petite
Cerise (choke cherry) country, they planted on
an eminence a leaden plate bearing the arms (f
France, and erected a monument of stones,
which they called Beauharnois. After erecting
the monument, they doubtless descended the
Missouri, to where they first struck it on their
outward journey. Then they returned by way
of the Mouse river and the Assiniboine to the
Lake of the Woods, where they arrived July
2, 1744, after an absence of about a year.
It has been asserted, and on good authority.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
that the visit of Verandrye to the country
wliich is now known as Montana was brought
about because of the shining appearance of the
Rocky Mountains. The Imhans of this coun-
try told the natives fartlier east, and these in
turn to their eastern neiglilxirs, the rumors of
the wonderful country finaJIy reacliing the
French in Canada. According to tlie rumors,
the shining appearance of the country was sup-
posed to indicate the presence of gold, dia-
monds and other precious stones. It was on
the first of January, 1743, when Verandrye
reached the shining mountains. The point at
which the ascent was made was near the pres-
ent city of Helena. Here the exploring party
discovered the Prickly Pear river and learned
of the Bitter Root from the Indians. The
Bear Tooth mountain near Helena was de-
scribed, and in other ways the party left evi-
dence of the visit.
The Jesuit, Pere Coquard or Cociuillard,
was one of the party of 1738, and to him is
given the honor of being the first Christian
minister to visit the region now called Mon-
tana. To him must be given the credit for
nearly all the records of the expedition. While
he was neither laudations nor severe in his crit-
icisms, he gave a just and plain statement of
facts. He was Verandrye's oldest friend and
an associate in the expedition and had much
Ijetter opportunities of observation than the
chief. For this reason if no other, his state-
ments must be accepted as correct and the fol-
lowing dates and events taken in history —
Fort La Reine on the Assinilxiine erected Oc-
tober 3, 1738: the Alandan country explored
by \'erandrye, Jr., and the Chevalier Veran-
drye. sons of the Sieur de la Verandrye; Belt
mountains reached January i, 1743; Monu-
ment erected bearing French coat-of-arms in
upper Missouri country on May 12, 1744; re-
turn to the Lake of the Woods July 2. 1744:
Sieur de la \'erandrye died in Canada Decem-
ber 6, 1749; Chevalier Verandrye lost in the
wreck of the Auguste on the ocean in Novem-
ber, 1 761 ; the Sieur Jules Verandrye and Pere
Coquard returned to France. From their story
and the writings of Carver and others many
stories of their discovery were told.
In a letter from Mr. LTpham, of the Minne-
sota Historical Society, to the Montana His-
torical Society, in regard to the Verandrye ex-
pedition, he says in part : 'T believe Veran-
drye's camp of January the eighth. 1743, was
in the south edge of Montana or on the north
edge of Wyoming, not far northeast of the Big
Horn mountains, and near the southeast corner
of the present Crow Indian reservation. The
part of Montana which this expedition crossed
was only its southeast corner, south of the Yel-
lowstoae ri\er." The location of the lead
plate and cairn, mentioned above, he says "was
close to the fort of the Choke Cherry Indians
on the Missouri, somewhere in the region of
the line between South Dakota and Nebraska."
For many years after the Verandrye ex-
ploration this country was absolutely aban-
doned by the military and as a consequence the
French traders worked themselves into the
good graces of the Inilians. In 1752 and 1753,
two expeditions were sent out by Governor
Jonquierre-Lamarque de Martin in charge of
the Missouri division and Jacques Logardeurde
St. Pierre and Boucher de Niverville in com-
mand of the Saskatchewan division. These
expeditions met with little success, but the re-
sults were beneficial in that many men of each
expedition remained in the country. They
established Fort Jonquierre, Fort Bourlxin and
a number of temixjrary forts on the Missouri
river.
Jonathan Carver, a soldier, is also sometimes
credited with having- crossed the continent, cer-
tain authorities stating that he left Boston June
6, 1766, crossed the continent to the Pacific
and returned in October, 1768. This view is
not held by any of the historians of the present
dav, however.
CHAPTER II
MISSISSIPPI TO THE COAST.
Louisaiia had become a part of the terri-
tory of the United States, by treaty of Paris,
April 30, 1803. In the meantime the Lewis
and Clark expedition had been organized.
That portion of Lewis and Clark's expedi-
tion with which this history concerns itself
must relate chiefly to the achievements of these
intrepid captains after they had entered the ter-
ritory known as Montana.
Aside from Captains Clark and Lewis, the
party of the expedition consisted of nine young
men from Kentucky, fourteen L'nited States
soldiers, who had volunteered their services,
two French watermen (an interpreter and
hunter), and a black servant employed by Cap-
tain Clark. Before the close of 1803 prepara-
tions for the voyage were all completed, and
the party wintered at the mouth of Wood river,
on the east bank of the Mississippi.
The following is President Jefferson's opin-
ion of Captain Lewis :
Of courage undaunted : possessing a firmness and
perseverance of purpose which nothing but impossi-
bilities could divert from its direction ; careful as a fa-
ther of those committed to his charge, yet steady in the
maintenance of order and discipline ; intimate with In-
dian character, customs and principles; habituated to
the hunting life, guarded by exact observation of the
vegetables and animals in his own country, against
losing time in the description of objects already pos-
sessed; honest, disinterested, liberal, of sound under-
standing, and a fidelity to trust so scrupulous that
whatever he should report would be as certain as if
seen by ourselves ; with all these qualifications, as if
selected and implanted by nature in one body for this
express purpose. I could have no hesitation in confiding
this enterprise to him.
July 5, 1803, Captain Lewis left Washing-
ton, D. C, and was joined at Louisville, Ken-
tucky, by Captain Clark, and proceeded on to
St. Louis, where they arrived in December.
The Spanish officers were still in possession
of the forts at St. Louis, not having been offi-
cially notified of the transfer to France and
back to the United States. The expedition
camped at the mouth of the Wood river on the
east bank of the Mississippi river out of the
jurisdiction of the Spanish. The winter was
spent here in preparation for setting out early
in the spring. They broke up their winter
quarters on May 14, 1804, and began the as-
cent of the Missouri river. This was practi-
cally an unexplored country. On October 27,
1804, they arrived at the Mandan village, re-
maining here during the winter. Here they
were apprised of the French traders from the
British possessions, who had made overland
trips to this territory. But further west than
these villages the country was practically un-
known to the white race. The vast country of
the Platte, the Little Missouri, the Yellowstone
and the head waters of the Missouri had never
been penetrated by civilized man.
It was here in the winter of 1804 that a
Frenchman named Charbineau joined the party
with his wife, Sacajawea, or "Bird Woman,"
Sacajawea was a- woman of the Snake Indian
tribe who had been captured in war by the
Minnetarees, of whom she was purchased by
Charbineau. Brackenridge's Journal says:
"We had on board a Frenchman named Char-
bineau, with his wife, an Indian woman of the
Snake nation, both of whom accompanied
Lewis and Clark to the Pacific, and were of
great service. The woman, a good creature,
of a mild and gentle disposition, much attached
to the whites, whose manners and dress she
tries to imitate ; but she had become sickly and
longed to visit her native country ; her husband
also, who had spent many years among the In-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
dians, had become weary of civilized life."
Clark said of Charbineau : "A man of no pecu-
liar merit. Was Useful as an interpreter only,
in which capacity he discharged his duties with
good faith from the moment of our departure
from the Mandans on the "th of April, 1805,
until our return to that place in August last. *
* *■ He would have been a minus function
in comparison with his wife, Sacajawea, the
wonderful 'Bird Woman," who contributed a
full man's share to the success of the expedi-
tion, besides taking care of her baby."
Orin D. Wheeler in his "Trail of Lewis
and Clark," says that Sacajawea was called
the "Bird Woman" of the jMinnetarees, who
uncomplainingly bore her burdens with as
much fortitude as the male members of the
party and withstood the same hardships, be-
sides taking care of her child. Many times in
their travels and meetings with other tribes,
she was able to act as interpreter when her
husband failed, and many times her advice was
asked for by the captains and was always given
true weight. Sacajawea was never remuner-
ated for her trip with the expedition and it
should be the purpose of the government to
perpetuate the memory of this noble woman
with a statue in some conspicuous place. The
United States Geological Survey recently fit-
tingly named a peak in the Bridger range of
mountains, Sacajawea Peak, on the sight of
the place where she was captured as a child
by the Minnetarees, and where she pointed out
the pass over the mountains to Captains Lewis
and Clark.
Sacajawea was of the royal blood of the
Shoshoni. her brother, Cameahwait. being a
noted chief of that tribe. \Miile her husljand,
Charbineau. has not been very well spoken of
by historians, we must give him credit for do-
ing an honorable act in marrying her after he
had purchased her from the Minnetarees.
Dr. J. K. Hosmer, the well known histor-
ical \\'riter. in speaking of -Sacajawea, says:
"Her doings were of such a character as to
make it cjuite right to claim for her a place
among heroines; in the whole line of Indian
heroines, indeed, from Pocahontas to Romona,
not one can be mentioned whose title to hon-
ored remembrance is any better than hers."
Not much can be learned of the infant who
traveled so many miles with his parents on
this expedition. In regard to this Ferris, in
speaking of a trapping party, says : "The
party was enroute from the falls of the Snake-
Shoshone falls to the Miladi river in southern
Idaho, and after nearly perishing from thirst
on the desert, finally found the river. We
spent the night carrying water to our enfeebled
companions who lingered behind, and to horses
left on the way. All were found except Char-
bineau and his animals who was supposed to
have wandered from the trail and got lost."
He was afterward found among a party of
the Hudson's Bay company, where he had
strayed. In a footnote Ferris says : This was
the infant, who together with his mother, was
saved from a sudden flood near the walls of the
Missouri by Captain Lewis — "c'ldc Lewis in
Lewis and Clark Journals." — (It was Clark,
however, and not Lewis who saved their
lives.)
It is impossible to determine the time, place
or manner of the death of Charbineau and wife,
but it is supposed that they were the victims of
a small-pox epidemic that killed so many In-
dians in the years 1838 and 1839.
On the opening of spring the party contin-
ued up the ^Missouri, reaching the confluence
of the Yellowstone and Missouri. April 26,
1805. This was a great hunting ground,
abounding in buffalo, deer, elk, antelope, and
other small game. Timber was abundant, and
grew to a greater size than in moSt places on
the Missouri. The timber consisted principally
of Cottonwood, box-alder, elm and ash.
In describing the two rivers at the mouth
of the Yellowstone, the journals give the width
of the Yellowstone, including a sandbar, as 858
yards, with 297 yards of water; the Missouri
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
with a bed 520 yards and the water occupying
330 yards witli a deep channel. Continuing
up the Alissouri, the country was found to be
uneven and broken; the timber was not as
heavy; the woods were green; two small
streams flowed from the north; game was
abundant.
Early the next morning, the wind being
favorable, they proceeded up the river, cover-
ing twenty-fi\'e miles during the day, and in
the evening camped at the mouth of ^Martha's
river, now known as the Big Muddy. Lewis,
who was on shore with a hunter, met two white
bears. We must not confound these bears with
the polar bear, as they have never been found
in this latitude. The probability is that they
were of a light shade, and belonged to the same
species as the bear commonly known in these
parts. The Indians spoke of the white bear as
a ferocious animal. On approaching these
two, Captain Lewis and the hunter fired, each
wounding a bear. One escaped, the other
turned upon Captain Lewis, followed him
about eighty yards, and was brought down by
the third shot from his gun. It weighed about
300 pounds. The Martha's river was de-
scribed as being fifty yards wide, with water
for fifteen yards. Captain Clark ascended
the river for three miles and reported the width
to \-ary but little from what it was at the
mouth, that the banks were steep, but not deep,
and that the bed was muddy.
The following day they passed some lodges
of driftwood, which, from all appearances, had
not been inhabited lately. On the approach of
evening, after having traveled a distance of 24
miles, they camped on a sand island. Farther
on a curious collection of bushes was observed,
about thirty feet in height, and from ten to
twelve inches in diameter, tied together at the
top, which was supposed to have been left as a
religious sacrifice by the Indians.
With game of all sorts in abundance they
went on, and on May the eighth, reached a
stream of a peculiar whiteness, which they
named from the milky color of its water. ]\Iilk
river, which name it still retains. On the
following day they passed a most ex-
traordinary river, which was called Big
Dry. Like many mountain streams it is
a raging torrent when the snow is melting and
at other times completely dry. ,\t this time
there was no water in the stream, hence the
name.
On the nth of ]\lay, one of the party who
had been permitted to walk on shore had an ad-
venture worthy of mention here: "About five
in the afternoon, one of our men who had been
afflicted with the piles and suffered to walk on
shore, came running to the boat with loud cries
and every symptom of terror and distress; for
some time after we had taken him on Ijoard he
was so much out of breath as to be unable to
describe the cause of his anxiety, but at length
told us that about a mile and a half below he
had shot a brown bear, which immediately
turned and was in close pursuit of him ; but the
bear being badly wounded could not overtake
him. Captain Lewis with seven men went in
search of him and having found his track, fol-
lowed him by his blood for a mile, and found
him concealed in some thick brush wood, and
shot him with two balls through the skull. *
* Our man had shot him through the lungs,
yet he had pursued him furiously for half a
mile, then returned more than twice that dis-
tance, and with his talons had prepared for
himself a Ijed in the earth two feet deep and
five feet long, and was perfectly alive when
they found him, which was at least two hours
after he had received the wound."
May 14th was a notable day for the explor-
ers. We read in the journals of two remarka-
ble incidents that occurred on this day. "To-
wards evening the men in the hindmost canoes
discovered a large brown bear ; * * * six
of them, all good hunters, concealing them-
selves by a small eminence, came unpercei\-ed
within forty paces, of him. Four of the hunt-
ers now fired, and each lodged a ball in his
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
body, two of them directly through his lungs.
The furious animal sprang up and ran open-
mouthed upon them : as he came near, the two
hunters who had reserved their fire gave him
two rounds, one of which, breaking his should-
er, retarded his motion for awhile, but before
they could reload he was so near that they
were obliged to run to the river. * * *
Two jumped into the canoe; the other four
separated, and concealing themselves in the wil-
lows, fired as fast as each could reload. * *
* At last he (the bear) pursued two of them
so closely that they threw aside their gims and
pouches and jumped down a perpendicular
bank of twenty feet into the water. The bear
sprang after them, and was within a few feet
of the hindmost when one of the hunters on
shore shot him in the head and finally killed
him. They dragged him to the shore, and
found that eight balls had passed through him
in different directions."
In camp an accident was barely escaped
which would have meant much to the progress
of the party. One of the canoes, containing all
the papers, instruments, medicine and other in-
dispensable articles, being under sail when a
sudden squall of wind came up, was almost lost.
Had not the accident been averted when it was
three of the men on board might have been
lost, they being unable to swim. This incident
was due to Charbineau, who was at the helm,
and who instead of doing the right thing at the
right time lost his head, and by so doing al-
most lost the boat ; and not until the bowsman
threatened to shoot him did he do his duty.
All credit is due Sacajawea, who calmly con-
ducted herself and saved many of the articles
that would have been lost but for her. The
next da}- v»'as spent in drying the goods. The
gi-eatest loss sustained was the loss of
medicines.
On the 17th the party started early and pro-
ceeded very well. The banks being firm and
the shores bold, they were enabled to use the
towline, which, whenever the banks would per-
mit it, proved to be the safest and most expedi-
tious mode of ascending the river, except under
sail with a steady breeze. The country in gen-
eral was found to be rugged, the hills high,
with their sides and top covered with timber.
The lower part of the hills was a rich dark
loam. The timber on the ri\er consisted of
scarcely anything more than a few scattered
Cottonwood trees. The game abounded in
great quantities, but the buffalo were not so
numerous as they were some days before; two
rattlesnakes were seen that day, and one of
them killed. It resembled those of the middle
Atlantic states.
The next day nineteen miles were covered.
Weiser's creek was discovered and named after
Peter Weiser, one of the privates of the com-
pany. The towline was used this day and the
following to good advantage, the shore;-, being
clear.
Of ]\Iay 20th the journals say: "As usual.
we set out early, and the banks being
convenient for that purpose, we used the tow-
line. The river is narrow and crooked, the
water rapid, and the country much like that
of yesterday. At a distance of tw'O and one-
fourth miles we passed a large creek from the
south with but little water, to which we gave
the name of Blowing-fly creek, from the quan-
tity of those insects found in this neighborhood.
They are very troublesome, infesting our meat
while we are cooking, and our meals. After
making seven miles we reached by eleven
o'clock the mouth of a large river on the south
and camped for the day at the upper point of
its junction with the INIissouri.
"This stream, which we suppose to be that
called by the JNIinnitarees (jMahtush-ahzhah)
the jMuscleshell (Musselshell) river, empties
into the Missouri 2,270 miles above the moutli
of the latter river, in latitude 47 north. It is
no feet wide, and contains. more water than
streams of that size usually do in this country :
its current is be no means rapid, and there is
every appearance of its being susceptible of
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
navigation by canoes for a considerable dis-
tance. Its bed is chiefly formed in coarse sand
and gravel, with an occasional mixture of black
mud; the banks are abrupt and nearly twelve
feet high, so that they are secure from being
overflowed; the water is of a greenish yellow-
cast and much more transparent than that of
the Missouri, which itself, though clearer than
below, still retains its whitish hue and a portion
of its sediment. Opposite the mouth of the
junction the current of the Missouri is gentle,
and 222 yards in width ; the bed is principally
of mud, the little sand remaining being wholly
confined to the points, and the water is still too
deep to use the setting pole.
"If this be, as we suppose, the Musselshell,
our Indian information is that it rises in the
first chain of the Rocky mountains not far
from the sources of the Yellowstone, whence
in its course to this place it waters a high
broken country, well timbered, particularly on
its borders, and interspersed with handsome
fertile plains and meadows. We have reason,
howe\-er, to believe, from their giving a sim-
ilar account of the timber where we now are,
that the timber of which they speak is similar
to that which we have seen for a few days past,
\\hich consists of nothing more than a few
straggling small pines and dwarf cedars on the
summits of the hills, nine-tenths of the ground
being totally destitute of wood, and covered
with short grass, aromatic herbs, and an im-
mense quantity of prickly pear; though the
party who explored it eight miles represented
the low grounds on the river to be well sup-
plied with Cottonwood of a tolerable size and
of an excellent soil. They also report that the
country is broken and irregular, like that near
our camp ; and that about five miles up, a hand-
some river, about fifty yards wide, which we
named after Charbineau's wife, Sacajahweah's
or the Birdwoman's river, discharges into
the Musselshell on the north or upper side.
"Another party (i. e. John Shields) found
at the foot of the southern hills, about four
miles from the Missouri, a fine bold spring,
which in this country is so rare that since we
left the Mandans we have found only one of a
similar kind. That was under the bluffs on
the south side of the Missouri, at some dis-
tance from it, and about five miles below the
Yellowstone. With this exception, all the
small fountains, of which we have met a num-
ber, are impregnated with the salts which are
so abundant here, and with which the Missouri
is itself probably tainted, though to us, who
have been so much accustomed to it, the taste
is not perceptible.
"Among the game we observed today were
two large owls, with remarkably long feathers
resembling ears on the sides of the head,
which we presume are hooting owls, though
they are larger and their colors are brighter
than those common in the United States."
During the next few days several small
streams were found, each being named after
some of the men of the party. The buffalo,
were scarce; beaver, bear, antelope, and deer
not as plentiful as farther down the river.
On the 26th Windsor creek was discovered.
A few miles beyond they came to another creek
flowing from the north. It was from here,
after ascending to the topmost hills, that Cap-
tain Lewis first got a view of the Rockies.
Four and a half miles beyond this creek they
came to the upper point of a sand island. Says
the journal : "At a distance of five miles be-
tween high bluffs, we found a very difficult
rapid, reaching quite across the river, where
the water is deep, the channel narrow, and
gravel obstructing it on each side ; we had great
trouble in ascending it, although we used both
the rope and the pole and doubled the crew.
This is the most considerable rapid on the
Missouri, and in fact, the only place where
there is a sudden descent ; as we were laboring
over them a female elk with its fawn swam
down through the waves, which ran very high,
and obtained for the place the name of Elk
Rapids."
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Wednesday, the 29th was an eventful day:
"Last night we were alarmed by a new sort of
enemy," reports the journal. "A buffalo swam
over from the opposite side to the spot where
lay one of our canoes, over which he clamb-
ered to the shore; then taking fright he ran
full speed up the bank toward our fires, and
passed within 18 inches of the heads of some
of our men, before the sentinel could make
him change his course. Still more alarmed,
he ran down between our fires and within a
few inches of the heads of the second row of
men, and would have broken into the lodge if
the barking of the dog had not stopped him.
He suddenly turned to the right, and was out
of sight in a moment, leaving us all in confu-
sion, everyone seizing his rifle and inquiring
the cause of alarm. On learning what had hap-
pened, we had to rejoice at suffering no more
injury than the damage to some guns which
were in the canoe which the buffalo crossed.
"In the morning early we left our camp,
and proceeded as usual by cord. We passed
an island and two sandbars; at the distance of
two and one-half miles came to a handsome
river which discharges on the south, and which
we ascended to the distance of a mile and a
half. We called it Judith's river. It rises in
the Rocky mountains, in about the same place
with the Musselshell, and near the Yellow-
stone. Its entrance is 100 yards wide from
bank to bank, the water occupying about 75
yards, and in greater quantity than that of the
Musselshell river; though more rapid, it is
equally navigable, there being no stones or
rocks in its bed, which is composed entirely
of gravel and mud with some sand. The water
is clearer than any which we have yet seen ;
and the low grounds, as far as we could dis-
cern, are wider and more woody than those of
the Missouri. Along its banks we obsen-ed
some box-elder intermixed with cnttnnwood
and willow, the undergrowth cnnsisting of
rose bushes, honey-suckles and a little red
willow. There was a great abundance of
the argali, or big-horned animal, in the high
country through which it (Judith's river)
passes, and a great number of beaver in its
waters.
"Just above the entrance of it we saw the
fires of 126 lodges, which appeared to have
been deserted about 1 2 or 15 days ; and on the
other side of the Missouri a large camp, ap-
parently made by the same nation. On exam-
ining some moccasins which we found here,
our Indian woman said that they did not be-
long to her own nation, the Snake Indians, but
she thought that they indicated a tribe on this
side of the Rocky mountains, and to the north
of the Missouri; indeed it-is probable that these
are the Minnetarees of Fort de Prairie. At the
distance of six and one-half miles the hills
again approach the bank of the river, and the
stones and rocks washed down fmni them
form a very bad rapid, with rocks and ripples
more numerous and difficult than those we
passed on the 27th and 28th. Here the same
scene is again renewed, and we had again
to struggle and labor to preserve our small
craft from being lost. Near this spot are a few
trees of ash, the first we have seen for a great
distance and from which we named the place
Ash Rapids. On these hills there is but little
timber, but the salts, coal and other mineral
appearances continue.
"On the north we passed a precipice about
130 feet high, under which lay scattered the
fragments of at least 100 carcases of buffaloes,
although the water which washed away the
lower part of the hill must have carried off
many of the dead. These buffaloes have been
chased down the precipice in a way ^•ery com-
mon on the Missouri, by which vast herds are
destroyed in a moment. The mode of hunting
is to select one of the most active and fleet
young men, who is disguised by a buffalo skin
around his body ; the skin of the head with the
ears and horns being fastened on his own head
in such a way as to deceive the buffalo. Thus
dressed, he fixes himself at a convenient dis-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
tance between the herd of buffalo and any of
the river precipices, which sometimes extend
for some miles. His companions in the mean-
time get in the rear and side of the herd, and
at a given signal show themselves and advance
toward the bufYaloes. These instantly take
the alarm, and finding the hunters beside them,
they run toward the disguised Indian or decoy,
who leads them on at full speed toward the
river; when, suddenly securing himself in some
crevice of the rock which he had previously
fixed on, the herd is left on the brink of the
precipice. It is then in vain for the foremost
buffaloes to retreat or even to stop; they are
pressed on by the hindmost rank, which, see-
ing no danger but from the hunters, goad on
those before them until the whole are precipi-
tated, and the shore is strewn with dead bodies.
Sometimes in this perilous seduction, the In-
dian is himself either trodden under foot by the
rapid movements of the buffaloes or missing
his footing in the cliff is urged down the preci-
pice by the falling herd. The Indians then se-
lect as much meat as they wish; the rest is
abandoned to the wolves, and creates a dread-
ful stench. The wolves which had been feed-
ing on these carcasses were very fat. and so
gentle that one was killed with an espontoon.
"Above this place we came-to for dinner
at the distance of 17 miles (from camp), oppo-
site a bold running river, 20 yards wide, fall-
ing in on the south. From the objects we had
just passed we called this river Slaughter river.
Its low grounds are narrow, and contain
scarcely any timber. Soon after landing it
began to blow and rain, and as there was no
prospect of getting wood or fuel farther on,
we fixed our camp on the north, three quar-
ters of a mile above Slaughter river. After
the labors of the day. we gave each man a
dram, and such was the effect of long absti-
nence from spirituous liquors that, from the
small quantity of half a gill of rum, some of
the men were considerably affected, and all
very much exhilarated. Our game today con-
sisted of an elk and two beaver."'
The next day they passed several places
where Indians had been camped not many
weeks previously, who were supposed to be
moving slowly up the river. From where they
left the Minnetarees there had been no sign of
permanent abodes of Indians, although no
place was exempt from occasional visits.
The next day, ]May 31, after having as-
cended nine miles : "We came to a high wall
of black rock rising from the water's edge on
the south, above the cliffs of the river; this
continued about a quarter of a mile, and was
succeeded by a high plain, till three miles
farther a second wall 200 feet high, rose
on the same side. Three miles farther a
wall of the same kind, about 200 feet
high and 1,200 feet in thickness, appeared
to the north. These hills and river cliffs ex-
hibit a most extraordinary and romantic ap-
pearance; they rise in most places nearly per-
pendicular from the water, to the height of
200 and 300 feet, and are formed of very
white sandstone. In trickling down the cliffs,
the water has worn the soft sandstone into a
thousand grotesque figures, among which with
a little fancy may be discerned elegant ranges
of freestone buildings, with columns variously
sculptured, and supporting long and elegant
galleries, while the parapets are adorned with
statuan- ; on a nearer approach they represent
elegant ruins; columns, some with pedestals
and capitals entire, others mutilated and pros-
trated, and some rising, p3TamidalIy, over each
other till they terminate in a sharp point. In
the midst of this fantastic scenery are vast
ranges of walls, which seem the productions
of art, so regular is the workmanship."
On the first of June, they dragged along
against a contrary wind for twenty-three miles.
During this day, chokecherries, yellow and red
currant bushes, and wild roses and prickly pear,
were observed. The wild roses were in bloom.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Game was very abundant through this section,
and they spoke of the necessity of beginning
a collection of hides for the pin^pose of making
a leather boat, the same having been under
consideration.
The hunters, on the second, brought in six
elk, two buffaloes, two mule deer and a bear.
During the day Several islands were passed,
most of them containing some timber. After
having traveled i8 miles, they camped on the
south side of the iNIissouri, opposite the mouth
of a large river. Here our explorers were at a
loss. They had gathered all the information
they could from the Indians, but this river had
not been mentioned, so the expedition was in
absolute ignorance as to this body of water.
Before proceeding, these streams must be ex-
plored, and accordingly, as narrated in Coues
journals, we have the following examination :
"^Monday, the third, we crossed and fixed our
camp at the point formed by the junction of
this river with the Missouri. It now became an
interesting question, which of these two
streams is what the Minnetarees call Ahma-
teahza, or Missouri, which they describe as ap-
proaching very near the Columbia. On our
right decision much of the fate of the expedi-
tion depends; since if, after ascending to the
Rocky mountains or beyond them, we should
find that the river we were following did not
come near the Columbia, and be obliged to re-
turn, we should not only lose the traveling
season, two months of which has already
elapsed, but probably dishearten the men s.i
much as to induce them to abandon the enter-
prise, or yield us a cold obedience, instead of
the warm and zealous support which they have
hitherto afforded us. We determined, there-
fore, to examine Avell before we decided on our
future course. For this purpose we dispatched
t\v(i canoes with three men up each of the
streams, with orders to ascertain the depth,
width, and rapidity of the current, so as to
judge of their comparative bodies of water.
At the same time parties were sent out by land
to penetrate the countr}-, and discover from the
rising grounds, if possible, the distant bearing
of the two rivers ; and all were directed to re-
turn toward exening.
"While they were gone we ascended to-
gether the high grounds in the fork of these
two rivers, whence we had a very extensive
prospect of the surrounding country. On
every side it was spread into one vast plain,
covered with verdure, in which innumerable
herds of buffaloes were roaming, attended by
their enemies, the wolves ; some flocks of elk
also were seen, and the solitary antelopes were
scattered with their young over the face of the
plain. To the south was a range of lofty (up
to about 6,000 feet; High wood) mountains,
which we supposed to be a continuation of the
south (i. e. Judith) mountain, stretching from
southeast to northwest and terminating ab-
ruptly about southwest of us. These were
partially covered with snow ; but at a great dis-
tance behind them was a more lofty ridge (Lit-
tle Belt .mountains), completely covered with
snoAV, which seemed to follow the same direc-
tion as the first, reaching from west to north-
west, where their snowy tops were blended with
the horizon. The direction of the rivers could
not, however, be long distinguished as they
were soon lost in the extent of the plain. On
our return we continued our examination; the
width of the north branch (Marias river) is
200 yards and that of the south t,/2. The
north, although narrower and with a gentler
current, is deeper than the south branch, its
waters are of the same whitish brown color,
thickness, and turbidness, and run in the same
boiling and rolling manner which has uniform-
ly characterized the Missouri; the bed is com-
posed of some gravel, but principally mud.
The south fork (i. e. the Missouri itself) is
deeper, but its waters are perfectly transparent ;
its current is rapid, but the surface smooth and
unruffled : and its bed is composed of round and
flat smooth stones like those of rivers issuing
from a mountainous country.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
"The air and character of the north fork
so much resembles those of the Missouri that
ahnost all the party believe that to be the true
course to be pursued. We, however, though
we have given no decided opinion, are inclined
to think otherwise; because, although this
branch does give the color and character to
the Missouri, yet these very circmnstances in-
duce an opinion that it rises in and runs through
an open plain country, since if it came from the
mountain it would be clearer, unless, which
from the position of the country is improbable,
it passed through a vast extent of low ground
after leaving them. We thought it probable
that it did not even penetrate the Rocky moun-
tains, but drew its source from the open coun-
try toward the lower and middle parts of the
Saskaskawan, in the direction north of this
place. What embarrasses us most is that the
Indians, who appeared to be well acquainted
with the geography of the country, have not
mentioned this northern river; for 'the river
that scolds at all others,' as it is termed, must
be, according to their account, one of the rivers
which we have passed ; and if this north fork be
the Missouri, why have they not designated
the south branch, which they must also have
passed in order to reach the great falls which
they mention on the Missouri.
'Tn the evening our parties returned, after
ascending the rivers in canoes for some dis-
tance and then continuing on foot, just leaving
themselves time to return by night. The north
fork was less rapid, and therefore afforded the
easiest navigation ; the shallowest water of the
north was five feet deep, that of the south six
feet. At two and one-half miles up the north
fork is a small river (Teton) coming in on
the left or western side, 60 feet wide, with a
bold current three feet in depth. The party
by land had gone up the south fork in a straight
line somewhat north of west for seven miles,
where they discovered this little river (Teton)
came within 100 yards of the south fork; and
on returning down it, found it a handsome
stream, with as much timber as either of the
large rivers, consisting of the narrow and wide
leaved Cottonwood, some birch and box-elder,
with an undergrowth of willows, rosebushes
and currants. They also saw on this river a
great number of elk and some beaver.
"All these accounts were, however, very
far from deciding the important question of
our future route. We therefore determined,
each of us, to ascend one of the rivers during
a day and a half's march, or further if neces-
sary for our satisfaction. Our hunters killed
two buffalo, six elk, and four deer today.
Along the plains near the junction are to be
found the prickly pear in great quantities ; the
chokecherry is also very abundant in the river
low grounds, as well as the ravines along the
river bluffs; the yellow and red currants are
not vet ripe; the gooseberry is beginning to
ripen, and the wild rose which covers all the
low grounds near the river is in full bloom.
The fatigues of the last few days have occa-
sioned some falling ofi in the appearance of
the men; who, not being able to wear mocca-
sins, have had their feet much bruised and
mangled in passing over the stones and rough
ground. They are, however, perfectly cheer-
ful, and have an undiminished ardor for the
expedition."
On the morning of the fourth, Captaia
Lewis and Captain Clark, set out to explore
the two streams. Captain Lewis crossed the
north fork and explored this river. He pro-
ceeded in a northerly direction until the sixth
when he decided to return, having convinced
himself that this stream pursued a direction too
far north for the route to the Pacific. He
waited until noon to take a meridian altitude
and then returned, arriving at the camp at the
confluence of the two rivers on the eighth. "1
determined to give it a name," he said, "and in
honor of Miss Maria Wood, called it Maria's
river."
Captain Clark explored the south branch
for a distance of fortv-five miles, and returned.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
13
arriving at camp on the evening of the sixth
Here he remained until the arrival of Captain
Lewis on the eighth. Captains Lewis and Clark
compared their observations and concluded
that the south branch must be the stream which
leads well into the mountains. They had been
apprised by the Indians of the clear water of
the river at the falls. This was true of the
water of the south branch. It seemed to them
that this must be the right course to take, for
were it not the Indians would certainly have
made mention of a stream of this size flowing
from the south.
The conclusions were communicated to the
party, who to a man, was of a contrary opin-
ion. However, they were willing to abide by
the conclusions as arrived at.
It was agreed that one of them (Lewis or
Clark) should ascend by land and the other
take the river. In the meantime, in order to
lessen their burdens as much as possible, they
determined to leave one of their periogues and
all the baggage not absolutely needed. This
they did, securely fastening the periogue on
an island near the mouth of the Maria, and se-
creting the baggage that could be dispensed
with.
On the morning of the eleventh, Lewis,
with a party of four men, set out by land. Two
days later they heard the sound of a fall of
water. As they drew nearer the sound became
too tremendous to be anything else than the
water pouring over the Great Falls of the
Missouri.
Captain Lewis describes the river at this
point in a very graphic way as follows : "The
river immediately at this cascade is 300 yards
wide, and is pressed in by a perpendicular cliff
on the left, which rises to about 100 feet and
extends up the stream for a mile : on the
right the bluff is also perpendicular for 300
yards above the falls. For 90 or 100 yards
from the left cliff, the water falls in one smooth
even sheet, over a precipice of at least 80 feet.
The remaining part of the river precipitates
itself with a more rapid current, but being re-
ceived as it falls by the irregular and project-
ing rocks below, forms a splendid prospect of
perfectly white foam, 200 yards in length and
80 in perpendicular elevation. This spray is
dissipated into a thousand shapes, sometimes
flying up in columns 15 or 20 feet, which are
then oppressed by larger masses of white foam,
on all which the sun impresses the brightest
colors of the rainbow. As it rises from the
fall it beats with fury against a ledge of rock
which extends across the river at 150 yards
from the precipice. From the perpendicular
cliff on the north, to the distance of 120 yards,
the rocks rise only a few feet above the water;
when the river is high the stream finds a chan-
nel across them 40 yards wide and near the
higher parts of the ledge, which then rise about
20 feet and terminate abruptly within 80 or 90
yards of the southern shore. Between them
and the perpendicular cliff on the south the
whole body of water runs with great swiftness.
A few small cedars grow near this ridge of
rocks, which serves as a barrier to defend a
small plain of about three acres, shaded with
Cottonwood, at the lower extremity of which
is a grove of the same tree, where are several
Indians' cabins of sticks; below the point of
them the river is divided by a large rock, sev-
eral feet above the surface of the water, and ex-
tending down the stream for twenty yards. At
the distance of 300 yards from the same ridge
is a second abutment of solid perpendicular
rock about 60 feet high, projecting at right
angles from the small plain on the north for
134 yards into the river. After leaving this,
the Missouri again spreads itself to its usual
distance of 300 yards, though with more than
its ordinary rapidity."
Several days were spent in working their
way up the succession of falls. The most re-
markable of these they called Crooked Falls.
While viewing this romantic fall, Captain
Lewis heard a loud roar from above them.
Crossing over the point, which lay between
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
them and the noise of rushing water, they came
in sight of one of nature's grandest scenes.
Captain Clark described it in the following
picturesque language: "The whole of the ^lis-
souri is stopped by one shelving rock, which,
without a single niche, and with an edge as
straight and regular as if formed by art,
stretches itself from one side of the river to the
other for at least a quarter of a mile. Over
this the water precipitates itself in an even,
uninterrupted sheet, to the perpendicular depth
of fifty feet, whence dashing against the rocky
bottom, it rushes rapidly down, leaving behind
it a spray of the purest foam across the river."
The journal tells us that "Just below the
falls is a' little island in the middle of the river,
well covered with timber. Here on a cotton-
wood tree an eagle had fixed her nest, and
seemed the undisputed mistress of the spot, to
contest which dominion, neither man nor beast
would venture across the gulfs that surround
it." The story of the eagle's nest had been
related to the party by the Indians at a much
earlier date and this helped to impress upon
their minds the fact that they could not be mis-
taken in the course.
After Captain Lewis departed Captain
Clark remained in the camp one day to secrete
the articles which could be dispensed with, and
on the 1 2th started up the river. Navigation
was slow and difficult, due to the rapidity of the
current. On the 13th they reached the spot
where Captain Clark had encamped on the
fourth. At this place they were met by one of
Lewis's men who came with the welcome intel-
ligence that Lewis had discovered the falls. By
noon of the i6th they had approached within
five miles ol the falls, having crossed one con-
siderable rapids in the morning. Lewis joined
them here, having come down from the falls,
and they discussed the most feasible method of
crossing over the falls. It was decided that
Clark make a tour of the country up the river
and locate a route by which the baggage could
be most easily transported. After the most
feasible route had been determined upon the
men were put to work transferring it to where
the river was navigable above the falls, a dis-
tance of some seventeen miles. They again
deposited part of the baggage before beginning
the trip around the falls.
Anticipating the need of a light boat that
could be easily carried where the stream was
not navigable, the explorers brought with them
an iron frame from which to construct a boat.
Skins of buffalo and elk were stretched over
this skeleton, making it the lightest possible.
"The boat was completed," says the journal,
"except what is in fact the most difficult part,
the making her seams secure."
To use the words of the journal, "We had
intended to dispatch a canoe with part of our
men to the United States early this spring ; but
not having yet seen the Snake Indians, or
knowing whether to calculate on their friend-
ship or enmity, we had decided not to weaken
our party which is already scarcely sufficient
to repel any hostility. \\'e were afraid, too,
that such a measure might dishearten those
who remained ; as we have never suggested to
them, they are all perfectly and enthusiastically
attached to the enterprise, and willing to
encounter any danger to insure its success.''
On the fifth the boat was ele\ated so that a
fire could be kindled under it, in order that it
might be dried more rapidly. A composition of
powdered charcoal with beeswax and buffalo-
tallow was used to prevent it from leaking.
The journal says : "Besides the want of tar,
we have been unlucky in sewing the skins with
a needle which had sharp edges instead of a
point merely. Although a long thong was
used in order to fill the holes, yet it shrinks in
drying and leaves them open, so that we fear
the boat will leak." A few days later we read :
"The boat having now become sufficiently dry,
we gave her a coat of the composition, which
after a proper interval was repeated, and the
next morning she was launched into the water.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
and swam perfectly well. The seats then were
fixed and the oars fitted; but after we had
loaded her, as well as the canoes, and were on
the point of setting' out, a violent wind caused
the waves to wet the baggage, so that we were
forced to unload the boats. The wind con-
tinued high until evening, when to our great
disappointment we discovered that nearly all
the composition had separated from the skins
and left the seams perfectly exposed; so that
the boat now leaked very much. To repair this
misfortune without pitch is impossible, and as
none of that article is to be procured, we there-
fore, however reluctantly, are obliged to aban-
don her, after having so much labor in the con-
struction."
Now that the boat had proved a failure,
they must construct others to take its place.
The timber was very scarce throughout the
upper course of the river — timber large enough
for their purpose. The country was searched
for trees large enough and at about eight miles
distant they found two cottonwoods. which
when fallen, did not prove to be very well
suited for the purpose, but as nothing better
was attainable they were used.
These boats being constructed, the party
continued on to the three forks of the river,
reaching there in ten days. During this time
the journal makes mention of observing many
wild roses, sage, box-elder, service berries,
chokecherries, black, yellow, red and purple
currants, wild onions, garlic, abundance of sun
flowers, aspen, and a few species of trees, but
none of large dimensions ; elk, deer, otter, black
snakes, beaver, sand hill cranes, pheasants,
wild geese and ducks, a few bear and buffalo.
The buffalo were not so numerous as at points
down the river, neither were other game
animals found in such great numbers.
A few miles distant from tlie falls a large
Indian lodge was passed which evidently had
been designed as a great council fire, but in
construction it differed from any the party had
seen further down the river. It was built in
the form of a circle, 216 feet in circumference
at its base. It was composed of 16 cotton wood
poles the thickness of a man"s body and about
fifty feet long, which converged to a point and .
were tied together with withes of willow brush.
On the 1 6th 40 little booths were passed. The
journal says : "These seemed to ha\e been
deserted about ten days, and as we supposed by
the Shoshonees or Snake Indians, whom we
hoped soon to meet, as they appeared, from
their tracks, to have a number of horses with
them."
During the same day they passed on the
left side of tlie river a frame of a large lodge,
which was 60 feet in diameter, around which
was the remains of 80 leather lodges, all of
which seemed to have been built during the last
fall. On the i8th the journal says: "Being
very anxious to meet with the Shoshonees or
Snake Indians for the purpose of obtaining the
necessary information of our route, as well as
to procure horses, it was thought best for one
of us to go forward with a small party and
endeavor to discover them, before the daily
discharge of our guns, which is necessary for
our subsistence, should give them notice of our
approach. If by accident they hear us they
will most likely retreat to the mountains, mis-
taking us for their enemiies, who usually
attack them on this side."
Accordingly Captain Clark with three men
followed the course of the ri\-er on the north
bank until well in the afternoon, when he cross-
ed over a mountain to the river beyond, thus
cutting ofif several miles. In so doing he dis-
covered an Indian trail, which he followed.
The Gates of the Rockies, a remarkable
canyon of the jNIissouri. results from the con-
finement of the Missouri by a spur of the Big
Belt mountains, and is described by Captain
Lewis in the following manner :
A mile and a half beyond this creek (now the Cot-
tonwood), the rocks approach the river on both sides,
forming a most sublime and extraordinary spectacle.
For five and three-quarter miles these rocks rise per-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
pendicular from the water's edge, to the height o£
nearly 1,200 feet. They are composed of a hlack gran-
ite near the base, but from their lighter color above,
and from the fragments, we suppose the upper part to
be flint, of a yellowish brown or flint color. Nothing
can be imagined more tremendous than the frowning
darkness of these rocks, which project over the river
and menace us with destruction. The river, 150 yards
in width, seems to have forced its channel down this
solid mass ; but so reluctantly has the rock given away
that, during the whole distance, the water is very deep
even at the edges, and for the first three miles there is
not a spot, except one of a few yards, in which a man
could stand between the water and the towering per-
pendicular of the mountain. The convulsion of the pas-
sage must have been terrible, since at its outlet are
vast columns of rock torn from the mountain, which
are strewn on both sides of the river — the trophies, as
it were, of a victory. Several fine springs burst out
from the chasms of the rocks, and contribute to in-
crease the river, which has now a strong current; but
very fortunately we are enabled to overcome it with
our oars, since it would be impossible to use either
the cord or the pole. We were obliged to go on some
time after dark, not being able to find a spot large
enough to camp on; but at length about two miles
above a small island in the middle of the river, we met
with a spot on the left side, where we procured plenty
of light wood and pitch pine. This extraordinary range
of rocks we called the Gates of the Rocky mountains.
Continuing the account of the journey, the
journal says :
"At a mile from the Gates a large creek
comes down from the mountains and empties
behind an island in the middle of a bend to
the west. To this stream, which is 15 yards
wide, we gave the name of Pott's creek, after
John Potts, one of our men.
"Up this valley about ten miles we discov-
ered a great smoke, as if the whole coimtry had
been set on fire; but were at a loss to decide
whether it had been done accidentally by Cap-
tain Clark's party, or by the Indians as a sig-
nal on their observing us. We afterward
learned that this was the fact; for they had
heard a gun fired by one of Captain Clark's
men, and believing that their enemies were ap-
proaching, had fled into the mountains, first
setting fire to the plains as a warning to their
countrymen."
On July 22 after the party had passed sev-
eral small islands and a creek that flowed from
their right as they ascended, we read from the
journal as follows : "We were delighted to
find that the Indian woman recognized the
country ; she tells us that to this creek her coun-
trymen make excursions to procure white paint
on its banks, and we therefore call it White-
earth creek. She says also that the Three Forks
of the Missouri are at no great distance — a
piece of intelligence that has cheered us all, as
we hoped soon to reach the head of that river."
On Thursday, July 25, Captain Clark ar-
rived at the Three Forks of the Missouri, the
Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin. After exam-
ining the three rivers he found that the right
branch contained the most water, and that it
bore further to the west. Having this knowl-
edge he determined to ascend it. He left a
note informing Captain Lewis of his intention,
and then ascended that stream, proceeding up
the stream to his right. They camped for the
night, having cut off 25 miles. The ne.xt morn-
ing the party, except Charbineau and one of
the men left with him, the former being una-
ble to accompany them, advanced up the river
and to the top of a mountain where he had a
splendid view of the surrounding country. No
signs of the Indians were to be seen. They
returned to the camp where they left Charbi-
neau. Captain Clark having decided to cross
over to the Madison and examine it, they
crossed over to the east side of the Jefferson
and then to a branch of it that empties into it
a few miles above the Three Forks. In the
meantime, while crossing the Jefferson Charbi-
neau was swept off his feet, and being unable
to swim, would have lost his life had not Clark
rescued him. They camped for the night about
four miles distant from their last encamp-
ment. Captain Clark was well worn out and
during the night had quite a fever. The next
day, however, he was able to resume his route
for eight miles to the middle branch, the Madi-
son. From here he proceeded down the stream
to the forks and joined Lewis and his party.
I
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
During this time Captain Lewis had ad-
vanced to the confluence of these rivers and
made some explorations.
After speaking of the unl<no\vn country, of
not having seen the Indians, of the fear that
game would be scarce, of the possibility of not
finding a passage across the mountains that
would lead to the Columbia, the journal con-
tinues : "Our consolation is that this south-
west branch can scarcely head with any other
river than the Columbia ; and that if any nation
of Indians can live in the mountains we are
able to endure as much as they can ; and have
even better means of procuring subsistence."
On the 30th of July the canoes were loaded,
and they moved forward from the Three Forks
of the Missouri up the JefYerson river. Near
tioon they reached the spot where the Bird-
woman had been made a prisoner. Her story
was that the men being too few to contend
with the Minnetarees, mounted their horses
and fled as soon as the attack began. The
women and children dispersed, and Sacajawea,
as she was crossing a shoal place, was over-
taken in the middle of the river by her pursuers.
Captain Clark being unwell, Lewis took the
advance. August the fourth he reached the
mouth of a ri\-er which flows from the south-
west, the Wisdom. This stream is now known
as the Big Hole, or Wisdom, river. The party
marched up this stream to a point near where
it issues from the mountains. Here they went
into camp for the night. In the morning Lewis
and Drewyer continued up the river to a nar-
row canyon, from which place they ascended a
mountain. From this eminence they were in
full view of the valleys of both the JefYerson
and Wisdom.
In the meantime, before leaving the mouth
of the Wisdom, Lewis left a note for Clark,
instructing him to ascend the Jefferson. Clark
reached the confluence of these streams Au-
gust 6th, "but unluckily Captain Lewis's note
had been left on the green pole which the
beaver had cut down and carried off with the
note." Clark was now at a loss to know which
branch to ascend; but decided on the right,
which stream he ascended for several miles,
until he met one of the hunters of Lewis's party
who was coming down the ri\'er, who apprised
him of his mistake. Clark returned to the
forks of the river.
Before Clark reached the Jefferson he was
overtaken by Captain Lewis, who accompanied
him down the stream. Having reached the
confluence of the rivers, they went into camp
for the night, intending to ascend the Jefferson
in the morning.
Immediately after breakfast in the morn-
ing, August the 9th, Captain Lewis took three
men, "and set out with a resolution to meet
some nation of Indians before they returned,
however long they might be separated from the
party." He did not follow the course of the
river, but took his course across the country.
By the next evening they had come to a beauti-
ful cove, which he called Shoshone cove. They
spent the night here and early the next morn-
ing they started up the river. Scarcely had
they advanced five miles when Captain Lewis
percei\-ed a man on horseback. He was at a
distance of two miles and was approaching
them. ^Vhen within one mile distance of Cap-
tain Lewis be observed him and suddenly
stopped. Captain Lewis employed the signs of
friendship most common among Indian tribes
and at the same time calling to him, repeating
the words, "fabba bone." which means in the
Shoshonean language, white man. But the In-
dian did not approach any nearer, but remained
in the place where he had stopped. Lewis
advanced towards him until he had approached
within one hundred yards, when he "suddenly
turned his horse, and giving him the whip,
leaped across the creek and disappeared in an
instant among- the willow bushes. With him
\anished all hopes which the sight of him in-
spired, of a friendly introduction to his coun-
trymen."
On the morning of the 12th of August they
i8
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
continued up the main stream on their right.
The stream gradually became smaller, till, after
going two miles, it had so greatly diminished
that one of the men in a fit of enthusiasm, with
one foot on each side of the river; thanked God
that he had lived to bestride the Missouri. They
had now reached the hidden source of the river,
which had never yet been seen by civilized
man. They then crossed the continental di-
vide and "followed a descent much steeper than
that on the eastern side, and at a distance of
three-quarters of a mile reached a handsome,
bold creek of cold, clear water, running to the
westward. They stopped to taste for the first
time the waters of the Columbia; and after a
few minutes followed the road across the steep
hills and low hollows, till they reached a spring
on the side of the mountain."
The next day they discovered two women,
a man, and some dogs. They were at the
distance of a mile and fled at the approach of
the party. Continuing their journey the party
had not gone more than a mile when they saw
three more Indian women. Lewis and his
party were not observed until within thirty
paces of them. "One of them, a young woman,
immediately took flight, the other two, an eld-
erly woman and a little girl, seeing they were
too near- for them to escape, sat on the ground,
and holding down their heads seemed as if re-
conciled to the death which they supposed
awaited them." Lewis repeated to them the
words "tabba boiic," and at the same time strip-
ping up his shirt sleeves to prove that he was a
white man. This relieved them from their
alarm. Lewis informed them by signs that he
desired to go to their camp to see the chiefs.
While being directed in the direction of the
camp, they were met by sixty warriors, all
mounted. The women, who had gone in ad-
vance, informed the warriors that they were
white men; and when they approached each
other, they were given a warm welcome. Cap-
tain Lewis lighted a pipe and offered it to the
Indians, who had now seated themselves in a
circle around the party. \Mien the smoking
was concluded, the warriors and the party
moved on to the camp of the Indians, which
was four miles distant. Here Lewis informed
them of his mission. After spending some time
time with the chiefs he walked down to the
Lemhi river. "The chief informed him that this
stream discharged at a distance of a half day's
walk, into another (Salmon river) of twice
its size — and that it was rocky, rapid, and so
closely confined between mountains that it was
impossible to pass down it by land or water
to the great lake (Pacific ocean) where, as
he had understood, the white man lived."
Captain Lewis, having secured the good
will of Cameahwait, the chief, informed him of
his party at the forks of the Jefferson, and en-
deavored to engage him and a number of his
men to accompany him, and assured them they
should be rewarded for their trouble. Many
of them were skeptical, fearing that they might
be enemies. After the chief and a few of the
men started, nearly all the warriors followed.
After reacliing the main party they were given
many little trinkets and clothing. Here
Sacajawea. while acting as interpreter, recog-
nized, in the person of Cameahwait, her broth-
er. "She instantly jumped up, and ran and em-
braced him, throwing over him her blanket
and weeping profusely," in the language of the
explorers.
Ten horses were purchased and paid for in
merchandise. At noon August 24, they were
all ready and started for the Shoshone camp.
The Indians were paid to assist in transporting
the baggage across the mountains to the other
side.
The Indians informed them that the river
was very rapid and rough, and that it was im-
possible to descend it. The explorers, how-
ever, advanced down the river for about thirty
miles, only to learn that it would be impossible
to continue further. When with the Shoshones
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
19
at the Lemhi camp, tliey secured the services
of an old Indian guide, which were found to
be very valuable to them.
After a few days observation, they decided
to advance farther to the north. On the fourth
of September they crossed the Bitter Root
mountains and followed down a stream for
three miles to where it joined with a larger
stream, the Ross fork. In the valley at the
junction of the streams they found an Indian
encampment. These were the Ootloshoots, or
Flatheads. They numliered thirty-three lodges,
or 400 souls, eighty of which were men. They
purchased from the Indians a number of horses,
which, with the ones brought along with them
from the Shoshones, made fifty in all.
After leaving the Indian village, they con-
tinued in a northerly course down the Bitter
Root valley, reaching Tra\'elers-rest creek,
now the Lolo. September 9th, where they re-
mained two days. On the afternoon of the
eleventh, the expedition left Travelers-rest,
turning to the west, and advanced up the
stream — which country was found to be very
rough and hard to travel over.
The Indians had informed them of the
scarcity of game when near the top of the
mountains and on the west side, which state-
ments they found to be true. The Indians of
this region depended for sustenance, to a great
extent, on berries and various roots. We read
from Gass's journal of the twelfth, that after
"having traveled two miles we reached the
mountains which are very steep: but the road
over them very good, as it is traveled much by
the natives, who come across to the Flathead
river to gather cherries and berries."
During the two days following the depart-
ure of the party from Travelers-rest the moun-
tains wxre crossed and the descent of the west-
ern slope was made. It is not within our pro-
vince tO' here relate the interesting story of the
trip from this point to the Pacific ocean. We
have told in detail of the trip across the great
state of Montana. From the point the Lewis
and Clark party traveled in a general western
direction to the Clearwater, to the Snake, tJ
the Columbia, to the Pacific ocean. Wintering
on the coast, they started back early in the
spring of 1806, and in June we fintl them again
in the Bitter Root mountains.
They arrived back at their old camp on
Travelers-rest creek June 30, 1806, without the
loss of a man. From the time the party started
out until this time they had never been separ-
ated for any great length of tiine. Now they
were to be separated, and we let the journal
tell of their plans and separation.
We now formed the following plan of operations :
Captain Lewis, with nine men, is to pursue the most
direct route to the falls of the Missouri, where three
of his party are to be left to prepare carriages for
transporting the baggage and canoes across the portage.
With the remaining six he will ascend Marias river to
explore the country, ascertain whether any branch of
it reaches as far north as the latitude 50 degrees, after
which he descends the river to its mouth. The rest
of the party will accompany Captain Clark to the head
of Jefferson river, which Sergeant Ordway and a party
of nine men will descend with the canoes and other
articles deposited there. Captain Clark's party, which
will then be reduced to ten men (besides himself
and Sacajawea), will proceed to the Yellowstone at its
nearest approach to the three forks of the Missouri.
There he will build canoes and go down that river with
seven men of his party, and wait at its mouth till the
rest of the party joins him. Sergeant Pryor with two
others will then take the horses by land to the Mandans.
On July third, we read from the journal
that, "All preparations being completed, w^c
saddled our horses, and the two parties who had
been so long companions, now separated with
an anxious hope of soon meeting, after each
had accomplished the purpose of his destina-
tion."
Captain Lewis followed down the left bank
of Clark's river to its junction with the "east-
ern branch." This stream is now- known as
Hellgate river. A short distance below this
branch they constructed raftsand crossed over to
the other side, the horses swimming the river.
Lewis then proceeded up the Hellgate to the
mouth of the Cokalahishkit (now Big Black-
HISTORY OF ^lONTANA.
foot) river, advanced up it eight miles and
camped for the night. Tliis was the trail taken
by the Indians to the buffalo country. By the
seventh they had reached the divide. We quote
the record of this day from the journal of Gass :
"Having gone about five miles, we crossed the
main branch of the ri\er, which comes in from
the north, and up which the road goes five
miles further and then takes over a hill towards
the east. On the top of this hill there are two
beautiful ponds, of about three acres in size.
We passed over the ridge and struck a small
stream, which we at first thought was of the
headwaters of the Missouri, but found it was
not. Here we halted for dinner, and after stay-
ing three hours, proceeded on four miles up
the branch, when we came to the dividing
ridge between the waters of the ^lis-
souri and the Columbia, passed over the
ridge and came to a fine spring, the waters of
v.-hich'run into the Missouri. We then kept
down this stream or branch about a mile ; then
turned a north course along the side of the di-
viding ridge about eight miles, passing a num-
ber of small streams or branches, and at nine
o'clock at night encamped after coming thirty-
two miles."
Here they abandoned the trail and pro-
ceeded north to the Medicine, or Sun, river,
following the course of this stream to its
mouth, arriving there July eleventh. After
spending a few days here Lewis departed on
the exploration to the headwaters of the Marias
river. He took with him three men. leaving
the others of the party to construct boats and
bring the baggage they had deposited on the
west bound trip, to the mouth of the Marias
river where they had been instructed to wait
his arrival. They crossed from the great falls
to the Teton river. Here they noticed the
fresh tracks of a bleeding buffalo, which pre-
sumably had been injured by Indians. This
created a feeling of uneasiness, for the ]\Iinne-
tarees, a very treacherous tribe, were supposed
to be in this country. This scare proved to be
a false alarm and the next day they continued
their journey to the Marias river, crossing six
miles above the point where Lewis had as-
cended the previous fall. After having com-
pleted their explorations of the river, and on
their return, they met with a band of Indians
who proved to be Minnetarees. They all
camped together for the night. During the
early morning the Indians stole some of their
guns and part of their horses. This resulted
in one of the Indians being stabbed by one of
the party, and in Captain Lewis shooting one
who was making away with the horses. After
being shot he took aim at Captain Lewis, the
ball passing within a few inches of his head.
During the evening they were apprised of
the fact that to the west and north, at a dis-
tance of some 30 miles, a large band of Indians
were camped. Fearing that the news would be
carried to them, and that the whole tribe would
pursue them, they traveled with the utmost
speed to the Missouri. They did not go direct
to the mouth of the ^larias, but kept to the
west, where the country was not so broken,
and came to the Missouri above the mouth of
the Marias. Here they met the party coming
down the river. The horses were turned loose
and the party embarked in the boats, and
hastened to the mouth of the Marias. After
loading their boats with the baggage, deposited
the year previous, they, on July 28, embarked
down the river, reaching the junction of the
Missouri and Yellowstone on August 7. Here
they found a note left by Clark, showing that
he had passed this point several days previous,
and had advanced down the river and would
wait at some convenient place.
For convenience we have followed Captain
Lewis from Travelers-rest creek to the mouth
of the Yellowstone. Now we return to this
same place and trace Clark's party as they
journey across to the Yellowstone and down its
course to its confluence with the ^lissouri.
On the same day, July 3, that Lewis set
out in an easterly direction, Captain Clark with
HISTORY OF AIOXTANA.
the remainder of the party, started up tlie
river, crossed the mountains and through Ross'
hole and camped on Camp creek. They ad-
vanced up the creek tliree miles, leaving to the
right the trail by which they had crossed the
mountains the fall before, "and pursued the
road taken by the Ootloshoots, up a gentle
ascent to the dividing mountains which separ-
ates the waters of the middle fork of Clark's
river from those of the Wisdom and Lewis
rivers." Turning eastward they were once
more on the headwaters of the Wisdom river.
The course from here was in a southeasterly
direction across the divide between the Wis-
dom and the Jefiferson rivers, and down Grass-
hopper creek to the Jefiferson.
On July lo the party began their journey
down the Jefferson. The boats were now load-
ed, and Captain Clark divided his men into
two bands, one to descend the river with the
baggage, while he, with the other, proceeded
on horseback to the Roche jaune.
The two divisions reached the three forks
at about the same time, July 13. The same day
Ordway and nine men, with six boats, sailed
down the Missouri to the great falls, where he
was to meet Lewis and party, which was suc-
cessfully accomplished. Captain Clark at the
same time struck out in an easterly direction
with eleven men and Sacajawea and her child.
Here Sacajawea was found to be of great
value, as she had been over the country when a
child and knew just where to direct the party.
On the 15th of July they crossed the divide
between the Gallatin and Yellowstone rivers,
and on descending the ridge they discovered
a stream flowing into the Yellowstone, which
course they pursued. Nine miles from the top
of the ridge they reached the Yellowstone itself,
about a mile and a half below where it issues
from the Rocky mountains. It now appeared
that the communication between the two rivers
was short and easy. From the head of the
Missouri at its three forks to this place is a dis-
tance of 48 miles, the greater part of which is
through a level plain ; indeed, from the forks of
the eastern branch of the Gallatin river (near
Bozeman), which is there navigable for small
canoes, to this part of the Yellowstone, the dis-
tance is no more than 18 miles, with an excel-
lent road o\'er a high, dry country, with hills
of inconsiderable height and no difficulty in
passing.
They immediately descended the river and
on July 18, "a smoke was descried to the
south-southeast, towards the termination of the
Rocky mountains, intended most probably as a
signal by the Crow Indians." On the follow-
ing day, another or the same smoke was seen
"on the highlands on the opposite side of the
river." During the same day, "Captain Clark
determined to make two canoes which, being
lashed together, might be sufficient to convey
the party down the river, while a few men
might lead the horses to the Mandan nation."
On the 22nd, "at noon the two canoes were
finished. They are 28 feet long, 16 or 18
inches deep, and from 16 to 24 inches wide,
and being lashed together, evervthing was pre-
pared for setting out tomorrow." The boats
having been completed, they, on the 24th, pro-
ceeded down the river. The trip down the
river was uneventful, the journal for these days
simply mentioning the character of the country,
animals, and birds that were found.
About 2 o'clock on August the 23rd, they
reached the junction of the Yellowstone with
the Missouri, and formed a camp at the same
place where they had camped on the 26th of
April, 1805. On the 23rd of September, at
12 o'clock, noon, they reached St. Louis, their
starting point.
CHAPTER III
THE INDIAN WARS.
During the whole of ^Montana's early his-
tory Indian troubles of a more or less serious
nature were almost constantly annoying the
white settlers. It would be impossible for us,
in a work of this kind, to treat of all the many
little wars and skirmishes which took place be-
tween the white settlers and volunteers and the
red men. We shall confine ourselves to the
two greatest events — the Custer battle of 1876
and the Nez Perce war of the year following.
Of the many battles fought with the In-
dians none proved more disastrous than the
battle of the Little Big Horn, where Gen. Cus-
ter and all his command were surrounded by
the hostile Indians and killed. This battle is
remarkable in so far that not one escaped to
relate the story. The simple fact that all per-
ished upon the battle field, not one being alive
when the other columns came up the third day
after the battle, has made an accurate descrip-
tion of the battle impossible; but the move-
ments as traced by Colonel Reno together with
the infomiation gathered from the Indians en-
gaged in the battle has brought to light enough
information that writers are enabled to give
almost an accurate statement of the posi-
tions of the different troops and the methods
pursued by the Indians and a general descrip-
tion of the battle.
The Sioux Indians, after having relin-
quished their rights in the state of Minnesota,
gradually drifted westward into the Dakotas
and made the Black Hills their stronghold. In
the early seventies gold was discovered in the
Black Hills. Many of the gold seekers were
killed and commerce and travel was impeded.
All efforts on the part of the government tc;
pacify the Indians having failed, force was sent
to subdue them.
The Indians causing the trouble were
known as the hostiles. The hostiles were made
up of Indians from the various agencies who
were not content to stay in the territory as-
signed them. Chief among these was Sitting
Bull. Other prominent chiefs were Crazy
Horse, Gall, Black Moon, and Low Dog. In
reality there w-as no chosen leader of these
various tribes, but Sitting Bull w^as looked up
to by all bands as their leader and his councils
were heeded.
Sitting Bull first became famous in the
Sully and Sibley expeditions of 1863 and 1864.
He engaged Sully north of the Black Hills and
defeated him, forcing him through the Bad
Lands beyond the Powder river.
Order had gone forth to all the hostile In-
dians that they should be on their agencies by
January 31, 1876, and if not, that armed force
would be sent to subdue them.
Lieutenant General Sheridan conducted all
directions. The headquarters of General Sher-
idan was in Chicago. He sent orders to Gen-
eral Crook, who was located at Fort Fetter-
man, to march against Crazy Horse and di-
rected Terry to send a mounted column under
General George A. Custer to move against Sit-
ting Bull. Crazy Horse was located on Pow-
der river in W'yoming and Sitting Bull on the
Little Missouri in Dakota. Sheridan divided
the forces into three columns; one under Gen-
eral Crook, consisting of fifteen companies of
cavalry and five companies of infantry (1,049
men), who was located at Fort Fetterman, was
ordered to march north May 29 ; one column
under General Terry, comprising the seventh
cavalry, consisting of twelve companies (600
men), and six companies of infantry, three of
which were to be sent on the supply steamer, a
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
23
battery of Gatling guns, and forty Indian
scouts, was to move westward from Fort Abra-
ham Lincoln in Dakota May 17; a third under
General Gibbon, consisting of four companies
of cavalry and six companies of infantry (in all
450 men), was to march from Fort Ellis, in
Montana, eastward and meet General Terry
on the Yellowstone ri\-er June 21.
Gibbon was under the command of Terry,
but Crook and Terry were independent of each
other. Knowing that Sitting Bull was soudi
of the Yellowstone, General Sheridan's object
was to have the three forces each coming in a
different direction, surround Sitting Bull and
Crazy Horse, thus to prevent their escape.
According to orders General Custer moved
westward to the Little Missouri river. He
divided his command into three columns, the
right wing CDmmanded by Major Marcus Reno'
the left by Captain T. \V. Benteen, and Custer
himself having charge of the center column.
On the 30th of May, Custer was sent with four
troops to scout up the Little Jvlissouri for a dis-
tance of twenty miles and to return the same
day. He did not find any sign of the Indians.
From the Little Missouri the command passed
over to the Powder river. Here Terry left Cus-
ter and went to the Yellowstone to communi-
cate with the supply steamer, and thence up the
Yellowstone to communicate with General Gib-
bon. L^pon returning he ordered Reno to scout
up the Powder river, taking with him, twelve
days' rations. If he found no sign of the In-
dians he was to cross over to the Tongue river,
scout up that stream and return and join the
regiment at the mouth of Tongue river by the
time his supplies were exhausted. Custer
marched across country to the mouth of the
Tongue river, remaining there until the 19th
of June, awaiting news from Reno. On the
19th of June Reno arrived and reported having
found a trail that led up the Rosebud river.
They first discovered the trail on the Tongue
river, followed it over to the Rosebud, and up
this stream for forty miles.
In the meantime General Crook had
marched north and met Crazy Horse and was
badly defeated on the 17th of June. Neithei
officer knew of the nearness of the other al-
thouigh they were less than 'forty miles apart
when Reno returned.
Gibbon, Terry and Custer held a conference*
and it was decided that Custer should follow
the trail reported by Reno. On the morning
of the 23rd Custer with his command, consist-
ing of twelve companies of the seventh cavalry,
moved across to the Rosebud and up that
stream to follow the trail reported by Reno.
After Reno's report Terry concluded that the
Indians must be camped somewhere in the
valley of the Little Big Horn, and by sending
the two forces, one under Custer to attack from
the south, one under Gibbon to attack from the
north, that if they were in the Little Big Horn
valley, there would be no possible chance of
escape. During the 23rd and 24th several
traces of the Indians were discovered on the
Rosebud river. The scouts located the trail of
the Indians over the hill on the afternoon of the
24th, so Custer decided to march to the top of
the hill that night that he might be able to lo-
cate the village in the morning if the hostiles
should be camped in the valley beyond. Dur-
ing the early morning the scouts brought tid-
ings that the village was about twelve miles
distant in the valley. During the middle of
the day they marched to the divide. The ad-
vance column under Major- Reno consisted of
troop "M," Capt. French; troop "H," Capt.
Maylan and Lieut. DeRudio; troop "G,"
Lieuts. Mclntosli and Wallace; Indian scouts
under A'arnum and Hara, and interpreter Gir-
ard ; Lieut. Hodgson acting adjutant, and Doc-
tors DeWolf and Porter, medical officers.
Custer's battalion was composed of troop "I,"
Captain Keough and Lieutenant Porter; troop
"F," Captain Yates and Lieutenant Reily;
troop "C," Captain Custer and Lieutenant
Harrington ; troop "E." Lieutenants Smith and
Sturgis; troop "L," Lieutenants Calhoun and
24
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Crittendon; Lieutenant Cook adjutant and Dr.
Lord medical officer. Captain Benteen's col-
umn consisted of troop "H," Captain Benteen
and Lieutenant Gibson ; troop "D," Captain
Weir and Lieutenant Edgerly; troop "K,"
Lieutenant Godfrey. The pack train was un-
der the escort of troop "D," Captain Mc-
Dougall, and managed by Lieutenant Mathey.
After ha\'ing reached the divide, Benteen's
force was ordered to a line of high, ragged
bluffs to the south and west with instructions
to send a messenger to Custer immediately if
he came in sight of the Indians. Reno's battal-
ion marched down a small valley towards the
river. Custer's command followed Reno's for
a few miles, then turned north. Reno con-
tinued on down to the valley, crossed the river
to the west side, finding but little resistance
until his troop had almost reached the village.
At this point the Indian warriors seemed t)
spring from all directions and Reno was forced
to retreat. His efforts to recross at the same
ford were made impossible by a band of the
Indians who circled to the south of him, so
he marched a little to the south of where he
had ad\anced and made the ford some distance
down the river from where he first crossed. A
messenger sent to carry the news to Custer
found his way cut off and returned to his com-
pany. After having gained the east side of
the river he was joined by Benteen and Mc-
Dougall. The Indians pursued him to this
side of the river and beseiged him until nine
o'clock that evening; then quietly withdrew.
Not having heard from Custer the general
opinion was that he must have been driven
across the hills or down the river. No assist-
ance could be expected from this source and
with a fear of an early attack in the morning
the night was spent in digging gun pits and
building breastworks as best they could for
protection. Just at break of day June 26th,
the attack was renewed and with more vigor
than the day previous. The entire band was
now gathered around the command and heavy
firing was kept up all through the day until the
middle of the afternoon. Reno's command had
the advantage of position, being located be-
tween the bluffs and having rifle pits to fire
from. Having the superior advantage their
loss was not very heavy, although surrounded
by the entire hostile band.
Between two and three o'clock in the after-
noon the grass was set on fire by the Indians
and smoke filled the air to such an extent that
it was impossible to see the village or the move-
ments made by the Indians. However, just
about dusk they were seen crossing over the
hills in the direction of the Big Horn river.
The grass was set on fire to cover up their
mo\-ements that Reno would not know in which
direction they were retreating. Their scouts
had reported the coming of Terry and his com-
mand which were only a few miles distant
down the river. Had they stood their ground
they would have been subjected to a cross fire,
Terrv' from the north and Reno from the
south. Terry's force would have arrived in
the morning. The Indians, knowing this,
thought best to make good their escape before
his arrival.
On the 26th the Crow scouts brought tid-
ings to Terry that Custer's command had met
the Indians and were all killed. Immediately
he advanced up the river and found that all the
command were dead upon the field. Word
was then carried to Reno's line, the first in-
formation they had of the disastrous defeat.
Nearly all the bodies were stripped of their
clothes, and nearly all scalped and mutilated.
A notable exception was the body of Custer
which had been left on the field as it fell. He
was shot in two places, one taking effect in his
side, the other passing through his temple.
As there was not a survivor of the battle no
definite report could be made, and the only in-
formation attainable, as has been heretofore
mentioned, was that gathered from the field
after the defeat and the description given by
the Indians who were engaged in the battle.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
25
From these sources Lieutenant E. S. Godfrey
has written an extended article wliich is tlie
best infomiation attainable. From this article
we quote the following description :
Keogh and Calhoun's troops were dismounted to
fight on foot. These two troops advanced at double
time to a knoll. The other three troops, mounted,
followed them a short distance in the rear. The led
horses remained where the troops dismounted. When
Keog-h and Calhoun got to the knoll the other troops
marched rapidly to the right ; Smith's troops deployed
as skirmishers, mounted, and took position on a ridge,
which on Smith's left ended in Keogh's position and
on Smith's right ended at the hill on which Custer took
position with Yates and Tom Custer'.s troop, now
known as Custer hill, and marked by the monument
erected to the command. Smith's skirmishers holding
their gray horses remained in groups of fours. The
line 'occupied by Custer's battalion was the first con-
siderable bluff back from the river, the nearest point
being about half a mile from it. His front was ex-
tended about three-fourths of a mile. The whole vil-
lage was in full view. A few hundred yards from his
line was another but lower ridge, the further slope of
which was not commanded by his line. It was here
that the Indians under Crazy Horse, from the lower
part of the village, among whom were Cheyennes,
formed for the charge on Custer's hill. All the In-
dians had now left Reno! Gall collected his warriors
and moved up a ravine south of Keogh and Calhoun.
As they were turning this flank they discovered the led
horses without any other guard than the horse holders.
They opened fire upon the horse holders, and used the
usual devices to stampede the horses — that is, yelling
waving blankets, etc. : in this they succeeded very soon,
and the horses were caught up by the squaws. In this
disaster Keogh and Calhoun probably lost their reserve
ammunition, which was carried in the saddle bags.
Gall's warriors now moved to the foot of the knoll
held by Calhoun. A large force dismounted and ad-
vanced up the slope far enougih to be able to see the
soldiers when standing erect, but were protected when
squatting or lying down. By jumping up and firing
quickly, they exposed themselves for only an instant,
but drew the fire of the soldiers, causing a waste of
ammunition. In the meantime Gall was massing his
mounted warriors under the protection of the slope.
When everything was in readiness, the dismounted
warriors arose, fired, and every Indian gave voice to
the war-whoop; the mounted Indians put whip to their
ponies and the whole mass rushed upon and crushed
Calhoun. The maddened mass of Indians was carried
forward by its own momentum over Calhoun and
Crittendon down into the depression where Keogh was,
with over thirty men, and all was over on that part of
'he field.
In the meantime the same tactics were being pur-
sued and executed around Custer hill. The warriors
under the leadership of Crow-King, Crazy Horse,
White Bull, Hum^p, and others, moved up the ravine
west of Custer hill, and concentrated under the shelter
of the ridge on the right flank and back of his posi-
tion. Gall's bloody work was finished before the anni-
hilation of Custer was accomplished, and his victorious
warriors hurried forward to the hot encounter then go-
ing on, and the frightful massacre was completed.
Smith's men had disappeared from the ridge, but
not without leaving enough dead bodies to mark their
line. About 28 bodies of men belonging to the troops
and other organizations were found in one ravine near
the river. Many corpses were found scattered over the
field between Custer's line of defense, the river, and
the direction of Reno's hill. These, doubtless, were of
men who had attempted to escape ; some of them may
have been sent as couriers by Custer. One of the first
bodies I recognized and one of the nearest to the ford
was that of Sergeant Butler, of Tom Custer's troop.
Sergeant Butler was a soldier of many years' experience
and of known courage. The indications were that he
had lost his life dearly for near and under him were
found many empty cartridge shells.
All the Indian accounts that I know of, agree that
there was no organized close-quarters fighting, except
on the two flanks ; that with the annihilation at Cus-
ter's hill the battle was virtually over. It does not
appear that the Indians made any advance to the at-
tack from the direction of the river ; they did have a
definite force along the river, and in the ravines which
destroyed those who left Custer's line.
Two Moon, a chief of the Cheyennes, in de-
scribing the battle, states that they surrounded
Custer from all sides and kept "swirling and
swirling around the soldiers." "Once in a
while," he says, "a soldier would break out
and run toward the river, but never would
reach it. At last about a hundred men and five
horsemen stood on the hill and bunched to-
gether. All along the bugler kept blowing his
commands * * *. Then a chief was killed.
I heard it was Long Hair (Custer), and then
the five horsemen and the bunch of men. maybe
some forty, started toward the river. All the
soldiers were killed and stripped." He states
that they counted the dead and they numbered
388. and that 39 Sioux and 7 Cheyennes were
killed and about 100 wounded. From the best
authority we are acquainted with Custer's abil-
itv. He had served in the war of the rebellion
26
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
with destinction and honor, and had taken part
in many engagements with the Indians. No
one who is at all familiar with his career
doubted his ability. General Terry had no ex-
perience in Indian warfare. Then, would it
not be natural that he should leave Custer to
his own judgment as far as possible under the
circumstances? The following written instruc-
tions were given Custer on the 22nd :
Camp at Mouth of Rosebud River.
Montana Territory. Ju.\E, 22. 18/6.
Lieutenant-Colonel Custer, 7th Cavalry,
Colonel : — The Brigadier-General commanding di-
rects that as soon as your regiment can be made ready
for the march, you will proceed up the Rosebud in pur-
suit of the Indians whose trail was discovered by Ma-
jor Reno a few days since. It is, of course, impossible
to give j'ou any definite instructions in regard to this
movement, and were it not impossible to do so, the
Department Commander places, too much confidence in
your zeal, energy, and ability to wish to impose upon
you precise orders which might hamper your action
when nearly in contact with the enemy. He will, how-
ever, indicate to you his own views of what your
actions should be, and he desires that you should con-
form to them unless you shall see sufficient reason for
departing from them. He thinks that you should pro-
ceed up the Rosebud until you ascertain definitely the
direction in which the trail above spoken of leads.
Should it be found to turn towards the Little Horn, he
thinks that you should still proceed southward, per-
haps, as far as the head waters of the Tongue, then
turn towards the Little Horn, feeling, however, con-
stantly to your left, so as to preclude the possibility of
the escape of the Indians to the south or southeast by
passing along your left flank. The column of Colonel
Gibbon is now in motion for the mouth of the Big
Horn. As soon as it reaches that point it will cross
the Yellowstone and move up as far as least as the
forks of the Little and Big Horns. Of course its fu-
ture movements must be controlled by circumstances
as they arise, but it is hoped that the Indians, if upon
the Little Horn, may be so nearly encircled by the two
columns that the escape will be impossible. The De-
partment Commander desires that on your way up the
Rosebud you should thoroughly examine the upper part
of Tul lock's creek, and that you should endeavor to
sent a scout through to Colonel Gibbon's column, with
information of the results of your examination. The
iower part of the creek will be examined by a detach-
ment from Colonel Gibbon's command.
Very respectfully.
Your obedient servant,
E. W. Smith,
Captain iSth Infantry, .\cting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
In accordance with Terry's instructions, as
given above, Custer and Gibbon were to meet
on the Little Big Horn on the 26th, the pre-
sumption being that the Indians were camped
in this valley, that they might make a joint
attack and if possible surround and capture the
hostiles. We also note on previous pages that
Custer did not wait until the 26th, but on 25th
made attack. Was he justified in making this
early attack ? Some writers say he was ; others
say he was not. Those who say he was, con-
tend that the instructions were not binding,
that it was not the intention of Terry that
Custer shuld not be permitted to vary from the
instructions if he thought best, and in proof of
their contention they cite from the instructions
given Custer the following sentences : "It is im-
posible to give you definite instructions in re-
gard to this movement. * * * The Department
Commander places too much confidence in
your zeal, energv' and ability to wish to impose
upon you precise orders which might hamper
your action when nearly in contact with the
enemy." They further infer that these instruc-
tions were not definite orders, but simply a
guide, and that if Custer thought best after
overtaking the enemy, he was to exercise his
own judgment as to what he should do under
the circumstances.
The other writers contend that the instruc-
tions were definite orders and. that under no
circumstances should he have varied from
them. They contend that a request from a mil-
itary officer is a command and that Custer
should under no circumstances have varied
from the written instructions.
One writer says, that "Custer might have
been prompted to immediate action fearing that
the enemy might abandon the village after
learning the position of the soldiers, and thus,
in order to prevent their abandoning the vil-
lage made the attack on the day previous to the
appointed time of the meeting of the two
forces."
Had Custer ascertained the position of the
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
enemy, g"i\'ing orders for a simultaneous attack
from the right (Custer), from the left (Ben-
teen), and from the upper end of the village
(Reno), the advantage would all have been in
favor of the soldier. The Indians not know-
ing the strength of the soldiers and being sub-
jected to a cross fire from the three different
columns, would no doubt have abandoned the
village.
From information gathered from the chiefs
who took part in the battle we must credit them
with some very skillful moves. Their plan for
surrounding Reno was tactful and had it been
carried out Reno's forces would have been sur-
rounded and met the same fate as Custer and
his men.
Reno found but little interference until he
reached iiearly the upper end of the village.
In the meantime, the Indians had circled
around him to the south with the expectation
of preventing his return across the same ford
by which he crossed to the west side, thus sur-
rounding him. They did not know that there
was a ford farther ni )rth where he could retreat
to the east side of the river. Their plan to sur-
round him having failed, and he having gained
the east side, they now planned to surround his
force before it could ascend to the high blufTs.
In order to do this the force of Indians south
of Reno crossed the same ford where Reno
crossed to the west side, and another detach-
ment of the warriors was sent across at a ford
farther north. The Indians arrived just a few
minutes too late to accomplish their designs,
and Reno was well on his way up the bluff be-
fore they arrived.
The number of warriors taking part in the
battle has been variously estimated, military
officers placing the number at about -^,500.
General Sheridan estimates the number of
hostile band at from 500 to 800. Major James
McLaughlin, U. S. Indian Agent at Devils
Lake, N. D., for many years, has made an esti-
mate of the number engaged, in which he
states that one-third of the Sioux Indians, in-
cluding the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, were
present at the battle; that the entire band to-
gether numbered about forty thousand, and
that there must have been from twelve to
fifteen thousand assembled in the valley at this
time, one-fourth of which should be counted
in estimating the number of warriors, which
would make a fighting force of twenty-five
hundred to three thousand men. Dr. Charles
Alexander Eastman, a full blood Sioux, has
made a very careful study of the number of
warriors who were in the Little Big Horn at
this time. He bases his estimate on the number
of Indians in. the different agencies, the number
absent from the agencies, and also upon infor-
mation gathered from his own people who were
of the hostile tribes at this time. Below we
quote from an article published in the Chautau-
qua Magazine in the year 1900 by Dr. East-
man. He says :
The camp was in the following order from south
to north down the river: Hunkpapaws, 224 tepees;
Sans Arc, 85 tepees: Inkpadutas, 15 tepees; Brules, 140
tepees; Minneconjus, 190 tepees; Ogallallas, S40 tepees;
Cheyennes, 55 tepees ; making a total of 949 tepees.
If we allow five persons to the tepee, we 'have 4,945 In-
dians, and counting one-quarter of this number -war-
riors (which is allowing too large an estimate), there
will be 1. 21 1 warriors. Suppose we add to this num-
ber 200 warriors who may possibly have come from
the various agencies in Dakota, the number of fighting
men all told will be 1,411. This will bring it within
the number that General Custer expected to meet. In
fact, if we exclude the boys under 18 years of age, and
the old men over 70 ( a numl)er of whom did not have
sufficient weapons), the number of warriors would be
about 800 or 900, and that was about the estimate
General Sheridan made before the e.xpedition was
sent out.
After the battle of the Little Big Horn the
hostiles divided into two bands. Sitting Bull':"
Indians remaining in the west. Crazy Horse's
moving towards the east. In October Sitting
Bull, having given up hopes of accomplishing
anything during the winter, came to General
Miles with propositions of peace. His terms
of peace embodied the following clauses: He
and his followers were to be left to roam and
28
HISTORY OF ^lONTANA.
hunt over unoccupied territory ; they were
to Hve the free life of the Indian; they
were not to be supplied with rations
or annuities. General Miles sent them
word that there was only one proposition —
they must accept terms of peace and move to
the agencies. Sitting Bull would not accept
General Miles' terms so the hostilities con-
tinued. Shortly after this Miles surprised the
Indians, defeated them, and captured 400 of
their lodges. Sitting Bull escaped to the north
and was here joined by a few small bands.
Early in December Lieutenant Baldwin at-
tacked Sitting Bull, driving him across the Mis-
souri. At this time Sitting Bull was reduced
to 190 lodges. About the middle of the month
Baldwin again surprised their camp, captured
sixty horses and nearly all their food supplies.
Having lost their food supplies, they were now
in almost destitute circumstances.
Crazy Horse, learning of the reverses of
Sitting Bull, of his defeat and of having lost
his supplies, sent word to him to join his camp
as he had plenty of men and provisions for the
winter. General Miles, however, learned of
this through his spies and kept a force between
the two hostile bands, thus preventing them
from uniting forces. Crazy Horse was camped
on the Tongue river. On December 29th Miles
started with 436 men and two cannons against
Crazy Horse. The Indians, learning of his
coming, abandoned their quarters. Miles fol-
lowed in rapid pursuit, capturing one warrior
and seven women and children. The captives
were relatives of one of the Cheyenne chiefs.
That evening desperate efforts were made to
recover them, but not succeeding, the attempt
was renewed in the morning by the full force
of the warriors. They were defeated and suf-
fered heavy loss. Communications were
opened through the captives. On February
first, Miles sent word to them that they mu;t
surrender, and if they did not he would attack
with renewed force. Their strength being
much reduced, being unable to unite with Sit- |
ting Bull, and their supplies becoming scarce,
they sent word to Miles that they would con-
clude terms of surrender.
Three hundred Indians under Two Moon,
Hump and other chiefs surrendered on April
22 ; two thousand under Crazy Horse surrend-
ered at Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies in
May.
Sitting Bull, finding it impossible to join
forces with Crazy Horse, his force being
greatly reduced, realized the uselessness of
further resistance with the troops and fled into
British Columbia. In British Columbia he was
joined by Chief Gall. The only remaining hos-
tiles now were a few of the Minneconjous, who
broke off from Crazy Horse's band when he
surrendered. They did not exceed in numbers
fifty lodges. General Miles surprised and
routed them on the Rosebud. They lost four-
teen killed, all their supplies and 450 ponies.
The remaining few scattered in different di-
rections and finally surrendered to the various
agencies.
In September, 1876, the Sioux concluded a
treaty by which they surrendered the Black
Hills and Powder river country. In lieu of
this they were to receive rations from the gov-
ernment until such time as they could become
self-supporting.
Sitting Bull and his followers soon become
tired of living under Canadian rule. Under
this government they did not receive rations;
the hunting was not the best, and they were
kept under a strict watch. Protection was all
that was assured them, and if they expected
protection they were obliged to remain peace-
able, not only in Canada, but also on this side
of the line. Tiring of this method of living,
small bands would leave, cross to this side and
surrender to the agencies. After nearly all his
followers had deserted him. Sitting Bull,
realizing the uselessness of further resistance,
surrendered to the authorities at the Standing
Rock agency.
Sitting Bull, the acknowledged leader of
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
29
the Indians in the Custer figlit, met his death
sixteen years later. After that fight he conduc-
ted himself in a very peaceable manner until
the summer of 1890, when the Indians at the
agency were becoming imbued with the "Mes-
siah Craze." F'ossessed of a personality re-
markably striking, he had a powerful influence
over his people, and in this craze they were
easily influenced by the teachings of Sitting
Bull, who now called himself the High Priest.
He promised them that the white race would
be exterminated, that the wiiite man's gun
would be no longer a deadly weapon, but that
the ball would drop from it harmlessly, that
their ancestors would return to the earth, that
their hunting grounds would again be re-
stored, that the former wild life of the Indians
would be enjoyed by all Indians in the future,
and that, should any be killed in obeying this
call of the Messiah, they would immediately
join their ancestors, who at this time had been
restored to some distant part of the country.
Fearing the outcome of Sitting Bull's teachings,
Major James McLaughlin, the Indian agent,
notified the Indian department of Sitting Bull's
conduct and asked what should be done under
the circumstances. In response to the above
message from Major ^McLaughlin the follow-
ing telegram was sent to the commanding of-
ficer at Fort Yates, the nearest fort to this
agency :
The division commander has directed that you
make it your special duty to receive the person of Sit-
ting Bull. Call on the Indian agent to co-operate and
render such assistance as will best promote the pur-
pose in view. By command of General Ruger.
(Signed) M. Barbek,
Ass't. Adjutant-General.
Troops were sent from the fort to the
agency to quell any disturbance. In order that
the Indians might not know of their coming,
they kept well back of the hills from the village.
At the same time a number of police, most of
them Indians, were sent to Sitting Bull's cabin
to arrest him. Early in the morning the police
enteretl the house and made the arrest. The
chief accepted the arrest quietly, but his son,
Crowfoot, commenced upbraiding him for go-
ing with the police, upon which Sitting Bull
became obstinate and refused to go. He was
removed from the house, and no sooner were
they outside that they were surrounded by the
ghost dancers, frenzied with rage. Sitting Bull
called on the Indians to release him. The po-
lice kept the Indians driven back, and had it
not been for Sitting Bull's appeal to them, there
might not have been any trouble. But his fol-
lower believing in his teachings, thought no
harm could come to them by resisting and that
they must obey the command of Sitting Bull,
According they opened fire on the police, kill-
ing- and wording several. Bull Head, an
Indian policeman, was se\'erely wounded by
the first fire. No sooner was he wounded than
he shot Sitting Bull. The fight now became
general. The police gained the house and sta-
ble from which they fired, driving the ghost
dancers to the timber. The troops, who were
stationed some distance away, approached and
opened fire on the Indians. Soon everything
was quiet. Sitting Bull now being killed, the
Indians, having no leader, returned to their
homes and no further disturbance was created.
One of the most remarkable campaigns
ever carried on by an Indian against United
States troups was that of Joseph, in the Nez
Perce war of 1877. For months that astute
chieftain waged war — and all but a successful
one — against a larger force of United States
troops. The war started in Idaho and ended
in ^Montana, Joseph having retreated several
hundred miles, carrying with him all his tribe
and 'belongings.
In speaking of the Upper and Lower Nez
Perce we do not refer to distinction of tribe,
but to destinction of land, of territory. The
Lower Nez Perce, under the chieftainship of
Joseph, were considered to own the country
south and east of the Blue Mountains, and west
of the Snake River south of Powder River, a
30
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
tributary of the Snake. The Upper Nez Perce
were extended the privilege of hunting on this
territory, but were not supposed to liave any
control over it.
The treaty of 1855 set aside for these peo-
ple a large reservation in western Idaho and
eastern Oregon, and declared that, "no white
man shall be permitted to reside on said reser-
vation without permission of the tribe and the
superintendent and agent." The Nez Perce
were peaceable, and settlers came in and took
up land in the valleys granted them by the
treaty. Their policy was peace and confidence
in the Great Father that he would see that their
lands would not be taken away from them. The
whites came in and took up land in nearly all
the fertile valleys. What must be done?
Another treaty was decided upon. In 1863 the
chiefs were called together. The Upper Nez
Perce accepted the present reservation of Lap-
wai, in western Idaho, the Lower Nez Perce
refusing to join in the treaty. A peculiar pro-
cess of reasoning, the one adapted, by which the
non-treaty Indians were to be removed to the
Lapwai reservation. In the treaty of 1855
Joseph joined in the sale of part of their lands,
thereby recognizing himself and his followers
as part of the tribal organization, and now, the
majority of the chiefs having joined in the
sale, they sold Joseph's land with the land of
the Upper Nez Perce.
Joseph died in 1871, and his son. Young
Joseph, commonly known as Chief Joseph, be-
came leader of the Lower Nez Perce. His dy-
ing words were : "Always remember that
your father never sold his country. A few
years more and the white man will be all
around you. They have their eyes on this land.
My son; never forget my dying words. This
country holds your father's body. Never sell
the bones of your father and mother."
These were peaceable people; they were
never known to shed white man's blood ; they
refused aid to hostile tribes; they kept at peace
with those who encroached upon their grounds ;
they cared for the horses of the Lewis and
Clark expedition during the winter, and when
they returned in the spring they refused to take
pay; they called for missionaries; they raised
great herds of cattle; they committed no
crimes; they loved the land of their fathers,
they loved the beautiful Wallowa Valley m
northeastern Oregon, the valley of their homes ;
but the government demanded their removal to
the Lapwai reservation. They pleaded; they
counseled, but all in vain. All their efforts to
retain their native home having failed, they,
true to their principles of peace, made ready
to depart for the reservation, and on the date of
departure, after everything had been packed
and ready and the little band was on the way,
trouble arose between a division of the band
and the settlers in which several of the settlers
were killed.
The commission that met from day to day
to treat with the Indians found many objec-
tions to meet. Joseph argued at length and
met the various reasons advanced by the com-
mission for their removal to the reservation.
After all efforts on the part of the commission
had failed Joseph was told that there was but
one course to pursue, and that, that they must
abandon the valley. They were given thirty
days after May 14th to gather their stock to-
gether and vacate the land. Joseph's advice
to his people was to leave peaceably. They
went out to the range to gather in their cattle
and horses and found many of them missing.
They could not be found. Learning this the
hot headed among the Indians became desper-
ate ; Joseph counselled peace, but was unable
to overcome the infuriated warriors.
The thirty days passed; the soldiers had
not come. The loss of their stock bore heavily
on their minds, and then the Indians, hereto-
fore unknown to have taken white man's blood,
turned from their pathway of peace. On
Salmon river an old hermit by the name of
Divine was killed. This deed was committed
on the I ^th of Tune, the day, according to the
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
command of the commission, on which the
Indians were to remove to the Lapwai reserva-
tion. On the 14th they kihed four more. Their
savage nature which had been pacified these
many years burst forth at the sight of human
blood. Mounting the horses of their victims
they hastily rode to Camas Prairie where the
greater portion of the Indians were camped.
Riding through the camp they displayed the
spoils of their deeds, and called upon all who
were present in the camp to assist, and at the
same time asserting their determination to re-
turn and kill the other settlers in that locality.
Seventeen warriors joined them and eight
more settlers lost their lives.
Chief Joseph was not in the camp at the
time these deeds were being planned. His wife
was sick and he had moved her to a tepee some
distance away, that she would not be disturbed
by noise and conversation of those who might
be angered because they were forced to leave
their homes.
Colonel Perry, who was stationed at Lap-
wai, hurried down with ninety men. Ten set-
tlers joined them, making in all one hundred
men. In order to intercept the retreat of the
Indians and prevent their crossing the river.
Colonel Perry marched to the White Bird can-
yon, and thence up it, reaching the head of the
canyon by daylight of the 17th. They ex-
pected to give the Indians a surprise, but
Joseph had learned of their coming and was
waiting for them. The attack was a signal
failure, and 35 of the hundred men were killed.
Joseph pursued them for 12 miles, then con-
tinued his retreat. This was Joseph's first
battle, and being a complete victory gave his
men courage.
General Howard with a batallion of 400
men, was crossing over the country to en-
counter the Indians. Not until the nth of
July did he come in sight of Joseph. On the
above date Joseph was camped on the Clear-
water, and was waiting for Howard to come
up. In number of fighting men Joseph was
outnumbered, and while slightly worsted in
the battle which ensued, still he was able to
effect a retreat and gain the Lolo Trail. While
not a victory for Joseph, it could not be termed
a defeat, for General Howard was not able to
head him off, and he retreated to the Bitter
Root. A-fter having reached the Bitter Root
he retreated south up the valley and into the
Big Hole river valley. He thought he was well
in advance of the soldiers and camped in this
valley to rest his men and their families.
Joseph had but one means of knowing of
the approach of soldiers, the scouts who were
sent out. Through this means he would not
likely learn of an approaching enemy many
hours in advance of its approach. He was not
aware that there were any other soldiers with
whom he must contend at this camping place
other than the force of General Howard. But
the telegraph wires had been working and Gen-
eral Gibbon, who at this time was stationed
at Helena, had crossed to Fort Missoula to in-
tercept him. He, however, arrived too late
to intercept the Indians, so pursued them up the
valley, and on August 9th, just at break of day,
made a furious charge and surprised them
where they were camped in the valley of the
Big Hole. The surprise was complete and the
Indians lost many of their horses. They were
driven from their position and General Gibbon
thought he had made a successful surprise,
but Joseph after having been driven from his
position, rallied his warriors, and made a des-
perate attack on the soldiers, defeating them
and driving them back to a wooded countr}-.
where they took refuge. The victory was com-
plete. Gibbon's command being so crippled that
it could not pursue the Indians. Gibbon was
wounded in the engagement. Howard crossed
the country and joined Gibbon here. The Ban-
nack scouts scalped the dead Indians, a barbar-
ous custom not resorted to by the Nez Perce
during the entire retreat.
From the valley of the Big Hole Joseph
crossed over the continental divide and camped
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
on Camas Prairie in Idaho. Howard's com-
mand was one day behind and camped on the
same prairie. Joseph was retreating towards
Yellowstone park. In order to intercept him
a detachment had been sent ahead under Lieu-
tenant Bacon. The most accessible way to the
Yellowstone National Park was through
Thatcher's pass. This pass was to be guarded by
Bacon. Howard knowing that it would be al-
most impossible for Joseph to cross the moun-
tains in any other place, thought by guarding
this pass that the Indians would be held at bay
until the main force would come up, and thus
possibly force a surrender. But Joseph was
not yet ready to cross the divide into the park.
During the stillness of the night he returned
over the same trail and made a night attack
upon the troops. The attack was very suc-
cessful and they captured the greater number
of Howard's horses. Howard rallied his men,
pursued the Indians, and was able to recapture
part of the horses. Later in the evening the
Indians made another successful attack, and so
complete was the surprise that they captured
nearly all the remaining horses of Howard's
command. Joseph had accomplished all he de-
sired and continued his retreat. There was no
danger of pursuit now as the soldiers could not
follow them until horses could be obtained
from Virginia City. In Joseph's retreat
through the pass he was not intercepted by
Bacon, who had been sent to head him off.
Bacon having lost the trail.
After reaching the park they passed down
by Yellowstone lake, over the Yellowstone
river, crossing Baronet's bridge, burning the
bridge behind them ; thence to Clark's fork, and
down it to the Yellowstone. By so doing they
avoided Colonel Sturgiss, who had come over
from Powder river with three hundred and
fifty soldiers and some friendly Crows. On the
13th of October, Sturgiss overtook Joseph at
the mouth of canyon creek. The Indians were
divided into guards, one detachment remaining
at the mouth of the canyon, the other taking
position some distance up the canyon. Here
they were so completely surrounded that they
lost four hundred ponies. From here they re-
treated to the Musselshell river, crossed the
river and marched in a northerly direction,
striking the Missouri at Cow island on the
23rd.
Cow island was the limit of low water navi-
gation on the upper Missouri, 125 miles below
Fort Benton. There was a landing here but
no settlement. The landing was guarded by
twelve soldier and four citizens. The Indians
attacked it but at night drew off. They burned
all the freight at the landing. A detachment
came down from Fort Benton and followed the
Indians for a couple of days, but abandoned
the pursuit after a skirmish in which they were
defeated.
From Fort Keogh on the Yellowstone, Col-
onel Miles was marching across the country
with nine companies of mounted men, a com-
pany and a half of infantry, a company of
white and Indian scouts, a breech loading
Hotchkiss gun and a twelve pound Napoleon.
After reaching Cairo on the Missouri, below
Cow island. Miles learned of the event at the
latter place, and on the 25th three hundred and
seventy-five men began the march to cut ofif
the retreating Nez Perce.
In the meantime the Nez Perce had
marched north and taken position in the Bear
Paw mountains, camping on Smoke creek, a
tributary of the Milk river. Joseph was now
within fifty miles of the British line, and not
knowing of the approach of Colonel Miles, he
went in camp here, expecting after a day's rest
to continue their retreat into the British Pos-
sessions.
On the morning of the 30th, the camp was
attacked, the Indians knowing nothing of the
approach of Colonel Miles until within a few
miles of where they were camped. The Indians
took position in a ravine which led into the
creek valley along the bluffs. They were com-
pletely surrounded and 800 of their cattle cap-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
33
tured. The fighting continued for four days
and nights. The Indians were well located in
the ravine but completely surrounded by the
troops, making their escape almost impossible,
Colonel Miles did not deem it wise to capture
the camp by storm as it would necessitate the
loss of a great many men. Having the Indians
surrounded and damaging them with shell he
felt sure that they must eventually surrener.
Sitting Bull was in Canada not many miles
distance from the boundary. Besides Sitting
Bull there were bands on various reservations
which could be depended on by Joseph to
render him assistance. Joseph says that he
could have held out until such time as he could
have gotten assistance from these bands. But
during the four days he was being besieged he
was negotiating with Miles. Several times
during these days he sent messengers to Miles,
asking upon what terms Miles would accept a
surrender. After having received satisfactory
terms upon which he was to surrender, Joseph
says that, "on the fifth day (October 4th) I
went to General Miles and gave him my gun,
and said 'From where the sun now stands, I
will fight no more; my people need rest; we
want peace.' "
General Howard had arrived and was on
the ground at the surrender. Joseph held out
for five days against great odds. The troops
were fresh; his people were worn and tired
from many miles of travel. White Bird es-
caped during the night with 105 warriors, and
fled into Canada. Joseph contends that he,
with the men, could have effected a retreat, had
they left the wounded, the children and the old
women, but he preferred to surrender rather
than do this.
Chief Joseph upon his surrender left this
very pathetic message for General Howard :
"Tell General Howard I know his heart. What
he told me before I ha\-e in my heart. I am
tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Look-
ing Glass is dead. Too-hul-hul-sote is dead.
The old men are all dead. It is the young men
3
who say yes or no. He who led on the young
men is dead. It is cold and we have no blank-
ets. The little children are freezing to death.
My people, some of them, have run away to the
hills and have no blankets, no food ; no one
knows where they are, perhaps freezing to
death. I want to have time to look for my
children and see how many of them I can find.
Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear
me, my chiefs. I am tired ; my heart is sick
and sad. From where the sun now stands I
will fight no more forever."
The day of the surrender, under a flag of
truce, Joseph was informed through General
Miles that so far as he knew that he was to
be returned to Lapwai reservation, (jcneral
Miles' understanding was that this was the
course to be pursued, and so' expressed himself
to the Indian leader. This seemed to be an ab-
solute guarantee to Joseph that he would be
sent to the Idaho reservation.
The saddest page in all their history is the
record showing the government's intention to
establish them in the Indian territoi-y. They
were accustomed to a northern climate, to the
invigorating air of the mountains ; and when
subjected tO' the warm southern country the
little band rapidly decreased. Public clamor
demanded their removal. The commissioner
of Indian affairs reports that :
These Indians are in some respects superior to
tliose of any other tribe connected with the agency.
They are unusually bright and intelligent; nearly one-
half of them are consistent members of the Presbyte-
rian Church. They meet regularly for weekly services
in the school house, and so far as dress, deportment,
propriety of conduct are concerned, they could not be
distinguished from an ordinary white congregation.
The entire band, with probably one of two exceptions,
are quiet, peaceable, and orderly people. They are ex-
tremely anxious to return to their own country. They
regard themselves as exiles. The climate does not
seem to agree with them, many of them having died,
and there is a tinge of melancholy in their bearing and
conversation that is truly pathetic. I think they should
be sent back, as it seems clear that they will never take
root and prosper in this locality.
34
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
In 1895 there were 268 of Chief Joseph's
band still hving, and it was decided to send
them back into a colder climate, one better
suited to their health and prosperity. One
hundred and eighteen were brought to the Nez
Perce reservation in Idaho, the remainder, 1 50,
to the Colville reservation in \\'ashingt(in.
Among the latter was Chief Joseph. He died
in September, 1904, and departed for the
happy hunting grounds.
CHAPTER IV
THE FUR TRADERS.
The vast stretch of country between the
Mississippi river and the Pacific coast, which
had been truly a terra incognito before the ex-
pedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-6, was not
!cng to remain so. The knowledge of the coun-
try which these intrepid explorers gained and
disseminated throughout the country awak-
ened an active interest in the Northwest. Trap-
pers, adventurers and fortune hunters were not
slow to penetrate the country about which the
Lewis and Clark party told in such glowing
words. The next period of Montana's history
has to deal with the adventures of the hardy
trappers and traders, who almost immediately
after the return of the successful exploring
party set out for the upper Missouri.
Manuel Lisa, quick to grasp the informa-
tion gained from the Lewis and Clark expedi-
tion, was the first to fit out a trading expeditioa
for this far away country. In the spring of
1807 he left St. Louis for the upper Missouri,
intending to establish trading posts with the
Indians of that countyr. The Sioux, Aricaras
and Mandans were visited, the latter two tribes
showing signs of hostility ; but without serious
resistance the expedition was privileged to con-
tinue its course up the river.
It seems to have been the original intention
of Lisa to establish a fort near the mouth of the
Yellowstone, or at some convenient place
farther up the Missouri, for the purpose of
trading with the Blackfeet. This he did not
do, but after having reached the confluence of
these rivers, he ascended the Yellowstone. The
only assignable reason for this move is the in-
formation Lisa received from John Colter,
who had become a member of the party at the
mouth of the Platte, concerning whose move-
ments this history will treat later.
At the mouth of the Big Horn river a fort
was established. This fort, or trading post,
consisted of two buildings, one on the right
bank of the Big Horn and the other on the
right bank of the Yellowstone, directly opposite
the mouth of the Big Horn ri\er. This fort
has been known by different names — Fort Lisa,
Fort ^Manuel and IManuel's Fort. These two
buildings erected by Manuel Lisa enjoy the dis-
tinction of being the first buildings erected
within the limits of the state of Montana. No
trace of the old fort now remains.
We have noted above that Lisa diverged
from his original plan of building the fort at
the mouth of the Yellowstone. The Crows and
Blackfeet were deadly enemies, and the estal>
lishment of a trading post in the country of
the Crows would be sufficient cause for the
Blackfeet to consider the traders in league with
their old-time enemy and to arouse their jeal-
ousy. Whatever the future results of this
move may have been can not be estimated, but
the immediate outcome was an unfriendly re-
1T8G790
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
35
lationship with tlie Blackfeet. Trade was
opened with the Crows and many valuable
furs secured. Lisa and his party spent the
winter of 1807-8 at the post, and the next
spring returned to St. Louis, elated with
success.
\\'hile ALanuel Lisa had been the first to
organize an expedition to penetrate the upper
Missouri country, there was one who was a
year ahead of that bold trapper in exploring
portions of the Montana country. This one
was John Cclter, who was a private soldier
with Lewis and Clark during the memorable
expedition of 1804-6. When that party ar-
rived at Mandan on the homeward journey
in 1806 Colter asked to be granted a discharge
that he might remain in the upper country to
trap and hunt, and his request was granted.
We ha\-e nothing definite as to where he passed
the winter of 1806-7, but most writers credit
him with having visited the Yellowstone river
country and having passed the winter there.
The next spring he set out for St. Louis
in a small canoe. He descended the Missouri
as far as Platte, where he met the party under
Manuel Lisa on its way up the river. Colter
was prevailed upon to join the expedition and
thenceforth became one of Lisa's most active
workers. Lisa, of course, was not acquainted
with the country and he knew that Colter would
be of great value to him. However important
an event the acquisition of Colter to the party
was, we find no mention of him in the journal
of the expedition from the point where he
joined the party until the confluence of the
Yellowstone and the Big Horn rivers was
reached.
The party having reached the Big Horn,
Colter was dispatched to notify all the Indians
in the surrounding counti-y that a trading post
had been established at the mouth of the Big
Horn river. This brave explorer at once set
out on his perilous mission. Loaded down
with a pack of thirty pounds weight, besides
carrving his gun and ammunition. Colter made
a trip upwards of fi\'e hundred miles alone and
on foot through an unknown and trackless
country, notified the Crows of the establishment
of the post and then endeavored to carry the
news farther into the interior. The Crows
were supposed to be somewhere on the Big
Horn river, but it seems that they were at this
time camped on the Wind river. Proceeding
westward from here, accompanied by a num-
ber of Crow guides, he advanced to Pierre
Hole, where he and his guides were attacked
by a party of Blackfeet. The attacking party
waS' repulsed, but Colter was wounded in the
leg. The Crow guides then left him and re-
turned to their camps, leaving Colter entirely
alone. Without guides or escorts of any kind
this bra\'e man then worked his way back to
the establishment, several hundred miles. Hav-
ing had a skirmish with the Blackfeet he be-
lieved it would be folly to go on the three
forks of the Missouri to inform the Blackfee;
of the establishment of the post. He crossed
from Pierre Hole in a northeasterly direction
to wdiat is now the Yellowstone National park,
thence in an almost northeasterly direction
through it to the Yellowstone river, which
stream he followed to where it bends to the
northwest. Here he took an east branch, fol-'
lowed its course a few miles, then advanced in
a northeasterly course to Lisa's fort.
The winter was spent at and near the fort.
When spring opened Colter, accompanied by
one Potts, was again sent out with instructions
to meet the Blackfeet at the three forks. Ar-
riving there they found no Indians, and so en-
gaged in trapping until such time as the In-
dians should put in an appearance. The story
of the adventures of these two men on this
trip reads like a romance. We leave its telling
to the able pen of Washington Irving :
They were on a branch of the Missouri called Jef-
ferson's Fork, and had set their traps at night about
si-x miles up a small river that einptied into the fork.
Early in the morning they ascended the river in a
'^anoe to examine the traps. The banks of each side
36
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
were high and perpendicular and cast a shade over the
stream. As they were softly paddling along, they heard
the tramping of many feet upon the banks. Colter im-
mediately gave the alarm of "Indians!" and was for
instant retreat. Potts scoffed at him for being scared
at the trample of buffaloes. Colter checked his un-
easiness and paddled forward. They had not gone
much further wihen frightful whoops and yells burst
forth from each side of the river and several hundred
Indians appeared on either bank.
Signs were made to the unfortunate trappers to
come on shore. They were obliged to comply. Before
they could get out of their canoes a savage siezed the
rifle belonging to Potts. Colter sprang on shore,
wrested the weapon from the hands of the savage, and
restored it to his companion, who was still in the
canoe, and immediately pushed into the stream. There
was a sharp twang of a bow and Potts cried out that
he was wounded. Colter urged him to come on shore
and submit as his only chance for life ; but the other
knew there was no prospect of mercy and determined to
die game. Leveling his rifle; he shot one of the savages
dead on the spot. The next moment he fell himself,
pierced with innumerable arrows.
The vengeance of the savages now turned upon
Colter. He was stripped naked, and, having some
knowledge of the Blackfeet language, overheard a con-
versation as to the mode of dispatching him, so as to
derive the greatest amount from his death. Some were
for setting him up as a mark and having a trial of
skill at his expense. The chief, however, was for nobler
sport. He seized Colter by the shoulder and demanded
if he could run fast. The unfortunate trapper was too
well acquainted with Indian customs not to comprehend
the drift of the question. He knew he was to run for
his life, to furnish a kind of human hunt to his perse-
cutors. Though in reality he was noted among his
brother hunters for swiftness of foot, he assured the
chief that he was a very bad runner. His strategem
gained him some vantage ground. He was led by the
chief into the prairie, about four hundred yards from
the main body of savages, and then turned loose to
save himself if he could. A tremendous yell let him
know that the whole pack of bloodhounds was off in
full cry. Colter fled rather than ran ; he was as-
tonished at his own speed ; but he had six miles of
prairie to travel before he should reach the Jefferson
fork of the Missouri : how could he hope to hold out
such a distance with the fearful odds of several hun-
dred to one against him ! The plain, too, abounded
with the prickly pear, which wounded (his naked feet.
Still he fled on, dreading each moment to hear the
twang of a bow, and to feel an arrow piercing his
heart. He did not even dare to look around, least he
should lose an inch of the distance on which his life
depended. He had run nearly half way across the
plain when the sound of pursuit grew somewhat fainter,
and he ventured to turn his head. The main body of
his pursuers was a considerable distance behind ; sev-
eral of the fastest runners were scattered in advance ;
while a swift-footed warrior, armed with a spear, was
not more than one hundred yards behind.
Inspired with new hope. Colter redoubled his ex-
ertions, but strained himself to such a degree that the
blood gushed from his mouth and nostrils and streamed
down his breast. He arrived within a mile of the river.
The sound of footsteps gathered upon him. A glance
behind showed his pursuer within twenty yards, and
preparing to launch his spear. Stopping short he
turned around and spread out his arms. The savage,
confounded by this sudden action, attempted to stop
and hurl his spear, but fell in the very act. His spear
struck in the ground and the shaft broke in his hand.
Colter plucked up the pointed part, pinned the savage
to the 'earth, and continued his flight. The Indians, as
they arrived at their slaughtered companion, stopped to
howl over him. Colter made the most of this precious
delay, gained the skirt of Cottonwood bordering the
river, dashed through it, and plunged into the stream.
He swam to a neighboring island, against the upper
end of which driftwood had lodged in such quantities
as to form a natural raft ; under this he dived, and
swam below water until he succeeded in getting a
breathing place between the floating trunks of trees,
whose branches and bushes formed a covert several
feet above the water. He had scarcely drawn breath
after all his toil when he heard his pursuers on the
river bank, whooping and yelling like so many fiends.
They plunged into the water and swam to the raft.
The heart of Colter almost died within him as he saw
them through the chinks of his concealment, passing
and repassing, and seeking for him in all directions.
They at length gave up the search and he began to
rejoice in his escape, when the idea presented itself
that they might set the raft on fire. Here was a new
source of horrible apprehension, in which he remained
until nightfall. Fortunately the idea did not suggest
itself to the Indians. As soon as it was dark, finding
by the silence around that his pursuers had departed,
Colter dived again and came up beyond the raft. He
then swam silently down the river for a considerable
distance, when he landed, and kept on all night to get
as far as possible from this dangerous neighborhood.
By daybreak he had gained sufficient distance to re-
lieve him of the terrors of his savage foes.
From here Colter made his way to tlie trad-
ing post on the Yellowstone, where he remained
until 1809, when he returned to St. Louis.
Lisa's report of the great wealth to be ob-
tained in the upper Missouri country aroused
the enthusiasm of the merchants of St. Louis
and of the trappers and traders throughout the
Missouri and Mississippi river points. So
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
37
strong an impression did the news make thai
the Missouri Fur company, sometimes called
the St. Louis-Missouri Fur company, was in-
corporated with a capital of forty thousand
dollars. The organization was effected during
the winter of 1808 and 1809. and was to ex-
pire at the end of three years. Manuel Lisa
was made head of the new company and that
gentleman turned over to the new organization
all the equipment of the expedition of 1807, in-
cluding the post established at the mouth of
the Big Horn river. The members of the Mis-
souri Fur company were Manuel Lisa, Benja-
min Wilkinson, Pierre Chouteau, Sr., Augus-
tin Chouteau, Jr., William Clark, Reuben
Lewis, Sylvester Labadie, Pierre Menard, Wil-
liam Morris, Dennis Fitz Hugh and Andrew
Henry.
The expedition organized by the company
left St. Louis in the early spring of 1809. It
consisted of about one hundred and fifty men
and merchandise sufficient to supply half a
dozen posts and equip as many small outfits
as it might be found necessary to send out.
The main part of the merchandise was to be
taken to Lisa's iort on the Yellowstone, where
the party intended to spend the winter. Several
posts were to be established at various places
along the Missouri below the Yellowstone.
These ports were established; then the main
party went on to the mouth of the Big Horn,
arriving there some time in October.
Headquarters were made at Fort Lisa un-
til spring, trade being carried on with the
Crow Indians during the winter months. Early
in the spring of 181 0 a stron^- party set out
for the three forks of the M:-s<irin tn trap and
to open relations with the Bhicklcct. Cap-
tains Lewis and Clark had made mention of
the great number of beaver to be found in this
country: also had Colter. The establishing of
a post here, then, was for a double purpose —
the Indian trade and the trapping of Iieaver.
In the party who went to the three forks were
Andrew Henry and Pierre Menard, two of thf
partners.
The post was erected on the neck of lam
between the Jefferson and Madison rivers
Lieutenant James H. Bradley describes it ana
its location as follows : "It was a double
stockade of logs set three feet deep, enclosing
an area of alxjut 300 square feet, situated upon
the tongue of land (at that point only half a
mile wide) between the Jefferson and Madisoii
rivers, about two miles from their confluence,
upon the south bank of the channel of the
former stream called Jefferson slough." Trap-
ping was begun at once and every day's catch
showed that they were in the midst of a great
harvest. The territory was virgin, and, the
old trappers stated, the greatest they had ever
seen for bea\-er.
But in the midst of their glowing success
a black cloud of disaster broke upon them ; the
Blackfeet swept down upon the trappers while
tending their traps and several lost their lives.
This was the first seen of the Indians and the
introduction was disheartening. No opportun-
ity had presented itself by which the Indians
could be informed of the intention of the trad-
ers. Depredations continued at intervals ot
every few days. One thing must be done — the
Indians informed of the purposes of the fort.
It will be remembered that this was the
place where Potts killed an Indian of the
Blackfeet and where Colter made his remarka-
ble escape from the same people. These inci-
dents the Indians no doubt remembered. They
also knew of the p(ist i>n the Yellowstone,
where their enemies, the Crows, were receiv-
ing merchandise for their furs. Considering
the newcomers in the light of enemies, and be-
ing jealous because the Crows had been fav-
ored with a trading post, they determined to
intercept the white trappers on all sides. In
order that the Blackfeet might be informed of
the true purpose of the pest. Menard proposed
to \isit the Flathead and Snake Indians with .1
38
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
view of getting them to assist in a war against
the Blackfeet. His purpose was to take a pris-
oner, and after having informed him of the
friendly intentions of the whites and their de-
sire to trade, to release him and let him return
to his people. But before this scheme could be
carried out the Blackfeet fell upon then again
with more fury than before.
Disheartened with these experiences, ^len-
ard with the greater part of tlie men. most of
them unwilling to remain longer, started for
St. Louis. Henry with the few remaining men
stayed at the fort for some time, then crossed
over the continental divide and established him-
self on the north fork of the Snake, where he
spent the winter. Game was very scarce and
many hardships were endured before the open-
ing of spring. Recrossing the continental di-
vide in the early spring of i8i i, he set out for
St. Louis. Whether he descended the Yellow-
stone or Missouri on this trip out of the coun-
try is not known. He reached the ]\Iandan
village in July and here met Lisa, who was re-
turning from St. Louis.
Because of the hostility of the Indians the
Missouri Fur company had not proved a finan-
cial success, and the company went out of
business.
It was not until the spring of 1822 that
another fur company began operations on an
extensive scale in the territory which is no\v
known as the state of Montana. That year
William H. Ashley, a trader, business man and
politician, organized the Rocky Mountain Fur
company, which during the years of its exist-
ence became one of the most powerful concerns
engaged in the fur trade in the Rocky moun-
tains south of the British possessions. Asso-
ciated with Ashley was Andrew Henry, who
has been mentioned in these pages in connection
with the operations of the Missouri Fur com-
pany.
Two expeditions, consisting of one hundred
men each, were equipped, one under Henry,
the other under Ashley. The expedition com-
manded by Henry left St. Louis in April, 1822 ;
the one commanded by Ashley did not depart
until March 10 of the following year.
The plan was to establish trading posts as
far up the Missouri as the three forks, thus
making it possible to trade with all the tribes
of the upper Missouri country. The country
around the upper waters of this river was
known to abound in beaver, and the trapping
of these was another coveted object of the or-
ganizers of the company.
Henry left St. Louis with two keel-boats
loaded with merchandise, trapping equipment
and such utensils as would be useful to the
party. On the way up the river the party pur-
chased horses. The expedition's progress was
not impeded until it ascended to or near the
mouth of the Little Missouri. Here the land
party was attacked by a party of the -\ssini-
boine Indians, who got possession of the horses.
It was the object of this party to ascend as
far as the falls and establish a fort there, but
the loss of the horses prevented the carrying
out of this object. A post was built at the
mouth of the Yellowstone and the party win-
tered there. The men engaged in hunting and
trapping during the winter, and in the spring
of 1823, having secured a fresh supply of
horses, they set out for the countn,' of the
Blackfeet. Having ascended as far as the great
falls, they were attacked by the Blackfeet.
Four men lost their lives and the party was
driven out of the country. The return was
then made to the fort at the mouth of the
Yellowstone.
In the meantime General Ashley had as-
cended the Missouri from St. Louis. He was
fiercely attacked by the Aricaras and driven
down the river. Henrj^, anticipating his ar-
rival, had descended the Missouri from the
fort on the Yellowstone and brought the win-
ter's catch with him. He was not molested by
the Indians and passed through their village,
joining General Ashley at the mouth of the
Chevenne river.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
39
The attack on General Ashley was reported
to the United States troops, and in the com-
paign which followed the Indians were badly
defeated and taught a severe lesson.
The road being again clear for the traders,
Ashley, after securing the required number of
horses from the Indians, sent Henry with eighty
men across to the post at the mouth of the
Yellowstone, where twenty men had been left.
This place was abandoned and the party as-
cended the Yellowstone as far as Powder river.
Henry here organized a party which was sent
toward the southwest, while he with the main
body went on to the confluence of the Big Horn
and Yellowstone and there established a post.
Trapping parties were sent out in different di-
rections, and when they met the next year they
had collected a great number of beaver furs,
which Henry took to St. Louis in the spring.
The expedition was a success and Henry re-
turned the next year.
Jedediah S. Smith was one of the leading
employes of the Rocky Mountain Fur company.
From the post at the mouth of the Big Horn he
crossed over to the west side of the continental
divide, where he met with detached trappers
of the Hudson's Bay company. After spend-
ing some time in this country he went north,
and it has been said spent the winter with the
Flathead Indians. Wherever he may have
spent the winter, he went to St. Louis in the
spring. Henry resigned from the partnership
and Smith became a partner, being identified
with the company until 1826.
General Ashley returned to St. Louis, not
having attempted to establish a post in the
Blackfoot country. The next year he equipped
an expedition and went into the Salt Lake
country. Detachments were sent out in every
direction and many valuable furs were secured.
The party worked well toward the headwaters
of the Yellowstone and determined to descend
that stream to the Missouri, and from thence
go on to St. Louis. When they reached the
mouth of the Yellowstone Ashlev beheld for
the first time the fort built by Henry. It was
here that the party met General Atkinson with
a large military force, who was in this country
to make peace treaties with the Indians of the
upper Missouri country.
We shall here interrupt the story of the
Rocky Mountain Fur company long enough to
tell of this government expedition. The In-
dian tribes of the Missouri and Yellowstone
had become restless and the government deter-
mined to make treaties with them. Accord-
ingly in 1824 congress passed an act providing
for the equipment of an expedition to visit and
treat with the various tribes inhabiting the
country. The president appointed General
Henry Atkinson, of the army, and Major Ben-
jamin O'Fallon, Indian agent, to act as com-
missioners to visit the Indians and conclude the
treaties.
The commissioners left St. Louis on
March 20, 1825. and proceeded to Council
Bluffs, arriving there April 19. Here they
were joined by an escort of 476 men, of whom
40 were mounted, the intention being to have
the others travel by boat. On August 17 the
party reached the mouth of the Yellowstone,
having visited the Indian tribes inhabiting the
valley between Council Bluffs and that point.
One mile above the mouth of the Yellowstone
the expedition came upon the traders' fort.
Here they were surprised at hunters descend-
ing the river in boats. The hunters proved to
be General Ashley with a party of 24 men, who
had just arrived from Salt Lake valley with a
cargo of furs. Being invited to wait until the
military expedition should ascend the river and
to accompany it. General Ashley did so.
Ashley had not seen the Indians anywhere
on the Yellowstone, and from what informa-
tion he had gathered from straggling bands, he
concluded that the Blackfeet, the ones whom
the authorities most desired to meet, were
somewhere on the Missouri above the falls.
The Assiniboines were supposed to be on the
Yellowstone, but Ashley's party found no trace
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
of them. This information was discouraging
to the expedition. General Atkinson deter-
mined, however, to ascend the river. Part of
the force remained at the fort; the others, ac-
companied by General Ashley, set out on the
20th to go up the river.
No trace of the Indians was found and the
party returned to the fort. Soon after the com-
missioners returned to the states, the expedi-
tion, so far as accomplishing anything was con-
cerned, having been a failure. General Ash-
ley accompanied the party to St. Louis.
In April of the next year, 1826, Ashley
returned to the Salt Lake valley. While here
he sold his interests in the mountains to Jed-
ediah S. Smith, David E. Jackson and William
L. Sublette, the leading spirits of the company,
retaining, however, his company interests in
Sf. Louis. This transfer marks the beginning
of the second period of the company's history.
General Ashley was a man of much ability.
Having tired of mountain life, and having
made his fortune, he retired to enter the politi-
cal arena.
Smith. Jackson and Sublette agreed on
plans to be executed during the next three
years. Jackson and Sublette went into the
mountains, while Smith crossed mto Cali-
fornia, thence north to the Hudson's Bay post
on the Columbia. He sold his furs to the com-
pany and struck out for the headwaters of the
Snake. Here he was to meet Sublette and
Jackson in the summer of 1829.
Smith was royally treated by the Hudson's
Bay men, and he agreed not to hunt in the ter-
ritory claimed by that company. According to
the plans of three years before, when the three
partners struck out in different directions, they
all met at the headwaters of the Snake. Smith
informed his partners of his agreement with the
Hudson's Bay company, who were not friendly
to this move, but reluctantly consented to abide
by their partner's promise.
Concerning the adventures of the partners
during their management of the company we
quote from Chittenden as follows :
All set out on their fall hunt in October, taking a
northeasterly direction to the Yellowstone, with the
intention of swinging around into the Big Horn basin,
w^here Milton Sublette had been left. Just as they
were starting they had a slight brush with the Black-
feet Indians, who attempted to steal their horses. It
was a little too early in the morning, before the horses
had been turned out to graze, and the Indians were
beaten off through the energetic action of Fitzpatrick.
While crossing the range of mountains between
the Gallatin and Yellowstone rivers, a little to the north
of the modern National park, they had a severe skir-
mish with the Blackfeet, in which two men were killed
and the rest of the party scattered. It was some time
before they all came together again ; in fact not until
they were east of the mountains and in the Big Horn
basin. The journey through the rugged mountains
bordering the park on the north was one of great peril
and suffering. One of the party. Joseph Meek, became
separated from the rest and utterly lost, wandering into
the springs country just east of the Yellowstone river,
where he was found by some of his companions.
At length the party was reunited in the Big Horn
basin, where they found Milton Sublette, and all to-
gether went south with the furs to the valley of the
Wind river. It being too late to carry the furs to St.
Louis, they were cached in the side of a cut bank. This
locality was fixed as the next rendezvous, and there-
upon Sublette, w-ith one man, set out for St. Louis to
bring out the outfit for the following year. It was
about Christmas time that he started on the journey,
and he reached his destination on the wth of February
following. This is one of the very few examples at
this early day of crossing the plains in the dead of
winter.
The party which remained behind was too large to
find subsistence in one locality, there being no- buffalo
in the vicinity, and Smith and Jackson were compelled
to shift their camp-, although in mid-winter, to better
ground. They accordingly went over into the Powder
river country, where they found buffalo, and spent the
winter in plenty. On the first of April Jackson set out
for a spring hunt at his old stamping ground in Jack-
son Hole, while Smith, with Young Jim Bridget as
guide, started by way of the Yellowstone for the upper
Missouri. Smith went as far as the Judith basin, made
a successful 'hunt, and returned to the rendezvous on
Wind river without any untoward accident. Jackson
likewise came back after a successful hunt, and here
the two partners waited the arrival of Sublette from
the states. At about this time an unfortunate accident
occurred. While removing the furs from the cache
made the previous December the bank caved in, killing
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
41
one man and severely injuring another. * * *
Smith, Jackson and Sublette, following the ex-
ample of Ashley four years before, relinquished their
trade and sold out to several young men, who had now
become distinguished by their ability and experience.
These were Thomas Fitzpatrick, Milton G. Sublette,
Henry Fraeb, Jean Baptiste Gervais and James Bridger,
and the firm was called the Rocky Mountain Fur Com-
pany, the only instance when any firm did business un-
der this specific name. The transfer of the business
from the old to the new firm took place August 4,
1830. Smith, Jackson and Sublette left the same day
for St. Louis with iqo packs of beaver.
The new company carried out much the
same plans as those inaugurated by the old com-
pany. Trapping parties were sent over the old
grounds, and some virgin territory was opened.
From the Wind river rendezvous Fitzpatrick,
Sublette and Bridger, with a party of two hun-
dred men, crossed over to the Big Horn basin,
through it to the Yellowstone, thence across
to the Missouri river in the vicinity of the great
falls. The party was so strong that the Black-
feet did not molest it. After spending some
time in the neighborhood of the great falls the
expedition moved up to the three forks, thence
up the Jefferson to the divide. This expedition
proved to be a very profitable one, and a large
quantity of furs was taken.
They now moved south to the Salt Lake
country, where they also met with success, and
returned to the Powder river valley to spend
the winter.
Says Chittenden of an event of the follow-
ing spring: "With opening of spring of 183 1
the partners again set out for the Blackfoot
country, but they had not gone far when the
most of their horses were stolen by the Crows.
A catastrophy of this kind, so fatal to the
mobility of a party, destroyed its effectiveness,
and it was imperative to retake the horses. A
party was organized for this purpose, and,
after considerable delay and adroit manage-
ment, succeeded in not only retaking their own
horses, but in capturing those belonging to the
Indians."
Much of the same territory was traversed
this season as the year previous. At various
intervals the furs would be taken to St. Lotiis.
The company continued in business until the
summer of 1834, when a dissolution of the
partnership was agreed upon. During the last
few years the profits had not been so large ; the
American Fur company was scouring the same
territory. Bitter animosities arose between
the rival concerns. The American Fur
company was the more powerful of the
two, and the Rocky Mountain Fur com-
pany, the weaker of the adversaries, could no
longer take from the country the great wealth
it had up to the time of the coming of the com-
peting fur company. Then, it has beeii said,
the new company used its influence to induce
the Indians to oppose the old company.
Whether this contention was true or not, the
Indians became more hostile to the Rocky*
Mountain company. These causes led to the
dissolution of the Rocky Mountain Fur com-
pany, the first powerful concern of the kind to
operate in the Rocky mountain country.
The next fur company to begin operations
in the upper Missouri country was the Ameri-
can, which proved to be the strongest that ever
carried on business with the Indians of Mon-
tana. It continued in existence many years and
its operations were an important event in the
early history of our country.
The American Fur company was incorpor-
ated in New York, April 16, 1808. John Jacob
Astor, a trader in furs in New York and Lon-
don, constituted the company. Heretofore Mr.
Astor had not engaged in operations in the
field, but he now determined to broaden his
business and extend his transactions to the field
operations as well as the traffic after the furs
had been gathered and placed on the market.
The earlier operations of this powerful con-
cern were confined to the headwaters of the
Mississippi and the territory around the great
lakes; and not until 1822 did it extend its field"
of operations to the country farther south and
west. In that year the company established a
4-2
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
western headquarters at St. Louis, which move
was bitterly opposed by the traders of St.
Louis.
The Rocky Mountain Fur company, the
only large company at that time which was
operating in the upper Missouri and surround-
ing country, had brought to St. Louis furs of
almost untold value. The American Fur com-
pany, desirous of a portion of this vast wealth,
determined to invade those regions from which
wealth was being so easily gathered.
Accordingly, in the summer of 1828, a
definite advance was commenced, and in a few
months a fort was established near the mouth
of the Yellowstone. This was the objective
point, for from all directions the trade must
pass through here. Kenneth McKenzie was
given charge of this northern trade. He had
been at one time a member of the Hudson's
Bay company, and had also been associated
with smaller trading and trapping companies
operating in the upper Mississippi country. He
desired to strike boldly into the mountain coun-
try and at once open up trade with the
Indians of the upper territory and to send out
trapping parties to that country. The head
office, less sanguine in its councils, thought
best to go a little slow and to first establish a
post at the mouth of the Yellowstone, and to
extend future operations from there into the
upper country.
A post was erected near the mouth of the
Yellowstone and called Fort Union. In 1872-
yj, Mr. James Stuart prepared an article relat-
ing to the upper Alissouri river which is of
much value in describing conditions as they ex-
isted in the early days of the fur trade. Es-
pecially interesting is the description of Fort
Union and the manner of living of those who
made their homes there under the protection of
the American Fur company. His information
was gathered from trappers, traders and others
who happened to be in the country at that time.
The article was published in the Montana His-
torical Society's contributions of 1876. From
these contributions we quote the following:
Fort Union was the first fort built on the Missouri
river above the mouth of the Yellowstone. In the
summer of 1829 Kenneth McKenzie, a trapper from the
upper Mississippi, near where St. Paul, Minnesota, is
now located, with a party of 50 men, came across to
the upper Missouri in looking for a good place to es-
tablish a trading post for the American Fur Company.
(McKenzie was a member of said company.) They
selected a site a short distance above the mouth of the
Yellowstone river, on the north bank of the Missouri,
and built a stockade, two hundred feet square, of logs
about twelve inches in diameter and twelve feet long,
set perpendicular, putting the lower end ten feet in the
ground with two block house bastions on diagonal
corners of the stockade, twelve feet square and twenty
feet high, pierced with loopholes. The dwelling 'houses,
warehouses and store were built inside, but not form-
ing the stockade, leaving a space of about four feet be-
tween the walls of the buildings and the stockade. All
the buildings were covered with earth, as a protection
against fire by incendiary Indians. There was only one
entrance to the stockade — a long double-leaved gate,
about twelve feet from post to post, with a small gate
three and one-half by five feet, in one of the leaves of
the main gate, which was the one mostly used, the
large gate being opened only occasionally when there
were no Indians in the vicinity of the fort. The
houses, warehouses and stores were all built about the
same height as the stockade. The above description,
except the area enclosed by the stockade, will describe
nearly all the forts built by traders on the Missouri
river from St. Louis to the headwaters. They are
easily built, convenient, and good for defence.
The fort was built to trade with the Assiniboines,
who were a large tribe of Indians, ranging from White
Earth river on the north side of the Missouri to the
mouth of Milk river, and north into the British pos-
sessions. They were a peaceable, inoffensive people,
armed with bow and arrows, living in lodges made of
buffaloi skins, and roving from place to place according
to the season of the year, occupying certain portions of
their country in the summer, and during the winter
remaining where they could be protected from the cold
with plenty of wood. For fear of trouble with them
the traders did not sell them guns ; but when an In-
dian proved to be a good hunter and a good friend to
the traders by his actions and talk, he could occasionally
borrow a gun and a few loads of ammunition to make
a hunt.
The principal articles of trade were alcohol,
blankets, blue and scarlet cloth, sheeting (domestic),
ticking, tobacco, knives, fire-steels, arrow points, files,
brass wire, beads, brass tacks, leather belts (from four
to ten inches wide), silver ornaments for hair, shells,
axes, hatchets, etc. — alcohol being the principal article
of trade until after the passing of an act of congress
FATHER UE SMET
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
43
(June 30, 1834). prohibiting- it under severe penalty.
Prior to that time there were no restrictions on the
traffic. But notwithstanding the traders were often
made to suffer the penalty of the law, they continued
to smuggle large quantities of spirits into the Indian
country until within the last few years (i. e. 1873).
St. Louis was the point from w'hich the traders
brought their goods. They would start from there
with mackinaw boats, fifty feet long, ten feet wide on
the bottom, and twelve feet on the top, and four feet
high, loaded with fourteen tons of merchandise to the
boat, and a crew of about twelve men, as soon as the
ice went out of the river, usually about the first of
March, and would be' about six months in getting to
Fort Unicn, the boats having to be towed the greater
part of the way by putting a line ashore, and the men
walking along the bank pulling the boat. Every spring,
as soon as the ice went out of the river, boats would
start from the fort for St. Louis, each boat loaded
with three thousand robes, or its equivalent in other
peltries, with a crew of five men to each boat, arriving
at St. Louis in about thirty days.
All the employes in the Indian country lived en-
tirely on meat — the outfit of provisions for from fifty
to seventy-five men being two barrels flour, one sack
coffee, one barrel sugar, one barrel salt, and a little
soda and pepper. After the fort was established and
proved to be a permanent trading point, large quanti-
ties of potatoes, beets, onions, turnips, squashes, corn,
etc., were raised, sufficient for each year's consumption.
The wages for common laborers were 220 dollars for
the round trip from St. Louis to Fort Union and back
again to St. Louis, taking from fifteen to sixteen
months' time to make it. Carpenters and blacksmiths
were paid 3C0 dollars per annum. The traders (being
their own interpreters) were paid 500 dollars per an-
The store and warehouse, or two stores, were built
en each side of the gate, and on the side next to the
interior of the fort the two buildings were connected
by a gate similar to the main gate tlie space between
the building and the stockade filled in with pickets,
making a large strong room without any roof or cov-
ering overhead. In each store, or stores, about five
feet from the ground, was a hole eighteen inches
square, with a strong shutter-fastening inside of the
store, opening into the space or room between the
gates. When the Indians wanted to trade, the inner
gate was closed ; a man would stand at the outer gate
until all the Indians that wanted to trade, or as many
as the space between the gate would contain, had passed
in ; then he would lock the outer gate and go through
the trading hole into the store. The Indians would
then pass whatever articles each one had to trade
through the hole to the trader, and he would throw out
of the hole whatever the Indians wanted to the value
in trade of the article received. When the party were
done trading they were turned out and another party
admitted. In that way of trading the Indians were
entirely at the mercy of the traders, for they were
penned up in a room and could all be killed throug'h
loop-holes in the store without any danger to the
traders. The articles brought by the Indians for trade
were buffalo robes, elk, deer, antelope, bear, wolf,
beaver, otter, fox, mink, martin, wild cat, skunk and
badger skins.
The country was literally covered with buffalo,
and the Indians killed them by making "surrcundings."
The Indians moved and camped with from one to four
hundred lodges together — averaging about seven souls
to the lodge; and when they needed meat the chief
gave orders to make a "surround," when the whole
camp, men, women and the largest of the children, on
foot and on horseback, would go under direction of the
soldiers and form a circle around as many buffalo as
they wanted to kill — from three hundred to one thou-
sand buffalo. They would then all start slowly for a
common point, and as soon as the circle began to grow
smaller, the slaughter would begin, and in a short time
all inside of the circle would be Wiled. The buffalo
do not, as a general rule, undertake to break through
unless the circle is very small, but run round and
round the circumference next to the Indians until they
are all killed.
Fort Union burned down in 1831 and was rebuilt
by McKenzie in the same year. The new fort was two
hundred .and fifty feet square, with stone foundation,
with similar buildings, but put up in a more workman-
like manner, inside of the stockade. The fort stood
until 1868, when it was pulled 'down by order of the
commanding ofiicer at Fort Buford (five miles below
Union.)
In 1832 the first steamboat, named the "Yellow-
stone," arrived at Fort Union. From that time, every
spring, the goods were brought by steamboats, but the
robes, peltries, etc., were shipped from the fort every
spring by mackinaws to St. Louis.
As has been noted in preceding pages of
this chapter the country of the Blackfeet had
never been successfully invaded. The Mis-
souri Fur company had made two attempts to
open trade relations with these people, and
each time had failed and been driven from the
country. Ashley and Henry made two at-
tempts and met the same fate as did the Mis-
souri Fur company. This being practically a
virgin territory, McKenzie's desire was to in-
form the Blackfeet of the friendly relationship
that would be extended them if intercourse
could be opened. The former expeditions into
this country had utterly failed in this particu-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
lar. And on the other hand the Hudson's Bay
company traders, who penetrated the country
of the Blackfeet, used their influence to create
feehngs of hostihty between the Indians and
the American traders.
In the summer of 1830 McKenzie was
down the river. Upon his return to Fort Union
in the fall he found there an old trapper by the
name of Berger, who had for many years been
employed by the Hudson's Bay company at
their fort just north of the Blackfoot country. ,
Berger was well acquainted with the language
and customs of these people and knew many of
them personally. How he came to leave the
Hudson's Bay company and come to Fort Un-
ion no one knows ; but he was there and he was
the very man that Mc-Kenzie desired for nego-
tiation with the Blackfeet. McKenzie ac-
cordingly proposed to him to go on this peril-
ous trip, and he consented. Chittenden's
"American Fur Trade of the West" describes
the advance into the Blackfoot country and
the return to the fort :
Berger started out from Fort Union in the fall and
traveled some four weeks before he saw any Indians.
The party carried a flag unfurled so that the Indians
might know at a distance that they were white men.
They finally found a large village on the Marias river,
some distance above the mouth. At the sight of it the
little party was so terror stricken that they wanted to
turn back, but Berger persisted in the purpose of his
mission, and the men followed his lead, scarcely ex-
pecting to be alive for another hour. When they were
discovered a number of mounted Indians started for
them at full speed. Berger halted 'his party and him-
self advanced with the flag. The Indians paused, and
Berger called out his name. They recognized it ; there
was a rush to shake hands; and then the little party
was welcomed to the village, where, to their great joy.
they were received in the most hospitable manner.
How long they remained is not known, but Berger
finally succeeded in inducing a party of about forty,
including several chiefs, to accompany him to Fort
Union. The route was a long one, and on the way
they began to complain of the distance. Berger was put
to his wifs ends to prevent them turning back. Finally
wlien within a day's march from the fort, tradition
says, the Indians concluded to stop. Berger besought
them to go on one day more and told them if they did
not reach the fort in that time he would give them his
scalp and all his horses. This guaranty of good faith
induced them to keep on, and, sure enough, about three
p. m. the next day they passed over a river bluff and
beheld in the valley below the fort, just as Berger had
told (hem. It was a great feat that Berger had ac-
complished, and McKenzie was highly gratified at its
successful outcome.
The party reached Fort Union before the end of
the year 1831. McKenzie had a conference with the
chiefs, and it goes without saying that that astute
leader left no stone unturned to create a favorable im-
pression. The Indians professed great satisfaction at
the prospect of having a trading post near their village,
and as an earnest of his purpose to establish one there
the following summer. McKenzie sent a trader and a
few men to trade with them during the winter. He
completed this stroke of good fortune during the fol-
lowing summer by bringing about a treaty of peace and
friendship between the Blackfeet and Assiniboines,
which promised protection to the trade throughout this
region. The treaty was consummated on the 29th day
of November, 1831.
In accordance with the agreement entered
into with the Blackfeet, McKenzie dispatched
an expedition up the river in the fall of 1831,
which arrived at the confluence of the Marias
and Missouri sometime in October. James
Kipp had charge of the expedition. He selected
the site for the fort between the two rivers,
near the mouth of the Alarias, where it was
constructed with as much speed as possible.
It was called Fort Piegan. During the first
ten days after the post was opened for trading
purposes the Indians bartered off two thousand
four hundred beaver skins.
During the winter the fort was attacked
by the Blood Indians and besieged for several
days. The attack was without any apparent
provocation, and it has been said that the Brit-
ish traders, alarmed at the Americans' success,
were instrumental in inducing the Bloods to
make an attack. Rather than injuring the post,
the attack proved a boon, for after their with-
drawal Kipp treated the Indians to alcohol, and
so elated were they over this bountiful treat-
ment that they brought all their furs to the
American post.
Before the opening of spring a fine lot of
furs had been collected, and Kipp, upon the
opening of navigation, made preparations to
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
take his furs to Fort Union. The Indians de-
sired that the post should be kept open during
the summer months, but his men refused to
stay, and the post was abandoned. Soon after
the abandoning of the fort it was burned by
the Indians.
During the summer after Kipp's arrival at
Fort Union, David S. Mitchell was sent to
take charge of Fort Piegan ; but on arrival at
the Marias, finding that the fort had been
burned, he moved up the Marias six miles, and
on the north bank selected a site in what is now
known as Brule bottom. In honor of Mc-
Kenzie this post was named Fort McKenzie,
and its construction assured the American Fur
company a permanent foothold in the Black-
foot country. It was occupied for a great
many years and proved to be one of the most
profitable posts the company had in the upper
country.
In 1842 F. A. Cheardon, who was at the
time in charge of Fort ^McKenzie, killed thirty
Indians within the walls of the fort, the massa-
cre being brought about in the following man-
ner : A party of Piegans, demanding admit-
tance to the fort, were refused admission, and
in malice killed a pig belonging to the whites
and rode away. A small party was sent in pur-
suit, and was fired upon by the Indians, a negro
member of the party being killed. Return to
the fort was then made, and Cheardon deter-
mined upon revenge. He invited a large num-
ber of the Indians to visit the post, throwing
open the gates as if intending the utmost hos-
pitality. While the Indians were crowding
into the fort, the whites fired upon them with
a howitzer loaded to the muzzle with trade
balls. Men, women and children were slaugh-
tered. Cheardon then loaded the boats, burned
the fort buildings, and descended the river to
the mouth of Judith river, where he built Fort
Cheardon.
The conditions of the company at this
point were in bad shape as a result, when
Alexander Culberson, who had been in charge
of the fort at a former time, then again took
charge, and through his efforts peace was made
with the Indians. Six miles above the present
site of Fort Benton he established Fort Lewis.
This was simply a temporary structure, de-
signed only to serve the immediate purpose.
In 1846 a permanent fort was erected where
the town of Fort Benton now stands. In honor
of Thomas H. Benton, then United States sen-
ator from Missouri, and one of the influential
men of the American Fur company, this new
post was named Fort Benton. This fort was
well constructed, and it is the only remaining
post of the American Fur company in the up-
per Missouri country. This was made the head
quarters for all the upper country for 20 years,
or until the company retired from business.
In 1848 Fort Campbell was built a short
distance above Fort Benton by the rival trad-
ers, Galpin, Labarge & Co., of St. Louis, which
was not long occupied. Later the independent
traders erected a number of fortified stations
on the Missouri and Yellowstone, who alter-
nately courted and fought the warlike tribes
of Montana, but left little historical data of
their occupancy.
It must not be understood that the Ameri-
can Fur company confined its operations to the
Blackfoot country. No sooner was Fort Un-
ion thoroughly established than trading parties
were sent up the Yellowstone to traffic with the
Crows. Traders and trappers were kept among
these people at all times, but not until 1832
was a fort estaLhshed. That year McKenzie
sent Tullock to build a post on the south side
of the Yellowstone, three miles below the Big
Horn, to trade with the mountain Crows.
These Indians were treacherous and insolent,
but their trade was desired by the American
company. Tullock erected a large fort
which he called Fort Van Buren. The
Indians complained so much of the lo-
cation of this post that a little later, in
1836. Tullock built Fort Cass on the Yellow-
stone below Fort Van Buren. Fort .Alexander,
45
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
still further down, was built by Lawender in
1848, and Fort Spary was erected by Culber-
son at the mouth of the Rosebud in 1850. This
was the last trading post built on the Yellow-
stone and was abandoned in 1853. In 1834,
Mr. Astor, the founder of the American Fur
company, retired from further connection with
its affairs.
Almost every year that the American Fur
company was engaged in business in the upper
Missouri country new fur companies were or-
ganized to compete for the business which was
proving so profitable. The older company had
its own tactics for defeating the progress of the
new concerns. Invariably the new companies
would erect forts close to those of the older
company in order that they might secure a por-
tion of the trade with the Indians. The Ameri-
can Fur company was the wealthiest concern
operating in the upper Missouri country, and
when the weaker rival stepped in for a portion
of the traffic the older concern would pay more
than the customary prices for skins — often
more than could be secured for them in St.
Louis. By so doing it drove the competitors
from the field.
While success always crowned the efforts
of the American at the established trading
posts, out in the mountains its traders were not
so successful. Parties were sent out to ascer-
tain the methods pursued by, the Rocky Moun-
tain Fur company and others who were operat-
ing, that the competition might be intercepted.
But they were never so successful, proportion-
ately to numbers and power, as were some of
the smaller concerns. True they secured many
valuable furs in this way, but competition
was so sharp that they were not able to cope
with their many adversaries and at the same
time reap great harvests from the field. Away
from the posts the same tactics could not be
employed, and in the field men were placed
on a nearer equality.
The Hudson's Bay company, that powerful
corporation wdiich controlled the fur trade of
the Columbia river district, only occasionally
sent trappers into the country east of the Bitter-
roots. In 183 1 an expedition was planned at
Vancouver to go to the Missouri river country
for the purpose of trapping beaver and killing
buffalo. The command of the expedition was
given to John Work, a faithful and intelligent
employe of the great English company.
On the 1 8th of August the party left Van-
couver in four boats, carrying a large supply
of goods for trade with the Shoshones. On the
30th of the month Fort Walla Walla was
reached. Here horses were supplied the men
and on the nth of September the start to the
eastward was made, the course being along the
bank of Snake river. On the i6th the party
turned southward and crossed Snake river at
the Salmon branch. They journeyed up this
stream ten days, then crossed through a woody
country to a camas prairie. Continuing, they
struck the Bitter Root river on October i8th,
down which they traveled as far as Hell Gate,
where they engaged in trapping. In that vicin-
ity they found "marks of Americans." A con-
siderable number of beaver were taken and
there were some buffalo, but the American
trappers had been over the country thoroughly,
and this fact, together with the hostility of the
Blackfeet, made the expedition a partial failure.
The Blackfeet made life miserable for the
English hunters, stealing the traps and attack-
ing the trappers whenever opportunity offered.
On October 30 two of the party were killed by
the Indians, and three of Work's men, half
breeds, deserted.
About the middle of November the party
moved southward to the Jefferson branch of the
Missouri and camped on a plain, in the very
road of the Blackfeet, above Beaverhead, near
where now stands the town of Virginia City.
Here buffalo were found in great numbers and
the trappers spent some time in their slaughter.
On the 24th the camp was attacked by the
Blackfeet and one of the men dangerously
wounded. Two days later camp was broken
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
47
and the party proceeded in a southwesterly
direction for several days, arriving at Sahnon
river on the i6th of December. Again work-
ing eastward, the 5th of January, 1832, found
the party on a small branch of the Missouri.
On the loth there was a skirmish with the
Blackfeet, which resulted in the killing of two
of the Indians. The Blackfeet continued
troublesome, stealing the horses and firing
upon the trappers from ambush. Early on
the morning of the 30th the camp was attacked
by 300 savages, who were not checked until
one of the whites had been killed and one
wounded. The Indians were repulsed with
considerable loss.
By the middle of February the horses of
the trappers became so thin from the scarcity
of grass that they were unable to follow the
buffalo, and several of them died from cold
and starvation. April and May were passed by
the party hunting beaver and fighting Indians,
Work gradually working his way westward.
Crossing the mountains, the hunting was con-
tinued until July, on the 19th of which month
Fort Walla Walla was reached. Two of the
party and a boat containing a valuable cargo
were lost while descending Salmon river. All
embarked on the morning of July 25th for
Vancouver, where the party arrived on the
afternoon of the 27th. Out of 329 horses
which the party took from Walla Walla and
subsequently purchased, only 215 were brought
back, 114 having been captured, lost or starved.
Three hundred and nine buffalo were killed
during the trip and a large quantity of beaver
taken.
In 1847 the Hudson's Bay company estab-
lished a trading post on Crow creek, in the
northern part of what was afterward set off
as a Flathead reservation. Angus McDonald,
who came to the mountains as early as 1838 or
1839, was the first officer in charge of
the post. Very little has been learned of the
operations of the English company in this part
of the country.
CHAPTER V
FROM BEAVER PELT TO BALLOT-BOX
For many years the fur traders and trap-
pers were the only white people to enter the
confines of the present state of Montana. They
could in no sense be termed settlers. They came
to trap and hunt and not to build homes. But
this condition was not always to be, and we find
overlapping the fur trade epoch of Montana's
history that of its early settlement. And, as
has been the history of nearly all our western
county, the missionaries were the first to es-
tablish homes in this far away and savage
country.
That portion of what is now the state of
Montana which lies between the main range of
the Rocky mountains and the Bitter Root
mountains was the first section of the state to
be inhabited by white men. When the Lewis
and Clark party (undoubtedly the first white
men to set foot on the soil of that country)
entered that section of the country in 1805, it
was inhabited by three tribes of Indians — the
Flatheads, the Kalispelumns (now known as
the Pend d"Oreilles) and the Kootenais.
From about 1820 up to 1841 this country was
visited by white trappers, employes of the
Hudson's Bay company, who trapped and
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
hunted over it, and then came the first mis-
sionary, with the desire to teach the savages
the ways of civiHzation.
In the spring of 1840 Father P. J. De Smet,
missionary of the Society of Jesus, left St.
Louis with the intention of proceeding to the
Bitter Root valley and there establishing a
mission. He traveled with a party of the Amer-
ican Fur company to that company's rendez-
vous on the Green river, where he was met by a
party of Flatheads, who conducted him to the
Bitter Root valley. From reliable sources we
learn that Father De Smet remained, teaching
and baptizing the Indians, from July 17th to
the 29th of August, when he set out on his
return, accompanied as before with a party of
Flathead warriors. Going by way of the Yel-
lowstone and Big Horn rivers, he proceeded
to the fort of the American Fur company in
the country of the Crows. From this point De
Smet proceeded down the Yellowstone to Fort
Union. John de Velder, a native of Belgium,
was his only companion on this perilous trip,
and several narrow escapes from running into
parties of Indians are reported. From Fort
Union they had the company of three men
going to the Mandan village. From this place
De Smet proceeded by way of Fort Pierre and
Vermillion to Independence and thence to
St. Louis.
Next spring he set out again, accompanied
by two priests Nicholas Point and Gregory
Mengarini, and three lay brethren. Accord-
ing to De Smet's journal, they fell in with a
party of hunters going into the mountainous
country and another party bound for the
"Oregon county" and California. The three
parties traveled together as far as Fort Hall,
where the missionaries were met by the Flat-
heads and escorted to their country.
Immediately after their arrival the mis-
sionaries set about building a mission, which
was named St. Mary's, and which was used as
a house of worship until 1850. Unfortunately
a description of the mission as it was first con-
structed is not available, but we learn that in
1846 it consisted of 12 houses, built of logs,
a church, a saw mill, a grist mill and buildings
for farm use. Farming was carried on, and
large crops of wheat, potatoes and other vege-
tables of various kinds were produced ; several
head of cattle had been raised, and the estab-
lishment had all the horses necessary for its use.
This was the first farming done in the state of
Montana. The burrs for the mill were brought
from Belgium to the Oregon settlements and
from there to St. Mary's.
In 1843 the Jusuit college sent out two
priests to assist Fathers Point and Mengarini,
while De Smet was dispatched on a mission
to Europe. These priests were Peter De Voss
and Adrian Hoeken, and they arrived at St.
Mary's in September with three lay brethren.
Bancroft thus gives a brief history of this
mission and its effects upon the Indians :
When the Flatheads took up the cross and the
plowshare they fell victims to the diseases of the white
race. When they no longer made war on their enemies,
the Blackfeet nation, these implacable foes gave them
no peace. They stole the horses of the Flatheads un-
til they had none left with which to hunt buffalo, and
in pure malice shot their beef cattle to prevent their
feeding themselves at home, not refraining froin shoot-
ing the owners whenever an opportunity offered. By
this system of persecution they finally broke up the
establishment of St. Mary's in 1850, the priests finding
it impossible to keep Che Indians settled in their village
under the circumstances. They resuijied their migra-
tory habits, and the fathers having no protection in
their isolation, the mission buildings were sold to John
Owen, who with his brother, Francis, converted them
into a trading post and fort, and put the establishment
in a state of defence against the Blackfoot marauders.
John Owen had come as far as the head-
waters of the Snake as sutler for United States
troops who were on their way to Oregon. This
was in the fall of 1849. Winter overtook the
troops, camp was established a few miles above
Fort Hall and the winter passed there. In
the fall of 1850 Owen crossed over the Bitter
Root valley and, as has been stated, purchased
St. Mary's Mission. Here he engaged in trad-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
49
ing with parties crossing to the Oregon coun-
try, and to some extent in farming and stock
raising.
Owen thought he was permanently estab-
lished in this country, but the predatory Black-
feet continually harassed him, and in 1853 he
abandoned his post and set out with his herds
for Oregon. He had not proceeded far when
he met a detachment of soldiers under Col.
Isaac I. Stevens, governor of the newly created
territory of Washington, who was coming to
establish a depot of supplies in the Bitter Root
valley for the use of the government exploring
parties which were to winter there. Owen
and his party returned to the post he had aban-
doned, feeling secure under the protection of
the soldiers.
While Father De Smet had been forced to
abandon his mission at St. Mary's, others soon
took up the work of looking after the spiritual
welfare of the Indians in the Bitter Root Val-
ley, and in 1854 St. Ignatius mission was es-
tablished. Hubert Howe Bancroft, in his
"History of Washington, Idaho and Mon-
tana," says of this mission :
In 1853-54 the only missions in operation were
those of the Sacred Heart at Coeur d'Alene. St. Ignat-
ius at Kalispel lake, and St. Paul at Colville, though
certain visiting stations were kept up, where baptisms
were performed periodically. In 1854, after the Ste-
vens exploring expedition had made the country more
habitable by treaty talks with the Blackfeet and other
tribes, Hoeken, who seems nearly as indefatigable as
De Smet, selected a site for a new mission, "not far
from Flathead lake and about fifty miles from the old.
mission of St. Mary's." Here he erected during the
summer several frame buildings, a chapel, shops and
dwellings, and gathered about him a camp of Koote-
nais, Flatbows, Fend d'Oreilles, Flatheads and Kalis-
pels. Rails and fencing were cut to the number of 18000
a large field put under cultivation and the mission of
St. Ignatius in the Flathead country became the successor
of St. Mary's. In the new "reduction" the fathers
w^re assisted by the officers of the exploring expedition,
and especially by Lieutenant Mullan, who wintered in
the Bitter Root valley in 1854-55. In return the fa-
thers assisted Gov. Stevens at the treaty grounds and
endeavored to control the Coeur d'Alenes and Spo-
kanes in the troubles that immediately followed the
treaties of 1855. Subsequently the mission in the Bit-
ter Root valley was revived, and the Flatheads were
taught there until the removal to the reservation at
Flathead lake, which reserve included St. Ignatius
mission, when a school was first opened in 1863 by
Father Urbanus Grassi. In 1858 the missionaries at
the Flathead mission had 300 more barrels of flour .
than they could consume, which they sold to the posts
of the -American Fur company on the Missouri, and the
Indians cultivated fifty farms, averaging five acres
each. In their neighborhood were two sawmills.
The treaty referred to in the above was
held in July, 1855, ^t a point about eight miles
below the present city of Missoula. The ef-
fect of this treaty was far reaching.
During the late fifties that part of Montana
lying west of the Rocky mountains received a
few more settlers. This part of the history of
our state is very ably told by one who was o
resident of the country at that time. Judge
Frank H. Woody :
In the fall of 1856 several parties who had been
spending the summer trading on the "road" relin-
quished that business and came to the Bitter Root val-
ley and took up their residence, among whom were T.
W. Harris, Joseph Lompre and William Rodgers.
During the winter of 1856-57 the population of the
Bitter Root valley was larger than it again was until
the fall of i860.
Up to this time no settlement had been made in
the Hell Gate Rounde. Soon after the arrival of Mr.
Pattee he contracted with Major Owen and commenced
the erection of a grist and sawmill at Fort Owen. In
the latter part of December, 1856, McArthur, having
determined upon the erection of a trading post in the
Hell Gate Ronde, dispatched Jackson, Holt. Madison,
"Pork" and the writer to Council Grove to get out
necessary timbers to erect the buildings the next sum-
mer. Our quarters consisted of an Indian lodge, and
we fared sumptuously on bread and beef, with coffee
without sugar about once a week. The snow fell deep
during the winter and the weather was quite cold, but
we lost but little time, and by spring had gotten out a
large quantity of square timber. In the spring Mc-
.'\rthur paid us off for our winter's work, each man
receiving a cayuse horse in full for all demands. With
the coming of spring there was a general breaking up
of all winter quarters and not many men were left in
the country. James Holt and the writer remained in
the employ of McArthur, broke about eight acres of
land and sowed it to wheat and also planted a garden.
This was the first attempt to farming in the Hell Gate
Ronde. The potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips and onions
50
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
grew well, but the wheat, while in milk, was completely
killed by a heavy frost on the night of August 14, 1857.
McArthur was absent during the entire summer and
fall, having gone to Colville and thence to the Suswap
mines in British Columbia. In those days we did not
have our daily paper and telegraphic dispatches from
all parts of the world, but thought ourselves fortunate
if we got one or two Oregon papers in six months ;
eastern papers we never saw. The following will show
our isolated condition : The presidential election was
held in November, 1856, but we knew nothing of the
results until about the middle of April. 1857, when
Abraham Finley arrived from Olympia with a govern-
ment express for the Indian department, bringing two
or three Oregon papers, from which we learned that
Buchanan had been elected and inaugurated president.
Few events of historic interest occurred from the
fall of 1857 to the fall of i8S9- During the spring and
summer of 1858 an Indian war in the Spokane and
lower Nez Perce country cut off all communication
with the west and placed the settlers of this country
in a dangerous situation. Congress having made a
large appropriation to build a military 'wagon road
from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton placed Lieuten-
ant John Mullan in charge of the work. He organized
his expedition at The Dalles, Oregon, in the spring of
1858, but was forced to abandon it on account of the
Indian hostilities. He again organized in the^ spring
of 1859 and constructed the road over the Coeur d'Alene
mountains as far as Cantonment Jordan on the St.
Regis Borgia, where he went into winter quarters, send-
ing his stock to the Bitter Root valley. During the
-linter the greater portion of the heavy grades between
Frenchtown and the mouth of Cedar creek was con-
structed. In the spring of i860 he resumed his march
and took his expedition through to Fort Benton, doing
but little work, however, between Hell's Gate and Fort
Benton.
In June, i860, Frank L. Worden and C. P. Hig-
gins, under the firm name of Worden & Company,
started for Walla Walla with a stock of general mer-
chandise for the purpose of trading at the Indian
agency, but. upon their arrival at Hell's Gate, they de-
termined to locate at that point, and accordingly built
a small log house and opened business. This was the
first building erected at that place, and fonned the
nucleus of a small village that was known far and wide
as Hell's Gate, and w^hich in later years had the repu-
tation of being one of the roughest places in Montana.
During this year four hundred United States troops un-
der the command of Major Blake passed over the
Mullan road from Fort Benton to Walla Walla and
Colville.
During the fall of this year a number of settlers
came into the country and new farms were taken up
at Frenchtown, Hell's Gate and the Bitter Root val-
ley, and during the winter of 1860-61 a considerable
number of men wintered in the different settlements.
In the spring of 1861 Lieutenant Mullan organized
another party and started for Fort Benton to finish up
the road he had nearly opened the year before. His
expedition was accompanied by an escort of one hun-
dred men under the command of Lieutenant Marsh.
The expedition came as far as the crossing of the Big
Blackfoot river, where they erected winter quarters
and named them Cantonment Wright, in honor of Colo-
nel, afterwards General, Wright, who quelled the In-
dian war of 1858 so efifectively. During the winter the
heavy grades in the Hell's Gate canyon were con-
structed.
The first marriage in this part of the coun-
try, according to Judge Woody, was solem-
nized at Hell's Gate on the fifth of March, 1862,
and the first law suit held within the present
bounds of Montana was tried at Hell's Gate in
March of the same year. At that time the
territory was included in Missoula county, one
of the political divisions of Washington terri-
tory.
The first permanent settlement in Montana
to reach the distinction of being called a town
was established on the upper Missouri, where
the town of Fort Benton now stands. The set-
tlement was named in honor of United States
Senator Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri., who
was also the attorney for the American Fur
company, the concern which erected the fort
there and gave the, settlement the name. The
fort was built in 1846 and was used by the fur
company for a trading post for twenty years.
While still occupied by the American Fur com-
pany other traders entered into the merchandise
business at this point. Located as it is at the
head of navigation of the Missouri, it served
its first purpose as a trading post, and after-
wards as a distributing point for all the new
northwest. From the time of erecting the fort
up until the early seventies Fort Benton was
essentially a fur trading town, enjoying in ad-
dition the advantages of an occasional visit
from a steamboat.
Many miners came by this route, and the
town during the early mining days was a
"lively" one in the full western significance of
the word. Hundreds of people passing back
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
and forth would pass through and ahnost in-
variably sojourn a few days. Often there
would be no boats on which to take passage,
and the sojourner would be obliged to remain
for several days, yes, even weeks, until a boat
would arrive. Often the last boat of the sea-
son had left, and then they would construct
mackinaws and descend in them, often a fleet
going together for protection against the In-
dians.
Fort Benton was the freight distributing
point for all the mining country of the upper
courses of the Missouri, except when an occa-
sional freight train would come overland from
the neighborhood of Salt Lake or some other
southern point, which traffic was small in coin-
parison with that which passed through Fort
Benton.
From its earliest days until 1880 the town
enjoyed a reign of prosperity. Fort Benton
was known throughout the entire northwest as
the town of its day. The completion of the
Northern Pacific railroad, the Utah & North-
ern and the Canadian Pacific cut off immense
tributary territory ; and when the Great North-
ern was completed and thriving towns sprung
up along it, Fort Benton fell off greatly in pop-
ulation and importance.
West of the Rocky mountains, as has been
stated, several settlers had taken up land and
were engaged in farming on a small scale and
in stock raising. Captain LaBarge, a steam-
boat owner and trader, had built a fort near
Fort Benton on the Missouri and was actively
engaged in for trading and selling supplies to
those who chanced to pass through this point
to the country further beyond. In 1862, while
west of the mountains, he visited the Deer
Lodge river, and so fascinated was he with the
valley that he laid out a townsite where the
Cottonwood creek empties into the Deer Lodge
river, which is a few miles above the Little
Blackfoot, and called the town LaBarge. At
an earlier date than this settlers had been mov-
ing into the valley, and by the time LaBarge
platted the town, there were some 75 settlers.
In 1856 John F. Grant built a home at the con-
fluence of the Little Blackfoot with the Deer
Lodge river, the first building erected in that
part of the country. Two years later, in i860,
the first houses were built where the present
town of Deer Lodge stands. Among the early
settlers of this town were the Stuarts. The
plat as laid out by Captain LaBarge was
ignored, and buildings were erected without
any regard for streets. James Stuart and oth-
ers employed William DeLacy to survey the
town, and from then on it was called Deer
Lodge City.
About the first of August, 1S62, John
White and party discovered placers on Grass-
hopper creek. These placers yielded from five
to twenty dollars per day per man. This news
soon spread to the settlements west of the
mountains, to the few scattered miners in the
gulches at the headwaters of the Missouri, and
to the settlement at Fort Benton. No sooner
had the intelligence reached these points than
an onrush of gold seekers pushed forward to
the new discovery. Before the winter set in
scattered sojourners and settlers from miles in
every direction had reached the new discovery
and the camp was called Bannack City, after
the aboriginal tribe which inhabited that region.
At about the same time a strike had been made
in the Boise basin and the camp called Ban-
nack City. That the two settlements might
be distinguished, the settlement in the Boise
basin was named West Bannack; the other
East Bannack. Later, however, East Bannack
was most commonly known as Bannack City.
By the first of January, 1863, the town of
Bannack had been laid out, and between 400
and 500 people had gathered there, most of
them awaiting the opening of spring, when
prospecting could be carried on. The news of
new strike brought into Bannack that element
not most desirable — reckless adventurers, out-
laws and murderers — as well as the honest
miner and fortune hunter. In a later chapter
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
we shall deal more fully with the former class
— which was effectively taken care of by the
Vigilantes. Up to this time the stage road
L^d not been opened from Fort Benton, and the
;. inter's provisions were brought from Salt
Lake City. Bannack was at this time in Da-
kota territory ; later by federal enactment it be-
jame a town of Idaho territory, and in 1864
of Montana territory. From the organization
of Montana territory in 1864 until February 7,
1865, Bannack was the capital city of Montana.
On the 9th of April, 1863, James Stuart,
with a party of prospectors set out from Ban-
nack, headed for the Yellowstone and Big
Horn rivers. They were not only prospecting
for mines, but also looking for favorable loca-
tions for establishing towns. At about the same
time another party left Bannack, the two par-
ties having planned to join each other at the
mouth of the Stinkingwater river. The Stu-
art party consisted of James Stuart, Cyrus D.
Watkins, John Vanderbilt, James N. York,
Richard McCafferty, James Hauxhurst, D.
Underwood, S. T. Hauser, H. A. Bell, Wil-
liam Roach. A. S. Blake, George H. Smith, H.
T. Gerry, E. Bostwick and George Ives. The
second party was composed of Louis Simmons,
William Fairweather, George Orr, Thomas
Cover, Barney Hughes and Henry Edgar.
When the second company reached the ap-
pointed place of meeting it was learned that
Stuart and party had advanced toward Yellow-
stone. Consecjuently they followed the trail of
Stuart's party, but before overtaking it were
met by a band of Crow Indians, who, after hav-
ing robbed them of nearly all their belongings,
ordered them to return from whence they came.
On their return to Bannack they halted on
Alder creek to cook lunch. Here they discov-
ered the famous Alder Gulch placer, a detailed
story of which discovery will be found in the
chapter devoted to mining history.
The people of Bannack believed that the
party had made a strike and when he set out
upon his return he was followed by 200 men.
Upon the arrival of the two hundred men, a
mining district was formed, and in honor of
the discoverer was named Fairweather. Dr.
Steel was made president and James Fergus
recorder. This was on the 6th of June. Vari-
ous placers were discovered; excitement ran
high and a stampede followed ; the gulches
swarmed with miners ; and in a few months,
it has been estimated, thousands of people had
flocked to this district.
A town was laid out in Alder gulch and
named Virginia City. In less than a year the
town had a population of ten thousand people.
Large business houses were erected ; immense
stocks of goods were brought in; all Imes of
business flourished. Virginia City was incor-
porated on December 30, 1864, and the follow-
ing were selected its first officers : ]\Iayor, P.
S. Pfouts; aldermen, Dr. L. Daems. Jacob
Feldberg, Major James R. Boyce, J. M. Cast-
ner, John Le Beau, James McShane, H. A.
Pease and William Shoot. The city was
divided into four wards, two aldermen being
selected from each. In the years 1864-65
Virginia City reached the zenith of its pros-
perity and had a populatiion of 10,000 souls.
At the first election after the formation of the
territory, Madison county cast 5.286 votes,
Virginia City having 2,310, and Nevada, sit-
uated a little over a mile below that city — a
town which had sprung up about the same
time — 1,806 of the total number of votes cast.
The district court convened in the young
city for the first time on the first Monday of
December, 1864, The territorial capital was
moved from Bannack on February 7th follow-
ing. The first newspaper published in the ter-
ritory, the Montana Post, was established here
August 27, 1864. November 2, 1866. a tele-
graph line was completed between Salt Lake
City and Virginia City.
In 1865 a freight line was established from
Virginia City to Helena, thence to Fort Ben-
ton. The first overland stage to California
was in operation in the spring of the same year.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
53
The route was by way of Salt Lake City. A
mail service was established in 1864 between
California, Salt Lake City and Virg-inia City.
In the fifth volume of the Montana Historical
Selections is given an interesting account of
the competition which then existed between
the rival companies operating between Virginia
City and Fort Benton. We quote from that
document :
To show the quality of metal of which some of our
people were made, and further to illustrate some of our
financial conditions, conditions contemperaneous with
the appointment of Gov. Smith to the territorial mag-
istracy, it is well to recall the establishment of the
overland stage line from Virginia to Helena in June,
1866. At that particular time Virginia and Helena
were booming minings camps, and excitement was at
fever heat. There were then competitive stage lines
running daily between those points, and there were to
be seen three six-horse stages, all well equipped, start-
ing seven mornings in the week from each end of said
places for the other. The rivalry was intense, times
were red hot and every fellow was determined to "bear
the market." All sides were gritty, and rates were cut
until fares were reduced to $2.50, and expressage ac-
cordingly. It so chanced that the "Overland" had as
its superintendent a man of rare enterprise and intel-
ligence, with genuine western nerve, and though the
distance was one hundred and twenty-five miles and the
roads were new, the time table was reduced, first from
sixteen hours to fourteen, then from fourteen to twelve,
and again from twelve to ten hours daily, including
all stops, making an average of twelve and one half
miles an hour the entire distance of one hundred and
twenty-five miles. The struggle was long and bitter,
the finality was the other stages "pulled off," and the
campaign ended by leaving the track to the Overland.
The competition being over, the cut rates ceased, and
the old rate of $25.00 in "gold dust" or $35-5oin "green-
backs," or as they were often contemptuously called,
"Lincoln skins," was restored.
During the early days in Virginia City
fabulous pricess were paid for provisions.
Miners were paid from ten to fifteen dollars
a day for their labor. Several hundred claims
were located and gold was taken out at a
furious rate. Besides the Virginia City district
fi\e other districts were organized on Alder
creek — Nevada and Junction below Virginia
City, and Highland, Pine Grove and Summit
up the stream.
We will now return to the James Stuart
party. As has been stated, this party was
headed for the Yellowstone, prospecting for
locations for townsites as well as for gold.
Had these men stopped to prospect the country
instead of hurrying to the Yellowstone they
might have been the discoverers of the Alder
gulch placers. They crossed the Madison, then
the Gallatin and over the divide to the Yellow-
stone, reaching that river on the 25th of April.
They pursued their course down the river, and
on the 5th of May arrived at the Big Horn
river. Here they laid out a town on the east
side of the Big Horn — a town which has not
to this day been peopled. After having platted
the townsite the party proceeded up the Big
Hom. On the night of the 12th the) were
surprised by a band of Indians and three of the
men were killed. On the 22nd of June the
party arrived at Bannack City, having traveled
several hundred miles, having located a town-
site, but having found no precious metal.
The next town founded in the territory was
Helena.
John Cowan erected a cabin in the fall of
1864, which was the first building in what is
now Helena, the capital city of the great state
of Montana. Hundreds of miners swarmed to
the new camp, which proved to be one of the
richest placers ever discovered. ^Miners' cabins
sprung up, stores were established, and in a
short time Last Chance, as the camp was first
called, was a rival of Virginia City.
The day of christening had come, and the
emiDryo city of Helena received its name. John
Somerville, of Minnesota, acted as god-father.
He gave it the name of St. Helena, in com-
memoration of the resemblance of the location
to the home of Naprleon. On after considera-
tion it was decided to drop the "Saint." The
christening took place at the cabin of Geo. J.
Wood on October 30. 1864.
During the winter of 1864-65 a hundred
or more cabins were built. In the fall of 1864
a committee was appointed to lay out streets
54
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
and fix the size of town lots. No sooner liad
this been done than a mad rush was made for
lots, and fabulous prices were paid for choice
locations. The first hotel was built by Judge
Wood on the corner of Main and Bridge
streets. On the 26th of March, 1865, Rev.
McLaughlin preached the first sermon, and on
the 1 6th of April inaugurated the first Sunday
school. In the spring of 1865 Sandus & Rock-
nell established a saw mill. John Potter was
the first postmaster. The postoflice was in the
Taylor & Thompson building on lower Main
street. Prof. A. B. Patch opened the first day
school in April, 1865, and the first public school
house was erected and opened for instructions
in January, 1868. Telegraphic communica-
tion with the outside world was opened in Sep-
tember, 1867.
The first settlers in Butte were G. O. Hum-
phries and William Allison. They left Vir-
ginia City on a prospecting tour in May, 1864.
After prospecting on Babboon gulch, above
where Butte now stands, for some time they
returned to Virginia City for provisions, and
then, early in June, they returned to Butte,
where they made their permanent residences.
They .discovered the Virginia, Moscow and
Missoula leads, and were the formers of the
Missoula company. The Black Chief lead, an
enormous ledge, was discovered in the latter
part of May, 1864, by Charles Murphy and
William Graham. Copper was found in great
quantities. The news of the new discoveries
spread to other camps, and in a few weeks a
hundred people were on the ground, and Butte
City was laid out. During the fall placers were
discovered by Felix Burgoyne on Silver Bow
creek, and people gathered from all directions.
A mining district was formed in the lower part
of the gulch, which received the name of Sum-
mit Mountain district. Silver Bow soon be-
came a town and during the winter of 1864-65
was a lively mining camp, and many lodes
were struck. During the winter of 1864 Ford
& Dresser established a store in Butte. At
about the same time a store was being estab-
lished in Silver Bow. In 1866 a furnace for
smelting copper was erected by Joseph Rams-
dall, William Parks and Porter brothers.
Not until 1875 did Butte assume the aspect
of a city. About that time the quartz proper-
ties were being de\-elope<l. This required the
labor of many men, and the cabins of the
miners — no modern dwellings having been
erected previous to this date — gave place to
more substantial buildings, and in a few years
more Butte was a substantial city with five
thousand inhabitants.
In 1865 Hector Horton disco\-ered the
mines where the city of Philipsburg is now lo-
cated. ]\Iany silver-bearing veins in this
vicinity made sure the permanence of a town,
and in 1866 a townsite was laid out.
So early as 1855 Lieutenant John ^Mullan
and party discovered gold where the present
town of Pioneer is located. Its mines were
worked in 1862 and 1863, then abandoned,
and again opened in 1865. Both placer and
quartz were found in paying quantities, and in
a few years Pioneer was a thriving town.
In 1864 J. M. Bozeman was dispatched by
the government to look for a wagon road from
the three forks of the Missouri to the red buttes
on the North Platte. He was successful in
his undertaking and the road was known as
"Bozeman cut-off." During the month of July
of the same year in which Mr. Bozeman laid
out the road he founded the city which bears
his name. The town was laid out at the foot
of the Belt range, and tributary to it is a fine
farming section of country. In the early days,
before there was railroad communications, a
stage line connected it with Virginia City and
another with Helena. Bozeman, the founder
of the town, met the ill fate of many of the
pioneers, being killed near the mouth of the
Shield's river April 20, 1867.
During the early days of the mining ex-
citement some 30,000 or 40,000 people rushed
into Montana ; cities were founded and
HISTORY OF .MONTANA.
55
quickly populated ; men engaged in all kinds
of business and prospered. All this despite
the fact that Montana was hundreds of miles
from the usual transportation facilities. The
matter of travel to and from this far away
country, the bringing in of the mining machin-
ery and the immense stocks of goods that
must necessarily have been carried to care for
the trade was an important one to the early
settlers of Montana, and the subject is one full
of interest, even of romance. For the follow-
ing history of the early day transportation we
are indebted to H. H. Bancroft's Histon,' of
Montana.
Taking up the recital at 1864, there was at
this time no settled plan of travel or fixed chan-
nels of trade. There had been placed upon the
Missouri a line of steamers intended to facili-
tate immigration to Idaho, which was called
the Idaho Steam Packet company. The water be-
ing usually low. or rather not unusually high,
only two of the boats reached Fort Benton —
the Benton and Cutter. The Yellozvstone
landed at Cow Island and the Effie Deans at
the mouth of Milk river. The Benton, which
was adapted to upper river navigation, brought
a part of the freight left at the other places
down the river by other boats to Fort Benton ;
but the passengers had already been set afoot
in the wilderness to make the best of their way
to the mines; and a large portion of the freight
had to be forwarded in small boats. At the
same time there was an arrival at Virginia City
of 200 or 300 immigrants daily by the over-
land wagon route, as w^ell as large trains of
freight from Omaha.
In 1865 there were eight arrivals of steam-
boats, four of which reached Benton, the other
four stopping at the mouth of Marias river. In
this year the merchants of Portland, desirous
of controlling the trade of Montana, issued a
circular to the Montana merchants proposing
to make it for their interest to purchase goods
in Portland and ship by way of the Columbia
river and the Mullan road, with improve-
ments in that route of steamboat navigation on
Lake Pend d'Oreille, and S. G. Reed of the Or-
egon Steam Navigation company went east to
confer with the Northern Pacific Railroad Com-
pany. In 1866 some progress was made in
opening this route, which in the autumn of that
year stood as follows : From Portland to White
Bluffs on the Columbia by the O. S. N. Co's
boats; from White Bluffs by stage road to a
point on Clark's fork, where Moody & Co. were
building a steamboat, no feet long by 26 feet
beam, called the Mary Moody, to carry passen-
gers and freight across the lake and up Clark's
fork to Cabinet landing, where was a short
portage, and transfer to another steamboat
which would carry to the mouth of Jocko river,
after which land travel would again be resorted
to. The time to Jocko would be seven or eight
days, and thence to the rich Blackfoot mines
was a matter of fifty or sixty miles. It was
proposed to carry freight to Jocko in 17 days
from Portland at a cost of 13 cents per pound.
From Jocko to Helena was about 120 miles,
and from Helena to Virginia about 90.
By this route freight could arrive during half
the year, while by the Missouri river it could
only come to Benton during a period of from
four to six weeks, dependent upon the stage of
water. The lowest charges by Missouri
steamer in 1866 were 15 cents to Benton for a
large contract, ranging upwards to 18 and 21
cents a pound, or $360 to $420 per ton to the
landing only, after which there was the addi-
tional charge for transporting on wagons, at
the rate from five to eight cents, according
to whether it reached Benton or not, or whether
it was destined to Helena or more distant
points. San Francisco merchants offered for
the trade of Montana, averring that freight
could be laid down there at from 15 to 20 cents
a pound overland. Chicago merchants com-
peted as well, taking the overland route from
the Missouri. Meanwhile Montana could not
pause in its course and took whatever came.
In 1866 there was a large influx of popula-
^6
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
tion and a correspondingly large amount of
freight coming in, and a considerable flood of
travel pouring out in the autumn. The season
was favorable to navigation and there were
thirty-one arrivals of steamboats, seven boats
being at Fort Benton at one time in June. One,
the Alarion, was wrecked on the return trip.
These boats were built expressly for the trade
of St. Louis. They brought up 2,000 passen-
gers or more and 6,000 tons of freight, valued
at $6,000,000. The freight charges by boat
alone amounted to $2,000,000. Some mer-
chants paid $100,000 freight bills; 2,500 men,
3,000 teams, 20,000 oxen and mules were em-
ployed conveying the goods to different min-
ing centers.
Large trains were arriving overland from
the east, conducted by James Fisk, the man
who conducted the Minnesota trains of 1862
and 1863 by order of the government, for the
protection of immigrants. The plan of the
organization seems to have been to make the
immigrants travel like a military force, obeying
orders like soldiers and standing guard regu-
larly. From Fort Ripley Fisk took a 12 pound
howitzer with ammunition. Scouts, flankers and
train guards were kept on duty. These pre-
cautions were made necessary by the recent
Sioux outbreak in Minnesota. The officers
under Fisk were Charles Dart, first assistant;
S. H. Johnston, second assistant and journal-
ist ; William D. Dibb, physician ; George
Northrup, wagon-master; Antoine Frenier,
Sioux interpreter; R. D. Campbell, Chippewa
interpreter. The guard numbered 50, and the
wagons were marked "U. S." Colonels Jones
and Majors, majors Hesse and Hanney, of the
Oregon boundary survey, joined the expedition.
Wagon-master, Northrup, and two half breeds
deserted on the road, taking with them horses,
arms and accoutrements belonging to the gov-
ernment. The route was along the north side
of the Missouri to Fort Benton, where the
expedition disbanded, having had no trouble of
any kind on the road, except the loss of
Majors, who was, however, found on the
second day, nearly dead from exhaustion, and
the death of an invalid, William H. Holyoke,
after reaching Prickly Pear river.
In 1864 about one thousand wagons
arrived at Virginia by the central, or
Platte, route. In 1865 the immigration
by this route was large. The round
about way of reaching the mines from the east
had incited J. M. Bozeman to survey a more
direct route to the North Platte, by which
travel could avoid the journey through the
south pass and back through either of the
passes used in going from Bannack to Salt
Lake. This road was opened and considerably
traveled in 1866, but was closed by the Indian
war in the following year and kept closed by
order of the war department for a number of
years. In July, 1866, a train of 45 wagons and
200 persons passed over the Bozeman route,
commanded by Orville Royce, and piloted by
Zeigler, who had been to the states to bring out
his family. Peter Shroke also traveled the
Bozeman route. Several deaths occurred by
drowning at the crossings of the rivers, among
them Storer, Whitson and Van Shimel. One
train was composed of Illinois, Iowa and Wis-
consin people. In the rear of the immigration
were freight wagons and detached parties to
the number of 300. A party of young Ken-
tuckyians who left home with Governor Smith's
party became detached and wandered about for
one hundred days, thirty-five of which they
were force to depend upon the game they could
kill. They arrived at Virginia City destitute
of clothing on the 13th, 14th and 15th of De-
cember. Tlieir names were Henry Cummings
and Benjamin Cochran, of Covington; Austin
S. Stewart, Frank R. Davis, A. Lewis, N. W.
Turner, of Lexington ; Henry Yerkes, Danville ;
P. Sidney Jones, Louisville ; Thos. McGrath,
Versailles; J. W. Throckmorton and William
Kelly, Paris.
The Indians on the Bozeman route endeav-
ored to cut off immigration. Hugh Kiken-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
57
dall's freight train of forty-six mule teams was
almost captured by them, "passing through a
shower of arrows." It came from Leaven-
worth, arriving in September. Joseph Rich-
ards conducted 52 wagons loaded with quartz
machinery from Nebraska City to Summit
district for Frank Chistnut and had but one
mule stolen. J. H. Gildersleeve, bringing out
three wagon loads of goods for himself, lost
nine horses by the Indians near Fort Reno.
J. Dilmorth brought out eight loaded wagons
from Leavenworth; J. H. Marden five from
Atchison, for Brendlinger. Dowdy and Kiskad-
den; J. P. Wheeler brought out six wagons
loaded at the same place for the same firm; F.
R. Merk brought thirteen wagons from Law-
rence, Kansas; Alfred Myers seven wagons
from Guerney & Co. ; D. and J. McCain
brought eleven wagons from Nebraska City,
loaded 'with flour, via Salt Lake; E. R. Horner
brought out eight wagons loaded at Nebraska
City for himself, the Indians killing two men
and capturing five mules belonging to the train ;
William EUinger of Omaha brought out four
wagons; A. F. Weston of St. Joseph, Missouri,
brought out eight wagons loaded with boots
and shoes for D. H.Weston, of Guerney & Co. ;
Thomas Dillon left Plattsmouth, Nebraska, for
Virginia City on May 26 with 2^ wagons for
Tootle, Leach & Co. ; Dillon was killed by the
Indians on Cedar Fork, near Fort Reno. A
train of 19 wagons belonging to C. Beers and
Vail & Robinson had 90 mules captured on the
Big Horn river. The wagons remained there
until teams could be sent to bring them in.
Phillips & Freeland, of Leavenworth, arrived
with 14 loaded wagons in September; and five
wagons for Hanauer & Eastman. R. W.
Trimble brought out 17 wagons for Hanauer,
Solomon & Co. Nathan Floyd of Leaven-
worth, bringing five wagons loaded with goods
for himself, was killed by the Indians near Fort
Reno, and his head was severed from his body.
A train- of 26 wagons, which left Nebraska
City in May with goods for G. B. Morse, had
two men killed near Fort Reno, on Dry fork
of Cheyenne river. Pfouts & Russell, -of Vir-
ginia City, received forty tons of goods in 17
wagon loads this season. At the same time
pack train from Walla Walla came into Helena
over the Mullan road, which had been so closed
by fallen timber, decayed or lost bridges and
general unworthiness as to be unfit for wagon
travel, bringing clothing manufactured in San
Francisco and articles of domestic production.
Heavy wagon trains from Salt Lake with flour
salt, bacon, etc., arrived frequently. So much
life, energy, effort and stir could but be stimu-
lating as the mountain air in which all this
movement went on. The freighter in those
days was regarded with for more respect than
railroad men of a later day. It required capital
and nerve to conduct the business. Sometimes,
but rarely, they lost a whole" train by Indians,
or by accident, as when Matthews, in the spring
of 1866, lost a train by the giving away of an
ice jam in the Missouri, which flooded the bot-
tom where he was encamped and carried off
all his stock.
Many of those who came in the spring, or
who had been a year or more in the country,
returned in the autumn. The latter availed
themselves of the steamers, which took back
large numbers at the reasonable charge of $60
and $75. The boats did not tarry at Benton,
but dropped down the river to deeper water,
and waited as long as it would be safe for pas-
sengers. A small boat called the Miner, be-
longing to the Northwest Fur company, was
employed to carry them from Benton to the
lower landings. The Luella was the boat selec-
ted to carry the two and one-half millions from
Confederate gulch. She left Benton on the
1 6th of August and was seven days getting
down to Dophan rapids, 250 miles below,
where it was found neccessary to take out the
bulk-head, take off the cabin doors, and land
the passengers and stores to lighten her suf-
ficiently to pass her over the rapids. She es-
caped any further serious detention, passing
58
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Leavenworth October 8th and St. Joseph Oc-
tober loth, as announced in the telegraphic dis-
patches in Virginia and Helena Post October
i6th. The expedient was resorted to of build-
ing fleets of mackinaw boats, such as were used
by the fur companies, and either selling them
outright to parties, or sending them down the
river with passengers. Riker & Bevins of
Helena advertised such boats to leave Septem-
ber loth in the Republican of the ist. J. J.
Kennedy & Co., advertised "large-roofed mack-
inaws" to Omaha, "with comfortable accom-
modations and reasonable charges;'' also boats
for sale, earring ten to thirty men. Jones,
Sprague & Nottingham was another mackinaw
company; and W. H. Parkeson advertised
"bullet-proof" mackinaws. That was a recom-
mendation as bullets were sometimes showered
upon these defenseless crafts from the banks
above. Three men, crew of the first mackinaw
that set out, were killed by the Indians.
Another party of 22 were fired upon one morn-
ing as they were about to embark, and two
mortally wounded— Kendall of Wisconsin and
Tupsey of New York — who were left at Fort
Sully to die. In this and subsequent years
many home-returning voyagers were inter-
cepted and heard of no more. The business in
the autumn of 1866 was lively. Huntley of
Helena established a stage line to a point on
the Missouri 15 miles from that place, whence
a line of mackinaw boats, owned by Kennedy,
carried passengers to the falls in 25 hours.
.Here a portage was made in light wagons. On
the third day they reached Benton, where a
final embarkment took place. One boat carried
22 passengers and $50,600 in treasure. A
party of 45, which went down on the steamer
Montana, carried $100,000. A party of Maine
men carried away $60,000, and Munger of St.
Louis $25,000. Professor Patch of Helena,
with a fleet of seven large boats and several
hundred passengers, carried away $1,000,000.
They were attacked above Fort Rice by 300
Indians, whom they drove away. These home-
returning miners averaged $3,000 each, which
were the savings of a single short season.
A new route was opened to the ^Missouri in
1866, by mackinaws down the Yellowstone.
A fleet of 16 "boats belonging to C. A. Head
carried 250 miners from Virginia City. It
left the Yellowctone canyon September 27th
and traveled to St. Joseph, 2,700 miles, in 28
days. The pilot-boat of this fleet was sunk at
Clark's ford of the Yellowstone, entailing .t
loss of $2,500. The expedition had in all
$500,000 in gold dust.
It was proposed to open a new wagon route
from Helena to the mouth of the Musselshell
river, 300 miles below Benton. Tlie distance
by land in a direct line was 190 miles. The
Missouri and Rocky Mountain Wagon-road
and Telegraph company employed twenty men
under Moses Courtwright to lay it out, in the
autumn, to Kerchival City, a place which is not
now to be found on the map. The object was
to save the most difficult navigation and open
up the country. The Indians interrupted and
prevented the survey of this road. An appro-
priation was made by congress in 1865 for the
opening of a road from the mouth of the Nio-
brara river, Nebraska, to Virginia City, and
Col. J. A. Sawyer was appointed superinten-
dent. This would have connected with the
Bozeman route. Its construction through the
Indian country was opposed by General Cook.
Such were the conditions of trade and
travel in Montana in 1866. There were local
stage lines in all directions, and better mail
facilities than the countries west of the Rocky
mountains had enjoyed in their early days. The
stage lines east of Salt Lake had more or less
trouble with the Indians for ten or fifteen
years. In 1867 travel was cut ofif and the
telegraph destroyed. The Missouri, treacher-
ous and difficult as it was, proved the only
means of getting goods from the east as early
as May or June. The l]\n'crly arrived May
25th with 150 tons of freight and many pas-
sengers. She was followed by 38 other steam-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
59
boats, with freight and passengers; and in the
autumn there was the same rush of returning
miners, carrying miUions with them out of the
treasure deposits of the Rocky mountains. The
Imperial, one of the St. Louis fleet, had the
following experience : She started from Cow
island, where 400 passengers who had come
down from Benton in mackinaws took passage
September i8th with 15 days' provisions. She
reached Milk river October 4th, out of supplies
in the commissary department. The river was
falling rapidly, and this, \vith the necessity for
hunting, caused the boat to make but twenty
miles in one entire week. The Sioux killed
John Arnold, a miner from Blackfoot and a
Georgian, while out hunting. The passengers
were compelled to pull at ropes and spars to
help the boat along. Every atom of food was
consumed, and for a week the 400 subsisted on
wild meat ; then for three days they had noth-
ing. At Fort Union they obtained some grain.
Still making little progress, they arrived at Fort
Sully November 14th, the weather being cold
and ice running. At this point 14 of the pas-
sengers took possession of an abandoned mack-
inaw boat, which they rigged with a sail and
started with it to finish their voyage. They
reached Yankton, Dakota. November 22.
where they took wagons to Sioux City and a
railroad thence. The Imperial w^as at last
frozen in the river and her passengers forced
to take any and all means to get away from her
to civilization. A train of immigrants came
over the northern route this year, Captain P.
A. Davy, commanding; Major William Cahill,
adjutant; Captain J. D. Rogers, ordnance and
inspecting officer; Captain Charles Wagner,
A. D. C. ; Captains George Swartz, Rosseau
and Nibler. The train was composed of 60
wagons, 130 men and the same number of
women and children. Captain Davy had loaded
his wagons so heavily that the men, who had
paid their passage, were forced to walk. They
had a guard of 100 soldiers from Fort Aber-
crombe. This train arrived safelv. The fleet
down the Yellowstone this year met opposition
from the Indians just below Big Horn river,
and one man, Emerson Randall, killed. There
were 67 men and two women in the party,
who reached Omaha without further loss.
A movement was made in 1873 to open a
road from Bozeman to the head of navigation
on the Yellowstone, and to build a steamer to
run thence to the' Missouri ; also to get aid
from the government in improving the river.
The first steamboat to ascend the river any dis-
tance was the Key West, which went to Wolf
rapids in 1873, the Josephine reaching to with-
in seven miles of Clark's fork in 1874. Lamme
built the YcUoivstone at Jeffersonville, Indiana,
in 1876. She was sunk below Fort Keogh in
1879. In 1877 fourteen different boats ascen-
ded above the Big Horn, and. goods were taken
from there to Bozeman by wagon. It was ex-
pected to get within 150 miles of Bozeman the
following year.
In 1868 thirty-five steamers arrived at Ben-
ton with 5.000 tons of freight. One steamer,
the Amelia Foe, was sunk thirty miles below
Milk river, and her cargo lost. The passengers
were brought to Benton by the Bertlia. This
year the Indians were very hostile killing
woodcutters employed by the steamboat com-
pany, and murdering hunters and others.
There was also a sudden dropping in prices,
caused by the Northwest Transportation com-
pany of Chicago, w'hich dispatched its boats
from Sioux City, competing 'for the :\Iontana
trade, and putting freight down to eight cents
a pound to Benton, in gold, or 12 cents in cur-
rency. This caused the St. Louis merchants
to put the freights down to six cents. The
president of the Chicago company was Joab
Lawrence, an experienced steamboat man. with
Samuel DeBow agent. This reduction eft'ect-
ually cut ofT opposition from the west side of
the Rocky mountains, and rendered the Mary
Moodv and the Mullan road of little value to
the trade of Montana. This accounts, in fact,
for the apathy concerning that route. For a
6o
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
short period there was a prospect of the Pend
d'Oreille lake route being a popular one, but
it perished in 1868. In 1874 Delegate Magin-
nis introduced a bill in congress for the im-
provement of the Mullan road, which failed,
as all the memorials and representations of the
Washington legislature had failed.
There was a new era begtui in 1869, when
the Central and Union Pacific railroads were
joined. There were 28 steamers loaded for
Montana, four of which were burned with
their cargoes before leaving the levee at St.
Louis. This fleet was loaded before the com-
pletion of the road. Had the Bozeman route
been kept open there would have been com-
munication with the railroad much earlier ; but
since the government had chosen to close it,
and to keep a large body of hostile Indians be-
tween the Montana settlements and the ad-
vancing railroad, it was of no use before it
reached Ogden and Corinne. The advent of
the railroad, even as near as Corinne, caused
another reduction from former rates to eight
cents per pound currency from St. Louis and
Chicago by rail, to which four cents from
Corinne to Helena was added. The boats un-
derbid, and 24 steamers brought cargoes to
Fort Benton, eight of which belonged to the
Northwest company; but in 1870 only eight
were thus employed; in 1871 only six; in 1872
twelve; and in 1873 ^''"^' ^^74 seven and six
Conspicuous among the freighting companies
which made connections with the railroad
points was the Diamond railroad, George B.
Parker, manager, which in 1880 absorbed the
Rocky Mountain Despatch company, shippers
from Ogden, and made its initial point Cor-
inne. When the Northern Pacific railroad
reached the Missouri at Bismarck, the Diamond
railroad made connection with it by wagon
train, thus compelling the Union Pacific rail-
road to make special rates to Ogden for Mon-
tana, the charge being $1.25 per hundred with-
out regard to classification, when Utah merch-
ants were being charged $2.50 for the same ser-
vice. Montanians chose to sustain the northern
route. In 1879 there were 1,000 teams on the
road between Bismark and the Black Hills, and
Montana merchants were unable to get their
goods brought through in consequence of this
diversion of wagon road to the east by way
of tlie Yellowstone, which failed. These diffi-
culties soon disappeared as the Northern Pa-
cific railroad advanced. Steamboat travel had a
rival after the falling off above mentioned. In
the year 1877 twenty-five steamers arrived at
Benton with 5,283 tons of freight. Small com-
panies engaged in steamboating later. The com-
pletion of the Northern Pacific railroad placed
transportation on a basis of certainty, and
greatlv modified its character.
CHAPTER VI
THE POLITICAL DIVISIONS.
It is an interesting study, the. tracing of
the many divisions of the territory now em-
braced within the boundary lines of the state
of Montana. Little known, valued or cared for
prior to the fortuitous circumstance which led
to the discovery of gold and the consequent
influx of population, the territory which we
know as Montana had been carved, sliced, di-
vided and redivided as suited the whims of am-
bitious state makers. Then, when it was
found that the mountainous country was an
immense treasure bed and people poured into
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
the country by the thousands, other divisions
were made, and finally, on the 26th day of
May, 1864, the act creating the territory of
Montana was approved, with boundaries prac-
tically the same as those of the state at the pres-
ent time.
To gain a thorough understanding of the
many divisions which followed, it will be neces-
sary to remember that all that part of the state
of Montana which lies to the east of the main
range of the Rocky mountains was a part of the
territory of the United States acquired from
France by treaty, known as the Louisiana pur-
chase; while that part of the state which lies
to the west of the mountains was a part of the
"Oregon country," which was acquired by the
United States by reason of discovery and ex-
ploration. As the western half of our coun-
try was a truly terra incognito at the time of
the Louisiana purchase the boundary lines of
Louisiana were very indefinite. As a result
some authorities maintain that the Oregon
country should be classed as a part of the
Louisiana purchase. It is a matter of fact,
however, that in our controversy with Great
Britain for the possession of Oregon, the pur-
chase of Louisiana from France had very little
weight in giving the Oregon country to the
United States, and the Rocky mountains are
now generally named as the western boundary
of the Louisiana country.
It is of the Louisiana country that we shall
first tell. In 1682 the renowned explorer, La
Salle, took possession of all that part of the
North American continent extending from the
Mississippi river westward in the name of the
king of France, Louis XIV, in whose honor
La Salle named the country Louisiana. France
retained possession of this uninhabitated wild-
erness until 1762, when it was ceded to Spain.
By the treaty of St. Ildefonso, which was held
in 1800, France regained possession, the trans-
fer not taking place until three years later. It
was on November 30, 1803, that France raised
its tri-colored flag and formally assumed pos-
session. But in the meantime negotiations had
been perfected (April 30, 1803) whereby the
United States purchased the territory from
France, and on the 20th day of December of
the same year the stars and stripes were raised
and the United States formally came into pos-
session of the heart of the North American
continent, at a cost of the nominal sum of fif-
teen million dollars. Owing to the small time
intervening between the several transfers,
under the laws of nations, the inhabitants of
Louisiana owed their allegiance to Spain No-
vember 29, 1803; to France on the succeeding
day; and to the United States on December
20th following. England asserted sometimes
during this period a claim under the discover-
ies of the intrepid Cabots to the territory be-
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific, but the
claims were never vindicated. The interests
of France and Spain were founded upon the
actual occupation of the villages and fortified
trading posts in the vicinity of the Mississippi
river south of St. Louis. \\'hile the territory
which is now Montana was nominally under
the government of both France and Spain in
the eighteenth and early days of the nineteenth
centuries, no European power ever displayed
its authority within the boundaries of the
state.
No sooner had the United States gained
Ix>ssession of Louisiana than the process of di-
visiou, which has been going on ever since, be-
gan. In 1804, by act of congress approved
March 26, that portion of the newly acquired
territory lying north of the 33rd degree of
north latitude was organized as the district
of Louisiana, while that part to the south was
organized as the territory of Orleans, the bill
providing for the division on the first day of
October of the same year. The district of
Louisiana was not allowed a separate govern-
ment at this time, it being placed under the
authority of the officers of Indiana territory.
Its afifairs were managed by the officers of the
last named territory until July 4, 1805, when
62
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
a territorial government was given to Louisi-
ana. As such it was known and governed un-
til 1812.
In 1812 Orleans territory was admitted to
the union as the state of Louisiana, and the
former Louisiana^ territory was named Mis-
souri territory. On July 4, 1814, that part of
Missouri territory comprising the present state
of Arkansas and the country to the westward
was organized into Arkansas territory. The
next important event in the history of this
country was the admission of Missouri into
the union as a state, only a part of the Missouri
territory being included in the boundaries ot
the state of Missouri. By congressional action,
approved June 28, 1834, the territory west of
the Mississippi river and north of Missouri
was made a part of the territory of Michigan;
but two years later (July 4, 1836,) Wisconsin
territory was created, including the present
states of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, and
the part of the Missouri country which was in-
cluded within these boundaries became a part
of Wisconsin. A congressional act of June 30,
1834, decreed that all the country west of the
Mississippi, not included within the recognized
boundaries of Louisiana, Missouri and Arkan-
sas, should be considered Indian territory, un-
der the jurisdiction of the United States dis-
trict court of Missouri. Although that part of
our country which is now the state of Montana
was always nominally a part of some territory,
the country was literally without a government
for several decades after the admission of Mis-
souri as a state. There were only a few roam-
ing trappers within the district, and the terri-
tory to which the mountain country of Mon-
tana happened to belong paid no more atten-
tion to it than did the Sultan of Turkey.
On May 30, 1854, Nebraska territory was
created from part of Missouri and included the
present states of Nebraska, that part of Mon-
tana east of the Rocky mountains, Wyoming,
North Dakota, South Dakota and the north-
ern portion of Colorado, the southern boundary
being the 40th parallel. The next division
which afifected the future state of Montana
was the creation of Dakota territory in 1861,
which included all that part of Nebraska ter-
ritory lying north of latitude 43 degrees and
that part of Minnesota territory which was to
the west of the Red River of the North. By
act of congress March 3, 1863, Idaho territory
was formed, including within its boundaries
that portion of Washington territory extend-
ing from the 117th meridian of longitude to
the summit of the Rocky mountains and that
portion of Dakota territor}- which was to the
west of longitude 104 degrees. It will be seen
that this mammoth territory extended from
the 104th to the 117th meridians of longitude
and from the 42nd to the 49th parallels of lati-
tude. It was described as containing 326,373
square miles, which was an area greater than
that possessed by any other territory or state
in the union, and included the present states of
Idaho, Montana and a large slice of Wyom-
ing. The following year. 1864, this vast ter-
ritory was cut down by giving back to Dakota
territory that portion between parallels 43 and
45, and meridians 104 and 11 1 and an addi-
tional section between parallels 41 and 43, and
meridians 104 and 1 10, which tract was, in
1868, formed into W'yoming territory.
Before proceeding with the story of the or-
ganization of Montana territory we shall now
tell how that portion of Montana west of the
Rocky mountains came into the possession of
the L'nited States and of the several political
divisions of the Oregon country that were
made before the northeastern corner of it Ije-
came a part of Montana.
The Oregon controversy is too long a story
to more than briefly outline here. The United
States' title rested upon three foundation stones
— its own discoveries and explorations, the dis-
coveries and explorations of the Spaniards and
the purchase of Louisiana. While it was not
contended that any one of these conveyed exclu-
sive right, the position of our country was that
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
63
each supplemented the otlier ; that, though,
while vested in different nations, they were
antagonistic, when held by the same nation,
they, taken together, amounted to a complete
title. By treaty in 1819 Spain ceded Flor-
ida to the United States and latitude 42 de-
grees was fixed as the northern limit of Span-
ish possessions. In 1824 and 1825 treaties
between Russia on one side and the United
States and England on the other fixed the Rus-
sian southern boundary at 54 degrees and 40
minutes. The country between these two lim-
its— 42 degrees and 54 degrees, 40 minutes —
was the Oregon country and was claiined by
both Great Britain and the United States.
From the early days of the nineteenth century
until 1846 the rivalry between the two coun-
tries for possession of Oregon was spirited and
war was narrowly averted. On the last named
date a treaty was entered into by which the
United States became possessed of the terri-
tory north to the 49th parallel.
All the territory between the 42nd and 49th
parallels and from the Pacific ocean to the
Rocky mountains thus came into the undis-
puted possession of the United States and in
August, 1848, it was organized into the terri-
tory of Oregon. On March 2, 1853, that por-
tion of the territory lying north of the Colum-
bia river and the 46th parallel of latitude was
organized into Washington territory, and that
portion of what is now the state of Montana
lying between Bitter Root and Rocky moun-
tain became subject to the laws of Washington.
As we have told of the erection of Idaho
territory from the eastern part of Washington
and the western part of Dakota, we are now-
brought up to the creation of ]\Iontana terri-
tory, which was brought about on the 26th of
May, 1864. It was created wholly from terri-
tory embraced within the recently created ter-
ritory of Idaho, and its boimdaries were de-
scribed as follows : Commencing at a point
where the 104th degree of longitude intersects
the 45th degree of latitude; thence due west
to the I nth degree of longitude; thence to
latitude 44 degrees, 30 minutes; thence west
along that line to the summit of the Rocky
mountains and along their crest to its intersec-
tion with the Bitter Root mountains; thence
along the summit of the Bitter Root mountains
to its intersection with the ii6th degree of
longitude; thence north to the 49th parallel;
thence west to the 104th degree of longitude;
thence south to the point of starting.
The forming of the new territorj- was
brought about because of the rapid settlement
of the country as a result of the rich placer dis-
coveries and because of the remoteness of
these new settlements from the capital of
Idaho, Lewiston. Late in the year 1863 the
citizens of Virginia City and Bannack met
and decided to ask congress to divide the ter-
ritory of Idaho and grant a new government to
the citizens of the country which is now Mon-
tana. Sidney Edgerton, then a judge of the
Idaho courts, and residing at Bannack, was
selected to go to W'ashington and urge the
formation of the new territory. Owing to the
hanging of the road agents about this time.
Judge Edgerton's journey was postponed un-
til about the middle of January, 1864. It was
a winter of great severity, and while he and
those with him knew that they were not likely
to be attacked by road agents, owing to the re-
cent activities of the vigilance committee, the
intense cold was an enemy not to be overlooked
on the long road from Bannack to Salt Lake
City. Most of the members of the party took
with them large quantities of gold. Ingots
were quilted into the lining of Judge Edger-
ton's overcoat and he carried in his valise im-
mense nuggets wherewith to dazzle the eyes
of congressmen and to impress upon their
minds, by means of an object lesson, some ade-
quate idea of the great mineral wealth of this
section of the countn,'. Arriving safely in
Washington, the gold was exhibited, congress-
men interviewed, and at length the desired end
was accomplished. There was some discussion
64
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
over the proposed western boundary line, but
the combined efforts of Gov. Wahace of
Idaho, and Judge Edgerton saved to Montana
all of her rich territory lying west of the sum-
mit of the Rocky mountains. The territory of
Montana as described in the boundaries con-
tained 143,776 square miles or 92,016,640
acres.
An effort was made by the legislature of
Idaho in 1865 and 1866 to take from Mon-
tana that part of her territorj' lying west of
the Rockies and to form a new territory to be
called Columbia, embracing in addition tO' that
country the panhandle of Idaho and the eastern
part of Washington. A memorial was pre-
sented to congress praying that the portion of
Idaho lying south of the Salmon river moun-
tains might dissolve connection with the pan-
handle and receive instead as much of Utah
as lay north of 41 degrees 30 minutes. The
residents of the Walla Walla valley in Wash-
ington being strongly in favor of a readjust-
ment of boundaries aided the agitation, which
in 1867 was at its height, meetings being held
and memorials adopted in Lewiston and Walla
Walla. Montana wanted to retain the rich
Bitter Root valley, however, and the people
of Southern Idaho were slow to see the wis-
dom of parting with a large part of its popula-
tion, and nothing came of the agitation.
Having traced the many divisions of the
territory which is now included within the
boundaries of the state of Montana, we shall
now turn our attention to the county divisions
which have been made in the same territory
from the earliest periods of territorial lav/
making to the present time. We have shown
that that part of the state which lies west of
the Rocky mountains was acquired from a dif-
ferent source than that of the portion of the
state lying to the east of the mountains, and
up to the time of the organization of Idaho
territory in 1863 there was nothing in common
between the two countries, and the county
formations must therefore be considered sep-
arately. \\'e shall first treat of that portion
west of the mountains.
Prior to 1853 all of Montana west of the
Rockies w-as a part of Oregon territory. This
country was doubtless included, in an indefi-
nite sort of way, in some county of Oregon ter-
ritory, but having no settlers, it mattered not
whether it was or not. But when Washington
territory was formed, one of the acts of the
first legislature (that of 1854) was to create a
county in which this part of Montana was in-
cluded. This county was named Clarke, in
honor of Captain Clark of the Lewis and
Clark expedition, and extended from a point
on the Columbia river below Fort Vancouver
to the summit of the Rocky mountains, a dis-
tance of some six hundred miles. The same
session of the legislature divided Clarke county
and the eastern part became known as Ska-
mania, and for a short time part of Montana
was officially included in that county. The
early legislatures never seemed to be satisfied
with their work, and before the legislature ad-
journed Skamania county was divided and
Walla Walla county was created with bound-
aries as follows : All that territory east of a
line drawn from the mouth of the Des Chutes
river hi Oregon to the 49th parallel — to the
Rocky mountains. The county seat of Walla
Walla county was named as "the land claim
of Lloyd Brooks" — the site of the present city
of Walla Walla, Washington. The commis-
sioners named in the act were George C. Bum-
ford, John Owen and Dominique Pambrun —
Owen being a resident of that part of the
county which afterwards became a part of
Montana. The fact that a county was
created by the early legislatures of Washington
territory did not necessarily mean that an or-
ganization was perfected, and Walla Walla
county was not organized until 1859, so it was
not until the latter date that the people of that
part of Montana west of the Rockies came
under the jurisdiction of any county govern-
ment. Before this time, howe\'er, Walla Walla
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
65
county had been divided, and other counties
were created — but not organized. On Jan-
uary 29, 1858, the legislature set off from
Walla Walla county the county of Shoshone,
comprising all the country lying north of
Snake river, east of the Columbia and west
of the Rocky mountains. The county seat was
"on the land claim of Angus McDonald," who
was the Hudson's Bay company's agent at Fort
Colville. Again was John Owen named as one
of the commissioners, the other two being
Robert Douglas and William McCreany. The
county was not organized, and on January 17,
i860, the legislature repealed the act, and with-
out altering the boundaries gave this territory
the name of Spokane county and made new
appointments of county officers. The county
seat was located on the land claim of J. R.
Bates, which was about three miles from the
site of the present town of Colville, Washing-
ton. The commissioners named were Jacques
Demers, James Hoyt and J. Seaman. On May
18, i860, the commissioners met and organ-
ized a county government.
The first steps toward the formation of a
county of exclusive Montana territory were
made in the winter of 1859, when a petition
was addressed to the Washington legislature
by the settlers of the Bitter Root valley and the
residents at the Flathead agency, asking that
body to set off a county to be called Bitter
Root county. Seventy-seven names were at-
tached to the petition, being mostly those of
men connected with the building of the Mullan
road. These could hardly be called settlers,
although a few names of actual pioneers ap-
pear among them. The petition was either not
presented to the legislature of 1859, or law
makers at Olympia did not consider the time
ripe for the formation of a new county at this
time, as we find that no action was taken until
the session of 1860-61. On the 14th day of
December, i860, the bill was approved creat-
ing the county of Missoula, which was the
name substituted for that of Bitter Root. At
5
the same time the county of Shoshone was pro-
vided for from the remaining portion of Wash-
ington territory east of the present eastern
boundary line of the state of Washington. Mis-
soula county extended from the 115th degree
of longitude to the summit of the Rocky moun-
tains and from the 46th to the 49th degrees of
latitude. The bill creating the county named
the following ol^cers : C. P. Higgins, F. L.
Worden and T. W. Harris, commissioners; M.
W. Tipton, sheriff; Henry M. Chase, justice
of the peace. Higgins and Harris were the
only officers who qualified, and the only busi-
ness they did was to advertise an election in
1861 and canvass the votes. The enabling act
named the county seat as "at or near the trad-
ing post of Worden & Co., Hellgate Rond."
Missoula county kept up a sort of organization
during the next few years while it remained a
part of Washington territory, the greater part
of the work of the county officials being to can-
vass the votes of their successors in office.
With the organization of Idaho territory
in 1863 came a complete readjustment of coun-
ty boundaries. Previous to that time all that
portion of Montana' west of the mountains was
a part of Washington, with the capital at
Olympia, hundreds of miles away. All east
of the mountains belonged to Dakota territory,
the capital of which was Yankton, which by the
nearest available route of travel was two thou-
sand miles distant. The existence of Bannack,
the principal town of the mountain country at
the time, was not even known at the capital at
that time, to say -nothing of the impossibility
of executing any territorial laws there. When
Idaho was formed with the capital at Lewiston,
it was considered time to divide the territory
into numerous counties. It was on the motion
of L. C. Miller, who represented Bannack in
the Lewiston legislature, that that portion of
Idaho wdiich within a few months became
Montana territory was divided into numerous
counties. On January 26, 1864, the governor
of Idaho afifixed his signature to the bill which
66
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
provided for the organization of the following
counties : Missoula, Deer Lodge, Beaver Head,
Madison, Jefferson, Choteau, Dawson, Big
Horn, Ogalala and Yellowstone, with their
county seats located respectively at Worden-
ville, Deer Lodge, Bannack, Virginia City,
Gallatin and Fort Benton for those first named.
Big Hole and Yellowstone counties did not
have county seats named, that minor item be-
ing left to the judgment of the county commis-
sioners. Fort Laramie was named as the
county seat of Ogalala county. Very few of
these counties organized under the Idaho act.
^Yhen the first Bannack legislature con-
vened in 1864 the legislators at once turned
their attention to dividing the territory into
counties. We find that the first ^Montana legis-
lature provided for nearly the same counties
as that of the Idaho legislature and with nearly
the same boundaries. Ogalala and Yellow-
stone counties were left out and Edgerton
county was added to those named at Lewiston.
It is an utter impossibility to trace the
boundaries of all these first counties on a map
because of the fact that the early law makers
did not have a clear knowledge of the location
of degrees of latitude and longitude as com-
pared with the natural boundary lines, such as
rivers and mountain ranges. It is very diffi-
cult to trace the boundary lines of a county
which are described as commencing at a point
where a certain degree of longitude intersects
a certain river when the two do not intersect
by a hundred miles or so. This indefiniteness
of the county boundary lines did not cause
much trouble at first because af the fact that
the bulk of the population was in the principal
mining camps. If the inhabitants of these
camps did not know for sure what county they
were in they guessed at it, and the result was
the same as though they knew. But when the
population became greater and new towns
sprung up, it became convenient for people to
know under what county government they
were living that they might know to which
county to pay their taxes and for what set of
county officials to vote. The state of affairs is
well illustrated in the report of Surveyor Gen-
eral S. Meridith dated October 5, 1867, which
reads as follows :
Here I beg leave to make some suggestions as to
the boundaries of the different counties. Many of their
limits are marked only by imaginary lines — latitude and
longitude — and no knowledge seems to have been had
where these exact places would be. It has been with
great difficulty that the law and the map could be made
to conform. Such were the mistakes made in their
location that a strict adherence to the law would place
Virginia City in Beaver Head county and Silver City
in Deer Lodge, while Helena would be situated in
Jefferson.
Permit me to suggest natural boundaries for the
limits of counties as a subject to lay before the gen-
eral assembly. By such divisions every one can tell
where the lines will run, and in my opinion will in
more ways than one increase the interests of Montana.
While the exact location of the lines were
unknown to the people at the time many of the
boundary lines can be easily traced on a pres-
ent day map. M'issoula county embraced
practically all of the present counties of Flat-
head, Missoula, Sanders and Ravalli and about
one-third of Granite. Deer Lodge county con-
tained nearly all of the present counties of
Teton, Lewis and Clark, Deer Lodge, Granite
and Jefferson, all of Powell and Silver Bow
and a small portion of Madison. The bound
aries of Beaver Head were not quite so definite
as those of the two counties named. Included
in it was the present Beaver Head county and
the eastern half of the present Madison county,
the eastern boundary of the county running to
within a very short distance of Virginia City,
but not to the east of it as Sur^'eyor General
Meridith believed. A small corner of the pres-
ent Deer Lodge coimty would also, probably,
come within the original Beaver Head county
under a literal interpretation of the boundary
lines. Owing to the apparent belief that the
ii2th meridian of longitude was far to the
westward of its actual location, the counties
of Madison, Jefferson and Edgerton are hard
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
67
to trace. Aladison county can probably be said
to have included about half of the county of
that name at the present date and a portion of
the present Gallatin county. Jefferson iri-
cluded all of the present Broadwater county
and other portions of Jefferson, Gallatin,
Meagher, Lewis and Clark and Cascade.
Edgerton, later changed to Lewis and Clark,
county lacked only a fraction of a mile of being
in two separate divisions, according to a literal
interpretation of the act and was made up of
portions of the present counties of Lewis and
Clark and Cascade. The western lx)undary of
Gallatin county was indefinite, but the county
contained all the present counties of Park and
Sweetgrass and portions of Carbon, Yellow-
stone, Fergus, Meagher, Cascade, and possibly
Gallatin. Choteau is more easily defined. It
included all the present county of that name,
nearly all of Cascade, about half of Fergus
and a portion of Teton. Big Horn, the county
that was described as embracing all that por-
tion of ^Montana territory not included in the
other counties, covered about one-fourth of the
territory and there were included within its
boundaries all of the present counties of Val-
ley, Dawson, Custer, Rosebud, the greater part
of Yellowstone, about one-fourth of Fergus
and nearly one-half of Carbon.
At the second session of the legislature the
county of Meagher, named in honor of Secre-
tary and Acting Governor Thomas F.
Meagher, was created. As all the acts of the
second session of the legislature were declared
illegal, we cannot allow Meagher county an
official existence until November 16, 1867,
when the fourth legislature approved the act
of March 26, 1866, and gave Meagher county
an official standing. Meagher was created
from the northern part of Gallatin county by
an imaginary line running east and west across
the county from the Missouri river. As de-
scribed in the act, "the line between the conn-
ties shall commence in the middle of the main
channel of the Missouri river opposite the
mouth of Deep creek and run due east to the
eastern boundary of Gallatin county as here-
before defined." Diamond City, in the pres-
ent Broadwater county, was named as the
county seat.
Acting on the advice of the surveyer gen-
eral, the legislature of 1867 defined the bound-
aries of the dift'erent counties again and gave
them natural boundaries. This brought about
a change in all the counties.
Big Horn county, containing all the terri-
tory not included in the counties named, is not
mentioned in the acts of the legislature of
1867, and therefore remained with its former
large dimensions. Dawson county was created
by an act of the legislature approved January
15, 1869. It was carved from Big Horn
county and included the 'territory of the present
Valley county and nearly all of that in the pres-
ent Dawson county. The new county was at-
tached to Choteau county for council and rep-
resentative purposes, and the county seat was
designated as Fort Peck. The county was of-
ficially described as follows : "Commencing
at the intersecting point of parallel of latitude
47 degrees with meridian of longitude 108 de-
grees, and thence along said parallel 47 de-
grees to meridian of longitude 104 degrees,
and from thence along said meridian north to
49th parallel of latitude, and from thence
along said parallel 49 degrees to meridian of
longitude 108 degrees, and from thence south
along said meridian to place of beginning."
The only other attention the legislature of
1869 gave to county boundaries was to slightly
change the northern and northwestern bound
ary line of Madison county.
Prior to the legislative session of 1871-72
the lx)undaries of Meagher and Gallatin coun-
ties were rather indefinite. At that session
those two counties were definitely bounded.
At the next session (bills approved Febru-
ary 13, 1874) these two counties had their
boundaries still more definitely defined.
Slight changes were also made in the
68
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
boundaries of Aladison and Beaver Head coun-
ties in 1874, brought about a readjustment of
the western boundary of Dakota territory. The
act passed February 7, 1874.
No new counties were created by the legis-
lature of 1876, but the boundaries of three
counties were altered to suit the wishes of the
residents. The counties affected were Deer
Lodge, Choteau and Meagher.
During the next few years there were very
few changes made in county boundary Hues.
On February 16, 1877, an act was passed
changing the name of Big Horn county to
Custer county, and on February 14, 1881, pro-
vision was made for including within the
boundary lines of Gallatin county a part of the
Crow reservation which was then the subject
of a treaty before the congress of the United
States.
Silver Bow county was created February
16, 1881, from a portion of Deer Lodge
county.
By a legislative act approved ]March 7,
1883, the boundaries of the new Silver Bow
county were changed, the change slightly af-
fecting the county of Jefferson.
Yellowstone county was erected from Cus-
ter and Gallatin counties in 1883, the boundar-
ies being described as follows :
Beginning at a point at the confluence of the Yel-
lowstone and Big Horn rivers ; thence following the
center of the channel of said Yellowstone river to a
point opposite the first divide east of White Beaver
creek, in Gallatin county ; thence following said divide
to the summit of the dividing ridge between the Mus-
selshell and Yellowstone rivers ; thence on a straight
line north to the southern boundary of Meagher coun-
ty; thence east along said boundary to the 109th meri-
dian of longitude ; thence following said meridian to
the Musselshell river ; thence down the center of the
channel of said river to what is known as the Big
Bend to a point where the old Stanley road crosses the
Musselshell river; thence on a direct line to the place
of beginning. Act approved Feb. 26, 1883. Billings,
county seat.
The only other alteration of county bound-
aries by the legislature of 1883 was an act ex-
tending the southern boundary of Dawso:i
county a few miles, the territory thus added
being taken from Custer county.. A synopsis
of the act, which was approved March Sth, is
as follows :
The southern boundary of Dawson county shall be :
Commencing ten miles south of the intersecting point
of the 27th degree of longitude west from Washington
(104th west from Greenwich) with the 47th degree of
north latitude; thence due west and parallel with said
parallel of 47 degrees to the Musselshell river; thence
following the line of said river to the northern bound-
ary line of Meagher county; thence west along said
line to the io8th meridian of longitude. And the north-
ern boundary line of Custer county shall be made to
conform with the southern boundary line of Dawson
county, so far as said Dawson county extends.
Fergus county was created from Meagher
county by an act approved March 12, 1885,
with slightly smaller boundaries than the
county has at present. Lewiston was named as
the county seat.
Provision was also made by the 1883 legis-
lature that all that portion of the Crow Indian
reservation lying between the Wyoming line
and the Yellowstone river and west of the
Big Horn river, in Montana territory, that
might thereafter be segregated and thrown
open for settlement, should form , a part of
Yellowstone county.
Two new counties — Park and Cascade —
were created by the legislature of 1887. Park
was erected from Gallatin and included all of
the present Park and the greater portion of
the present Sweetgrass counties. Cascade was
taken from Choteau and Meagher and was
created with nearly the same boundaries it
now has. Following is the boundary of Park
county, as officially described in the act :
Park : Beginning at the northwest corner of Yel-
lowstone National Park and running thence one mile
west ; thence north to the northwest corner of town-
ship 7, south of range 6, east of the principal meridian ;
thence northeasterly along the watershed or summit
of the Belt range of mountains to the southwest corner
of township 2, south of range 8, east of the principal
meridian ; thence due north to the south boundary line
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
69
of Meag-her comity : themce east along the south
boundary line of Meagher county to the west bound-
ary line of Yellowstone county; thence south along
the west boundary line of Yellowstone county to
the Yellowstone river ; thence westerly along the Yel-
lowstone river to the mouth of Big Boulder river ;
thence southerly and easterly along the west and south
boundaries of the Crow Indian reservation to the north-
ern boundary of Wyoming territory and the Yellow-
stone National Park to the place of beginning. Act
approved February 23. 1887. Livingston, county scat.
The county of Deer Lodge, when first cre-
ated, one of the largest of Montana's pohtical
divisions, had a shce of its territory taken from
it by nearly every legislature that had con-
vened. In 1 89 1 the boundaries were again
changed, the change affecting Jefferson coun-
ty, as well.
The legislature of 1893 changed the map of
Montana considerably by the creation of five
new counties. These were Flathead, Valley,
Teton, Ravalli and Granite. Flathead was taken
from Missoula county as created at this time,
but a few years later a portion of Deer Lodge
county was added to it, giving the boundaries
as they are at the present day. The boundaries
of Valley county, taken from Dawson, remain
the same as created in 1893. Teton was taken
from the western part of Choteau county, the
northwestern corner of the new county being
previously a part of Missoula county. The
boundaries of Teton county have not since been
changed. Ravalli was severed from the mother
county, ]\Iissoula. As originally created the
county included that part of the present Mis-
soula county south of Lou Lou fork, but before
the legislature adjourned the boundaries were
defined as they exist at present. Granite county
was formed from portions of Deer Lodge and
Missoula counties with boundaries as we now
know them.
In 1895 Carbon and Sweet Grass were
added to the list of Montana counties. Carbon
was taken from the counties of Park and Yel-
lowstone, while the counties of Yellowstone,
Park and Meagher yielded each a portion of
territorv for the formation of Sweet Grass. The
last named county was created with the same
boundaries which it now has. Following are
the boundaries of the two new counties as de-
scribed in the acts :
Carbon : Beginning at a point in the midchannel
of the Yellowstone river opposite to the mouth of the
Stillwater river; following thence down the midchannel
of said Yellowstone river to the intersection of said
channel of said Yellowstone river with township line run-
ning between ranges 24 east and 25 east ; thence follow-
ing said township line due south to its intersection with
the west boundary of the Crow Indian reservation; fol-
lowing thence in a southwesterly direction the west
line of said Crow Indian reservation to the terminus
of the said southwest direction of said line ; thence
running due east to the intersection of the midchannel
of the Big Horn river; thence following the said
channel of the said Big Horn river up in a southwest-
erly direction to its intersection with the north line
of the state of Wyoming, all of said boundary from
the said northwest corner of the Crow Indian reserva-
tion to the Wyoming line being a part of the boundary
line of the Crow Indian reservation as established by
law ; proceeding thence from the intersection of the
midchannel of the Big Horn river with the south
boundary line of the state of Montana due west to- the
intersection of the south line of the state of Montana
with the township line separating range 15 east from
range 16 east ; thence following along the line between
said ranges 15 and 16 to a point in the midchannel of
Stillwater river; thence following midchannel of the
said Stillwater river to place of beginning. Act ap-
proved March 4. 1895. Red Lodge, tem-porary county
seat.
Sweet Grass : Beginning at a point which when sur-
veyed will be the southwest corner of section 35. town-
ship 7, south, range 12 east; and running thence north
along the west bormdaries of sections 35, 26, 23. 14, 11
and 2. of said township 7. south, range 12 east, con-
tmuing north along the west boundaries of sections 35,
2(. 23, 14, II and 2 of township 6, south, range 12 east,
to the first standard parallel south; thence east along
said first standard parallel to a point which when sur-
veyed will be the southwest corner section 35, township
5 south, range 12 east; thence north along the west
boundaries of sections 35, 26, 23, 14, II and 2 in each
of townships 5, 4, 3, 2 and i respectively, all in south
range 12 east, to the intersection of base line at the
northwest corner of section 2 of said township I ; thence
west along said base line to the point of intersection
of range line between ranges II and 12 east to a point
of intersection with the line between townships 6 and
.7. north of range 12 east ; thence east along said town-
ship line to the point of intersection with division lines
lietween 18 and 19 east; thente south along the line
between ranges 18 and 19 east to the point of inter-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
•cction with the township line between townships 2
and 3 north ; then'ce east along said township line to
the point of intersection with the line between ranges
19 and 20 east ; thence south along the line between
ranges 19 and 20 east to the midchannel of the Yellow-
stone river ; thence down the midchannel of the Yellow-
stone river to a point opposite the mouth of the Still-
water river or creek; thence up the midchannel of the
Stillwater river to a point of intersection with the line
between ranges 15 and 16 east ; thence south along the
line between ranges 15 and 16 east to the point of inter-
section with the first standard parallel south ; thence
west along said parallel to the northeast corner of
township 6, south of range 15 east ; thence south along
the line between ranges 15 and 16 east to the south-
east corner of township 7 south of range 15 east; thence
west along the line between townships 7 and 8 south
to the place of beginning. Act approved March 5,
1895. Big Timber^ temporary county seat.
Tlie forming- of Sv;eet Grass county Ic't a
small section of Meagher county territory on
its southeast corner attached only by a narrow
strip of land, and by an act approved March 5,
1895, the l^nd in question was given to Yellow-
stone county.
The county of Broadwater was created in
1897. Jefferson and Meagher being ihe coun-
ties that furnished the territory for the new
political division. As originally created the
county contained in addition to the territory
now embraced within its boundaries a small
portion of the southeastern corner of the pre-
sent Lewis and Clark county, but later in the
session of the same legislature the boundaries
of Lewis and Clark county were so changed
as to give Broadwater county the boundaries
it now has.
The boundaries of other counties were also
altered by the legislature of 1897. The boun-
daries of Cascade were defined anew, which
left the county with practically the same boun-
daries it has at the present time, except that it
then included a small corner of the present
Lewis and Clark county which lies to the east
of the Missouri river. The changes made in
the boundaries of Cascade county affected the
county of Meagher. A portion of the Crow
reservation which had heretofore belonged to
Custer county was made a part of Yellowstone.
The boundaries of Lewis and Clark were de-
fined anew, the change affecting the counties
of Meagher, Broadwater and Cascade.
Yellowstone; All that portion of the Crow Indian
reservation in the state of Montana lying between the
south boundary line of said reservation and the Yellow-
stone river and west of the midchannel of the Big
Horn river is hereby bestowed upon and made a -part
of Ycllow^stone county. .Act apprcved March 5, 1897.
The last legislation concerning the boun-
daries of Lewis and Clark county was ap-
proved on February 28, 1899, and the boun-
daries then fixed have remained unchanged up
to the present writing. The change made at
that time' was the addition of quite a tract of
mountainous country west of the main range
of the Rocky mountains which formerly had
been a part of Deer Lodge county. Other acts
of 1899 gave two small tracts to Cascade
county from Meagher, and enlarged Flathead
county by the addition of a small tract from
the northern end of Deer Lodge county.
Two new counties came into existence in
1 90 1. Powell was created from the northern
part of Deer Lodge county and a large portion
of Custer county was given up for the forma-
tion of the county of Rosebud. The same leg-
islature which brought into existence these two
counties, before the session adjourned, sought
to change the name of the newly created
Powell county and also that of Deer Lodge
county. Bills were passed and approved on
March 8th to change the name of Powell coun-
ty to Deer Lodge county and to change the
name of the old Deed Lodge county to Daly
county. These acts were held to be unconsti-
tutional by the courts and the counties are now
known by the original names. Following are
the boundary lines of Rosebud county as cre-
ated in 1901 :
Rosebud : Beginning at a point w-here the town-
ship line running between ranges 44 and 45 east in the
county of Custer, state of Montana, when surveyed and
extended will intersect the north boundarv line of the
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
state of Wyoming; thence north along said township
line, observing the jogs and offsets in said line, to its
intersection, when surveyed and extended north, with
the county line running east and west along between
Custer county and the county of Dawson., in said state
of Montana ; thence west along said county line to the
middle of the main channel of the Musselshell river and
the east boundary line of Fergus county ; thence up the
middle of said main channel of said river and along the
meanderings thereof in a southerly direction to a point
where the same is interseicted by the county line run-
ning between the counties of Yellowstone and Custer ;
thence in a southeasterly direction along said county
line to the junction of the Yellowstone and Big Horn
rivers; thence up the middle of the main channel of
said Big Horn river and along the meanderings thereof
in a southeasterly direction to the intersection with the
aforesaid north boundary of the state of W)'oming;
thence east along the boundary Hne to the point of be-
ginning. Act' approved February ii, 1901. Forsyth,
county seat.
The legislative assembly of IQ05 created
the county of Sanders, named in honor of the
late Wilbur F. Sanders, from Missoula county.
CHAPTER VI!
HISTORY OF MONTANA'S MINES.
Gold and grasses have been the primary
elements of Montana's greatness. So rough
and barren was the country when the first pio-
neers came that the idea suggested itself that
the deposits of gold had been placed in the heart
of this mountainous country by an inscrutable
power as the only kind of a l)ribe that would
induce people to make a home in the Rocky
mountain country. But in later years, when
the people had become better acquainted with
the conditions that prevailed in this supposed
barren country, it was found that other indus-
tries besides that of digging the precious metal
from the ground could be profitably carried on.
Stock raising was the second industry to claim
the attention of the inhabitants ; after that came
agricultural pursuits. Today Montana — the
country which required a bribe to induce peo-
ple to settle there — is one of the grandest states
in the union.
It is our purpose to deal in this chapter with
the mining history of Montana. From the time
of the discovery of gold within the biiundaries
of the present state of Montana until many
years later the mining history is practically the
entire history of the state. With the exception
of the fur traders every inhabitant of the ter-
ritory was engaged in mining or carrying on
pursuits which depended directly upon the
mines, and therefore much of the early history
of the state will be found in this chapter.
As it is our intention to treat of the history
of mining in [Montana rather than to give a
"write-up" of mines, which would require a
volume in itself, we shall pass over with a very
brief description the telling of the general char-
acter of the mines and the deposits of precious
metals and stones. IMontana is today the great-
est mining state in the Union. Of the many
marvels of its mineral wealth, perhaps the
greatest is the wonderful extent of the de-
posits. After this comes the diversity of metals,
which covers a large portion of the known cat-
alogue, and lastly comes the fabulously rich-
ness of the deposits of quartz and placer dig-
gings. The ores of Montana are easily worked.
The rocks in which auriferous and argentifer-
ous veins occur is limestone or granite — often
granite capped with slate. The presence of
lead and copper simplifies the reduction of
72
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
silver. In general the character of Montana
galena ores does not greatly differ from those
of Utah, Colorado, Nevada and Idaho. There
are lead mines in Montana, but they have not
been extensively worked. The lead obtained
from the silver ores, however, is considerable.
Copper lodes are abundant and large, and are
found near Butte, at White Sulphur Springs,
and in the Musselshell country. Iron is found
in a great number of places. Marble, building
stone, fire clay, zinc, and all of the materials
of which men build the; substantial monuments
of civilizatioff are grouped together in Mon-
tana in a remarkable manner.
One of the latest developed resources bf the
state is coal. The presence of this product was
known from the early days, but before the
country had been pierced by railroads it could
not be profitaljly mined and consequently
there was no development of the coal fields.
Now coal mining is one of the permanent in-
dustries of the state. Along the eastern bases
of the Rocky mountains coal is found in almost
inexhaustible quantities. Park, Cascade, Cho-
teau, Beaver Head and Gallatin counties all
have mines within their boundaries.
In addition to the precious metals and other
products mentioned above, there have been
found in Montana from time to time a great
many precious stones and gems. Sapphires
were discovered in a number of localities by
the early placer miners. They were collected
in great numbers in the sluice boxes with the
gold and black sand. They were found on the
bars of the Missouri in Lewis and Clark coun-
ty, at Montana City and Jefferson City on the
Prickly Pear, and in other localities. These
gems were sent east and found their way into
many cabinets. A few were cut and worn by
Montana miners. After many years they at-
tracted the attention of English experts and
capitalists, and a company was formed to work
these oUl placers for the sapphires they con-
tained. Some of these gems are of the largest
size and purest water, and the colors are
very brilliant. The variety most common are
the oriental emerald, the oriental topaz, the
oriental amethyst and the oriental ruby. No
gem except the diamond excels them in hard-
ness and brilliancy. Nearly all varieties of
garnets are also found in the placers and the
rocks of the mountains ; many ver>' fine varie-
ties have been taken from the placers in vari-
ous parts of the state. The precious garnet,
the topazolite, the melanite, pyrenite and others
of yellow, brown, green and red have all been
found in the placers and rocks. Small emer-
alds of medium quality have been discovered
in the gravel and rocks of the mountains.
Tourmalines have also appeared in the sluice
boxes of the placer mines, as well as in the
metamorphic rocks of the Rockies.
That precious metals existed in the moun-
tains now within the confines of the present
state of Montana was believed by the first
white men that ever set foot in the state. \\'ay
back in the first half of the eighteenth century
when Verandyer pushed his way westward to
the "Shining Mountains," he believed the
country to be rich with mineral, and he so re-
ported to the French government. Whether
this was simply his belief because of the ap-
pearance of the country, or whether he actu-
ally discovered precious metals, is not known.
Then came a period of half a century before
the country was again visited by white men.
Lewis and Clark made no mention of having
discovered the precious metal, and the oper-
ations of the fur traders, who penetrated near-
ly every portion of Montana during the first
half of the nineteenth century, did not bring to
light the fact that the country was rich in
minerals.
It is said that the existence of gold in Mon-
tana was not unknown to the Jesuit fathers,
who came to the country in the early forties,
but they had other motives for making their
homes in this wild country than the acquiring
of riches, and glittering gold did not tempt
them from their ministrations to the Indians.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
7Z
The credit for being the discoverer of
gold in Montana is given to a Scotch half breed
whose name was Francois Finlay, but who was
known among his associates as "Benetsee."
Berietsee came originally from the Red River
of the North and previous to his advent into
the Rocky mountain country he had been min-
ing in California, having gone to that land of
gold shortly after Marshall's disco\'ery. In
1852 he was engaged in trapping for furs and
trading with the Indians in that part of the
Rocky mountain country which is now Powell
county, Montana. While traveling along the
border of what is now known as Gold creek,
near the present day town of Pioneer, Benetsee
was induced by certain indications to search
for gold. His prospecting was necessarily of a
very superficial character, but he found some
light float gold, but not of sufScient quanity to
pay for mining. The creek from which the
half breed took the gold was for a short time
known as Benetsee creek.
The next year, 1853, members of the rail-
road exploring party, being ignorant of Fin-
lay's discovery took out specimens of gold from
this same stream. From this circumstance
the stream was christened Gold creek, which
name it has ever since retained. These men
were in the employ of the government, and not
professional prospectors, otherwise the rich-
ness of Montana's mountains would doubt-
less have been heralded to the world a decade
earlier than was the case. The fact that gold
was found in this l)ranch of the Hell Gate river
was passed o\-er with brief comment.
That gold had been discovered on this little
creek soon became known to the few moun-
taineers still in the country and in the spring
of 1856 a party paid a visit to the spot which
had been prospected by Benetsee. In the party
were Robert Hereford. John Saunders, known
among his intimates as "Long John;" Bill
Madison and one or two others. They were
on their way from the Bitter Root valley to Salt
Lake, after a winter spent trading with the In-
dians and doing a little prospecting. This party
found a little more gold than had the half
breed, and it is said that one piece was found
which weighed about ten cents. This was
given to old Captain Grant, who used to show
it, up to the time of his death in 1862, as the
first piece of gold found in the country. Con-
cerning this story Granville Stuart, who was
one of the party to prospect Gold creek ir.
1858 has written :
My own experiertce oi some years mining in that
vicinity leads me to doubt that party's finding that ten
cent piece of gold on Benetsee creek, for in all our pros-
pecting in that vicinity we did not find a piece of that
size until we went to work sluicing, and although we
carefully searched that vicinity and the country round-
ahoiit, yet wi- never found where anyone had dug a
hole iji- iIk' slightest evidente of any prospecting or
mining work having been done. Where we found ten
cents to a pan of gravel in 1858, we dug a hole about
five feet deep and the ten cents was made up of
some fifteen or twenty small particles of gold.
It was also in 1856 that a stranger ap-
peared at the trading post at Fort Benton with
over $1,500 worth of the precious metal which
it was believed had been taken from the moun-
tains of Montana, which he exchanged for
goods. The story of this man, who was after-
wards learned to be John Silverthorne, and his
mysterious mine, was given to the world by
Lieutenant James H. Bradley, a gentlemen
who contributed much data to the early history
of Montana. We reproduce the tale as told bv
Mr. Bradley.
It is probably generally known that the American
Fur company, founded by Mr. Astor and subsequently
controlled by Pierre Choteau. Jr., & Co., had a trading
post af or near the site of the present town of Fort
Benton in 1832. Major Alexander Culbertson was for
a number of years in charge of that post, and was at
the time of which I have to speak, namely, the year
1856. In the month of October a stranger appeared at
the fort, coming by the trail from the southwest, now
the Benton and Helena stage road ; he was evidently an
old mountaineer, and his object was to purchase supplies
Producing a sack, he displayed a quantity of yellow
dust which he claimed was gold, and for which he de-
manded $i.ooo, offering to take it all in goods. Noth-
ing was known at the fort of the existence of gold in
74
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
the adjoining countr>-, and Major Culbertson was loth
to accept the proffered dust, having doubts of its gen-
uineness. Besides, even if gold, he was uncertain of its
value in this crude state, and he was, therefore, about
to decline it, when an employe of the fort, a young man
named Ray, came to the aid of the mountaineer, and
by his assurances as to the genuineness of the gold
and the value of the quantity offered, induced Major
Gulbertson to accept it. Still doubtful, however, he
made it a private transaction, charging the goods to
his own account. The mountaineer was very reticent
as to the locality where he obtained his gold, but in
answer to numerous questions, he stated that he had
been engaged in prospecting for a considerable period
in the mountains to the southwest, that his wanderings
were made alone, and that he had found plenty of gold.
Receiving in exchange for his dust a supply of horses,
ammunition, blankets, tobacco, provisions and other sup-
plies, he quietly left the fort for his return to the moun-
tains. Major Culbertson never saw or heard from him
afterward, and was ignorant even of his name. The fol-
lowing year, 1857, he sent the gold dust through the
hands of Mr. Choteau to the mint, in due time receiving
as the yield thereof $1,525, the dust having proved to
be remarkably pure gold. Thus, as early as 1857, three
years before Gold Tom hewed out his rude sluice
boxes on Gold creek, Montana gold had found its way
to the mint and contributed a small fortune of shining
pieces to the circulating medium of the country. This
much I obtained from the lips of Major Culbertson,
just enough to pique curiosity; and the mysterious
miner who had been the first to work the rich gulches
of Montana, made the earliest 'contribution to the world
of its mineral treasure, and whose subsequent fate
and very name were unknown, often returned to my
thoughts to vex me in my apparent powerlessness to
lift any part of the veil of mystery that shrouded him
But one day I mentioned the circumstances to Mr.
Mercure, an old and respected resident of Fort Benton,
who came to the territory in the interest of the Ameri-
can Fur company in 1855, To my great satisfaction he
remembered the old mountaineer, the event of his
golden visit to the fort having created quite an endur-
ing impression. When Montana's great mining rush
began, Mr. Mercure quitted the service of the fur 'com-
pany and sought the mines. There he met the moun-
taineer again and immediately recognized him. His
name was Silverthorne, and his habits were still of the
solitary character that had distinguished him in former
days. For several years he remained in the territory,
occasionally appearing at the settlements with gold in
abundance; but after supplying his necessities by trade,
he would again disappear on his lonely rambles. He
could not be induced to divulge the secret of his dig-
gings, but always declared that his mine was not a rich
one. yielding him only four or five dollars a day. Mr.
Mercure believes, however, from the quantity of gold
always in the possession of Silverthorne, that he greatly
understated the value of his discovery. He is evidently
entitled to the distinction of having been first, by several
years, of the thousands of enterprising men who have
labored in the gold gulches of Montana and made so
rich a contribution to the volume of the world's treasure.
The credit of being Montana's first gold
miner, which froin the foregoing would seem
to properly belong to Silverthorne, has been
disputed, and that by a man who knew Silver-
thorne well in the early days. Matt Carroll,
himself one of the leading and oldest settlers
of Montana, has qualified the statement as
made by Lieutenant Bradley by stating that
the gold which was brought to Fort Benton
had been found in the Kootenai mine north of
the boundary line. There is no means .0:
knowing whether or not the gold in question
was mined in the territory which is now known
as Montana.
The rumors of gold having been discovered
on Benetsee, or as it was afterwards known,
Gold, creek spread rapidly and it was this in-
telligence that induced a party of miners who
were on their way back to the states from Cali-
fornia in 1857 to proceed to this place of re-
ported discovery and spend the winter there
prospecting. The members of this party were
James Stuart, Granville Stuart, Thomas
Adams, Reece Anderson, E. H. Burr and John
H. Powell. The arrival of this party and the
story of their settlement in Montana has been
told at some length in the chapter devoted to
the early settlements, and we shall treat of
their doings here only as they relate directly
to mining. Mr. Granville Stuart has very en-
tertainingly told of the history of mining in
Montana during the few years succeeding the
arrival of this party, and we shall quote Mr.
Stuart in telling of the early day incidents
prior to the beginning of the big rush :
We accordingly wintered on the Big Hole river
just above what is known as the Backbone, in com-
pany with Robert Dempsey, Jake Meeks, Robert Here-
ford, Thomas Adams, John W. Powell, John M. Jacobs
and a few others. In the spring of 1858 we went over
info the Hell Gate valley and prospected a little on
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
75
Benctsee's or Gold creek. We got gold everywhere, in
some instances as high as ten cents to the pan, but hav-
ii'g nothing to eat save what our rifles furnished us.
and no tools to work with (Salt Lake, nearly six
hundred miles distant, being the nearest point at
which they could be obtained), and as the accursed
Blackfeet Indians were continually stealing our horses,
we soon quit prospecting in disgust without having
round anything very rich, or done anything -to enable
us to form a reliable estimate of the richness of the
mines.
We then went out on the road near Fort Bridger,
Utah territory, where we remained until the fall of
i860. In the summer of that year a solitary individual
named Henry Thomas, better known to the pioneers
of Montana, however, as "Gold Tom" or as "Tom Gold
Digger," who had been sluicing on tlie Pend d'Oreille
river, came up to Gold creek and commenced prospect-
ing. He finally hewed out two or three small sluice
boxes and commenced work on the creek up near the
mountains. He made from one to two dollars a day
in a rather rough, coarse gold, some of the pieces weigh-
ing as high as two dollars.
After spending a few weeks there, he concluded
that he could find better diggings, and about the time
we returned to Deer Lodge (in i860), he quit sluicing
and went to prospecting all over the country. His
favorite camping ground was about the hot springs
near where Helena now stands. He always maintained
that that was a good mining region, saying that he
had got better prospects there than on Gold creek.
He told me after "Last Chance," "Grizzly." "Oro Fino,"
and the other rich gulches of that vicinity had been
struck that he had prospected all about there, but that
it was not his luck to strike any of those big things.
About the 29th of April, 1862, P. W. McAdow, who
in company with A. S. Blake and Dr. Atkinson (both
citizens of Montana), had been prospecting with but
limited success in a small ravine which empties into
Pioneer creek, moved up to Gold creek and commenced
prospecting about there. About the loth of May they
found diggings in what we afterwards called Pioneer
creek. They got as high as twenty cents to the pan,
and immediately began to prepare for extensive opera-
tions. At this time "Tom Gold Digger" was prospect-
ing on Cottonwood creek, a short distance above where
the flourishing burg of Deer Lodge City now stands,
but finding nothing satisfactory, he soon moved down
and opened a claim above those of Mc.^do & Co.. In
the meantime we had set twelve joints of 12x14 sluices,
this being the first string of regular sluices ever set in
the Rocky mountains north' of Colorado.
On the 25th of June, 1862. news reached us that
four steamboats had arrived at Fort Benton loaded with
emigrants, provisions and mining tools, and on the 29th
Samuel T. Hauser, Frank Louthen, Jake Monthe and
a man named Ault, who were the advance guard of
the pilgrims to report upon the country from personal
observation, came into our camp. After pro,s,pecting
on Gold creek for a few days Hauser, Louthen and
Ault started for the Salmon river mines by way of the
Bitter Root valley. Jake Monthe, that harum-scarum
Dutchman who wore the hat that General Lyon had
on when he was killed in the battle of Wilson's .creek,
continued prospecting along Gold creek.
Walter B. Dance and Colonel Hunkins arrived on
the loth of July, and on the 14th we had the first elec-
tion ever held in the country. It was marked by great
excitement, but nobody was hurt — except by whiskey.
On the the 15th Jack Mcn-U niiall. with several
companions, arrived at Gold cr>.ck froiu Salt Lake City.
They set out for the Salmon river mines, but having
reached Lemhi, the site of a Mormon fort and the most
northern settlement of the "Saints," they could pro-
ceed no farther in the direction of Florence, owing to
the impassible condition of the roads, so they cached
their wagons, packed their goods on the best condi-
tioned of their oxen, and turned off for Gold creek.
They lost their way and wandered about until nearly
starved, when they fortunately found an Indian guide,
who piloted them through to the diggings. On the 25th
Hauser and his party, having failed to reach Florence,
also returned, nearly starved to death.
The discovery of gold in paying quantities
and the consequent rush to tlie rich gold fields
of Montana was brought about, or at any rate
hastened, by the discovery of the rich Salmon
river placers. Early in the spring of 1862 the
rumors of the rich discoveries in that part of
Washington territory which subsequently be-
came Idaho territory reached Salt Lake. Col-
orado and other places in the territories. A
great stampede was the result. Faith and
hope were in the ascendant among the motley
crew that wended a toilsome way by Fort Hall
or the south pass to the new Eldorado. At-
tacked by hostile Indians,- faint and weary
from the long march and a scarcity of provi-
sions, the miners toiled on, only to be met with
the most disheartening information. As the
trains approached the goal of their desires,
within the unexplored regions which after-
wards became Montana, the would-be immi-
grants to the Salmon river mines were met by
the information that it was impossible to get
througli with wagons, that several almost im-
passible mountain ranges intervened. Still
toiling on with a grim determination to reach
76
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
the mines at whatever cost, they received, a
little later, tidings of a more discouraging na-
ture. These were to the effect that the new
mines were overrun by gold hunters from Cal-
ifornia, Oregon and other parts of the coun-
try to the west, and that it was not only impos-
sible for any new comers to find claims,' but
that they would be unable to even secure work.
Coupled with these tidings came also informa-
tion of a more encouraging nature — that new
placers had been discovered at Deer Lodge, on
the east side of the Rocky mountains, and that
already large bands of prospectors were spread-
ing out over the adjacent territory.
The stream of emigration diverged from
the halting place wdiere this last welcome in-
telligence reached the members of the several
parties. Some of the miners turned toward
Deer Lodge where, report said, rich diggings
were to be found. They crossed the mountains
between Fort Lemhi and Horse Prairie creek,
and taking a cutoff to the left, endeavored to
strike the old trail from Salt Lake to Bitter
Root and Deer Lodge valleys. The reports
of the rich mines to be found in the Rocky
mountain country were of such a nature that
the idea was rapidly adopted that the country
was filled with rich placers and that it was not
necessary to pursue the track of actual discov-
ery, but that each man could discover his own
mine. One party arrived at Deer Lodge ui
June, 1862. Some of the other members
the party who were headed for Deer Lodge
remained on Grasshopper creek, near the large
canyon. Those who went to Deer Lodge were
disappointed in the placers there and soon re-
joined their companions. The party that had
remained on the Grasshopper made some
promising discoveries, and the^ place was given
the name of "Beaver Head diggings" — that
being the name which the Lewis and Clark
party had given to the river into which Grass-
hopper creek empties.
The Grasshopper placers, where was
shortlv afterward built the citv of Bannack,
were discovered about the first of August,
1862, and the credit for the discovery is given
to John White. Among those detained in the
Beaver Head valley because they could not go
through from Lemhi to Salmon river was a
party of which \\ hite and John ]McGa\'in were
members. This party discovered the placers
which resulted in the rush to Montana — plac-
ers which yielded from five to fifteen dollars
per day per man. John White, having done so
much for his fame, has left us very little knowl-
edge of his history. He and Rodolph Dorsett
were murdered at the Milk ranch on the road
from Virginia City to Helena by Charles Kelly
in December, 1863. Almost at the same time
that White and his party were discovering the
placers on the Grasshopper, other rich discov-
eries were being made in other parts of Mon-
tana. Joseph K. Slack, who had been seeking
his fortune in California and Idaho since 1858,
discovered placers on the head of Big Hole
river that yielded $57 a day to the man. Also
about the same time John W. Powell found
paying mines on North Boulder creek, in what
later became Jefferson county. These repeated
discoveries caused the greatest excitement, and
the less profitable mines at Deer Lodge and
Gold creek were abandoned.
But before the Grasshopper diggings had
reached this prominence many miners had
found their way to Gold creek and that parr
of the country, where a rich placer had been
found and named Pike's Peak gulch. The ar-
rival of these men was brought about as
follows :
In April, 1862, a party of six men left Col-
orado for "Salmon river, or Oregon, or any-
where \\-est to escape from Colorado, which we
all then thought a sort of Siberia, in which m
man was likely to end his days in hopeless ex-
ile from his home and friends because of the
poorness of its mines." At a ferry on the
North Platte they fell in with fourteen others,
and finding Bridger's pass filled with snow,
the winter having been of unusual severity, the
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
joint company resol\-ecl to proceed across the
countr_v to the Sweetwater, and thnnigh the
south pass. On arri\ing at Plant's station, on
the Sweetwater, it was found in fiames, the In-
dians having just made a raid on the stations
along the whole Hue of the road between the
Platte bridge and Green ri\-er. Here they
found a notice that another party of eighteen
men had retreated to Platte bridge to wait for
reinforcements. They accordingly sent two
expressmen to bring up this party, and by the
time they were ready to go on, their force was
45 men, well armed and able to fight Indians.
Replenishing their supplies at Salt Lake, they
continued their journey, overtaking at Box
Elder a small party with three wagons loaded
with the frame of a ferry boat for Snake river
above Fort Hall, J. Mix being one of the ferry
owners. From the best information to be ob-
tained at Salt Lake or Snake river, they would
find their course to be the old Mormon settle-
ment of Fort Lemhi, and thence sixty miles
down the Salmon river to the mines. But on
arriving at Lemhi, on the tenth of July, they
found a company there before them under
Samuel ]\IcLean and heard of another which
had arrived still earlier, under Austin, all
bound for the Salmon river mines. They had
been deceived as to the practicability of the
road, the route being three hundred miles long
and impassible for wagons. The vehicles
being abandoned and the freight being packed
upon the draught animals, nothing was left
for the owners but to walk. Thirty-five men
decided to proceed in this manner to the mines,
most of McLean's party remaining behind.
The third night after leaving Lemhi, the com-
pany encamped on Big Hole prairie, and on
the following morning fell in with a Mr. Chat-
field and his guide, who were coming from Fort
Owen to Fort Lemhi to settle a difficulty aris-
ing from the Lemhi Indians having killed and
eaten one of McLean's horses: but learning
from the company just from Lemhi that the
matter had been arranged, Chatfield turned
back and his conversation induced twenty-twj
of tlie company to resign the idea of Salmon
river and turn their faces toward Deer Lodge,
the remainder continuing on the trail to Elk
City from the point where it crossed the Bitter
Root river is near its head. Among those who
stopped on the Montana side of the Bitter Root
mountains were Henry Thrapp, M. Haskins,
William Smith, Allen McPhail, John Graham,
Warner, Thomas Neild Joseph Mumby,
James Taylor, J. W. Bozeman, Thomas
Woods, J. Caruthers, Andrew Murray,
Thomas Dolelson, N. Davidson, James Patton,
William Thompson, Murphy and Dutch Pete.
Ten of the twenty-two remained at Fort Owen,
taking employment there at the Flathead res-
ervation, of which John Owen was at the tiine
agent. The rest proceeded on their way and
arrived at the newly discovered placers on the
Grasshopper. When they arrived there their
stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, but
they decided to push on to Deer Lodge, hoping
to find a more profitable field. They discov-
ered gold on a branch of Gold creek, which
tliey named Pike's Peak gulch. Several oth-
ers, who had come from the states up the Mis-
souri on their way to Walla Walla, stopped off
to seek their fortunes in the new fields and
some of these passed the summer at Gold creek
and Deer Lodge. Among these were W. B.
Dance, S. T. Hauser, Jerome S. Click, David
Gray, George Gray, George Perkins, \\'illiam
Griffith, Jack Oliver and Joseph Clark.
The parties under McLean and Russell,
who had left the Beaver Head diggings on the
Grasshopper in the hopes of finding richer,
diggings, having found nothing better than
that they had left behind, now returned to
Grasshopper. No provisions having arrived
in the country, most of them decided to at-
tempt a return to Salt Lake City. The chance
of making a journey of four hundred miles to
the nearest Mormon settlement was prefera-
ble to starvation in this desolate region. They
could but die in the effort and might succeed.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
After they had started on this Utopian jour-
ney, Russell mounted his horse, followed them,
and persuaded them to return. They then set
to \vork in good earnest and found gold in
abundance; but as their scanty supply of food
lessened daily, they feared that soon they
would have nothing but gold to eat. Just at
this crisis a large train of provisions belonging
to Mr. Woodmansee arrived, and all fear of
starvation vanished. The camp was hilarious
with joy and mirth over the good fortune.
The fame of the Bannack diggings reached
the Salmon river mines late in the fall of 1862,
and many of the Florence miners made their
preparations to go to the new discoveries.
Among these came the first of the robbers,
gamblers, murderers and horse thieves who
initiated that reign of infamy, which nothing
but the strong arm of the vigilantes could over-
come. The little village known as American
Fork, which had grown up at the Stewart
ranch, at the mouth of Gold creek, was aban-
doned as soon as the superior richness of the
Bannack diggings became known, and in a
short time all of the Gold creek placers were
abandoned.
The stampeders to the Bannack diggings in
the fall of 1862 were informed of the location
of the new discovery by a rude sign post with
a ruder inscription, located at the confluence
of Rattlesnake creek with Beaver Head river —
the present site of the town of Dillon. On a
rough hewn board nailed across the top of the
post was daubed with wagon-tar the following
intelligence :
TU GRASS HOP PER DIGINS
30 MYLE
KEPE THE TRALE NEX THE BLUFFE
On the other side of the board was the fol-
lowing :
TU JONNI GRANTS
ONE HUNRED & TWENTI MYLE
The "grass Hop Per digins" were located
where afterwards appeared the flourishing
town of Bannack; the city of Deer Lodge is
built upon "jonni grants" place.
The spring of 1863 witnessed a wild rush
to the new placers. Russell early in the spring
set out on the return to Colorado, and after en-
countering many dangers arrived in safety. He
exhibited specimens of gold taken from the
Grasshopper diggings to his friends in Color-
ado, and the excitement they occasioned was
intense. Large numbers left at once for the
new and promising El Dorado. The town of
Bannack City came into existence and soon
had a population of 500. It was the first of the
several rich placer camps to come into exis-
tence in Montana. During the early period of
Montana's mining history Bannack was the
rendezvous of all emigration. Miners poured
in here from Deer Lodge, the Idaho mines, the
Bitter Root country, Salt Lake, Colorado and
the east, and from this point started out all the
early exploring parties who discovered the
many rich placers in other parts of the Rocky
mountain country.
One of these parties that set out from Ban-
nack to search for gold, late in May, 1862, dis-
covered the Alder gulch placers, where a few
days later was built the town of Virginia City.
This proved to be the richest placer mine ever
discovered in Montana, if not on the North
American Continent, and yielded before the
close of the first year's work upon it, not less
than ten million dollars. During the twenty
years the ground was worked sixty million
dollars worth of precious metal was taken from
the ten miles of auriferous ground which com-
prised the gulch. The discovery was like the
rubbing of an Aladdin lamp. It drew eager
prospectors from Colorado, Utah, Idaho and
from all parts of the east, who overran the
country on both sides of the upper Missouri
and east and west of the Rocky mountains,
many of whom realized to a greater or less
extent their dreams of wealth.
The discoverers of Alder gulch were Bill
Fairweather. Mike Sweeney, Barney Hughes,
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Harry Rodgers, Tom Cover and Henry Edgar,
and the discovery was made on May 26, 1863.
It was on the first day of February of that
year that the party set out from Bannack to
prospect the Big Horn mountains. On the
Gallatin river they came across the Crow In-
dians, who ordered them out of the country.
Glad to escape with their Hves, the members
of the party set out on the homeward journey,
and on the day of discovery had reached
Alder creek and made camp upon a level tract
of ground between the bars which were later
named Cover and Fairweather. We shall tell
the story of the discovery in the words of one
of the members of the party, Henry Edgar,
as told by him in his diary, the entries having
been made on the evening of each day :
May 26th : Off agin ; horse pretty lame and Bill
(Fairweather) leading him out of the timber; fine
grassy hills and lots of quartz ; some antelope in sight ;
down a long ridge to a creek and camp ; had dinner,
and Rodgers, Sweeney, Barney and Cover go up the
creek to prospect. It was Bill's and my turn to guard
camp and look after the horses. We washed and doc-
tored the horse's leg. Bill went across to a bar to see
or look for a place to stake horses. When he came
back to camp he said, "There is a piece of rimrock
sticking out of the bar over there. Get the tools and we
will go and prospect it" Bill got the pick and shovel and
I the pan and went over. Bill dug the dirt and filled the
pan. "Now go," he says, " and wash that pan and see
if you can get enough to buy some tobacco when we
get to town." I had the pan more than half panned
down and had seen some gold as I ran the sand
around, when Bill sang out, "I have found a scad."
I returned for answer, "If you have one I have a
hundred." He then came down to where I was with his
scad. It was a nice piece of gold. Well, I panned the
pan of dirt and it was a good prospect ; weighed it and
had two dollars and forty cents ; weighed Bill's scad
and it weighed the same. Four dollars and eighty
cents! Pretty good for tobacco money. We went and
got another pan and Bill panned that and got more than
I had; I got the third one and panned that— best of
the three; that is good enough to sleep on. We came
to camp, dried and weighed our gold, altogether there
twelve dollars and thirty cents. We saw the boys
coming to camp and no tools with them. "Have you
found anything?" "We started a hole but didn't get
to bedrock." They began to growl about the horses
not being taken care of and to give Bill and me fits
When I pulled the pan around Sweeney got hold of it
and the next minute sang out "salted." I told Sweeney
that if he "would pipe Bill and me down and run us
through a sluice box he couldn't get a color," and "the
horses could go to the devil or the Indians." Well, we
talked over the find and roasted venison until late;
and sought the brush, and spread our robes ; and a
more joyous lot of men never went more contentedly to
bed than we.
May 27th: Up before the sun; horses all right;
soon the frying pan was on the fire. Sweeney was off
with the pan and Barney telling him "to take it easy."
He panned his pan and beat both Bill and me. He
had five dollars and thirty cents. "Well, you have got
it good, by Jove !" were his greeting words. When
we got filled up with elk, Hughes and Cover went up
the gulch, Sweeney and Rodgers down. Bill and I to
the old place. We panned turn about ten pans at a time,
all day long, and it was good dirt too. "A grub stake
is what we are after" was our watchword all day, and
it is one hundred and fifty dollars in good dust. "God
is good" as Rodgers said when we left the Indian camp.
Sweeney and Rodgers found a good prospect and have
eighteen dollars of the gold to show for it. Barney
and Tom brought in four dollars and a half. * * '
May 28th: Staked, the ground this morning;
claims one hundred feet. Sweeney, wanted a water —
a notice written for a water right and asked me to
write it for him. I wrote for him ; then "What name
shall we give to the creek?" The boys said "You name
it." So I wrote "Alder." There was a large fr>nge of
Alder growing along the creek looking nice and green
and the name was given. We staked 'welve claims for
our friends and named the bars Cover, Fairweather and
Rodgers where the discoveries were made.
The finding of the particles of gold in the
dirt that was being washed by Fairweather and
Edgar was the main factor in the creation of
Montana territory. The men realized the rich-
ness of their discovery and it was mutually
agreed that nothing should be said concerning
their discoveries until further prospecting
could be done tlia* the best ground might be
selected for claims. On the 28th the party
broke camp and started for Bannack to pur-
chase supplies and provisions. The party
arrived there on the first day of June, having
traveled since departing, over six hundred
miles.
Notwithstanding the agreement that the
discovery should not be revealed, the good
news was written in the smiling faces of the
lucky prospectors, and the few friends who
8o
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
were secretly informed of tlie strike secretly
informed a few of their friends, and tlie result
was a wild stampede. Every man who was not
anchored to the mines at Bannack and could
seize a horse made a rush for the new dis-
covery during the month of June. Hundreds
made the start, each striving to outstrip the
other in order to secure claims. The first
crowd, that which accompanied the Fair-
weather party on the return to the diggings,
numbered about three hundred men, of which
thirty persons made the journey on foot. All
were in light marching order and bore upon
their backs their worldly goods.
While the discoverers admitted that rich
diggings had been found, they wisely refrained
from making known the location until after
an agreement had been reached as to the rights
of the discoverers. According to an under-
standing arrived at in Bannack before the start
was made, a public meeting of the excited com-
pany that was hurrying to the mines was held
on June 7 in a cottonwood grove, upon the
banks of the Beaver Head river. Fairweather
district, named in honor of one of the dis-
coverers, was organized with Doctor Steele as
president and James Fergus as recorder. Res-
olutions were adopted unanimously confirm-
ing the right of each of the six discoverers to
two claims in Alder gulch and the water privi-
leges. The main body of the stampeders ar-
rived in the gulch on the 9th. Hughes, with a
party of friends, had stealthily left the main
body during the night and piloted his friends
to the promised land ahead of the main crowd.
Some other members of the stampeding party,
in their anxiety to be the first on the ground,
tried the same trick, but not knowing the exact
location of the discovery, they wandered up the
Stinkingwater, Granite and other streams and
were distanced.
The great stampede with its numerous pack
animals penetrated the dense alder thicket
which filled the gulch a distance of eight miles.
.\ fire accidentally started, swept away the al-
ders for the entire distance in a single night.
Within a week from the arrival of the first
miners hundreds of tents, bush wakiups and
rude log cabins, extemporized for immediate
occupancy, were scattered at random over the
gulch, now for the first time trodden by white
men. For a distance of twelve miles, from the
mouth of the gulch to its source in Bald moun-
tain, claims were staked and occupied by the
men fortunate enough to assert an ownership.
At once the community became busy in up-
heaving, sluicing, drifting and cradling the
seemingly inexhaustible bed of auriferous
gravel. The extent of the pay streak being un-
known, the object of every person was to se-
cure mining ground in the neighborhood of
that which had been prospected by the discov-
erers. It was generally believed that the bars
were the golden safes of nature, and many
parties neglected and walked over as worth-
less the richest deposits in the creek in their
eager search for what they considered the val-
uable claims. Before the bed rock of the creek
had been disturbed by the pick the camp was
deserted by a number of old time miners, who
informed their friends with confidence that
there were no paying diggings in the gulch.
But within thirty days tests were applied by
hundreds of industrious hands to every place
that was accessible, and there was revealed the
auriferous bed of an ancient river which sur-
passed in magnitude and uniform distribution
of its golden treasures any placer which has
been recoreded upon this planet. The placer
mines there were so extensiive, so easy of de-
velopment and so prolific that many of the
miners who commenced work in the gulch in
the early days of the discovery, fortunate in
their acquisitions and disgusted with the asso-
ciations, were ready to return to the states in
the fall, only a few months after the discovery.
The hegira at first small, increased in numbers,
so that bv the first of November hundreds were
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
on their way to their old homes in the east,
most of whom carried with them a small for-
tune.
It was only a matter of a few days for a
town to spring up at this point — -a town which
grew so rapidly that within ninety days a city
of ten thousand people occupied the spot where
in the spring the foot of white man had not
trod. The town which first sprung up was
calle Varina, in honor of the wife of President
Jefferson Davis of the Confederate States of
America, the southern sympathizers being very
numerous in the new camp. Very interestiing
and typical was the incident which brought
about the change in the name of the town to
Virginia City. Dr. Bissel, one of the mining
judges of the gulch, was an ardent unionist.
Being called upon to draAv up some legal papers
before the new name had been generally adop-
ted, and being requested to date them Varina
City, he with a very emphatic expletive de-
clared he would not do it, and wrote instead
the name Virginia City, by which name the
town has ever since been known. Nathaniel
P. Langford has written as follows concerning
the conditions in Alder gulch as they were dur-
ing the early period of the camp's historj' :
Almost simultaneously with the settlement of Vir-
ginia City, other settlements lower down and farther
up the gulch were commenced. Those below were
known by the respective names of Junction, Nevada
and Central ; those above, Pine Grove, Highland and
Summit. As Vhe entire gulch for a distance of twelve
miles was appropriated, the intervals of two or three
miles between the several nuclei were occupied by the
cabins of miners, who owned and were developing the
claims opposite to them, so that in less than three
months after the discovery, the gulch was really one
entire settlement. One long stream of active life filled
the little creek on its auriferous course from Bald moun-
tain, through a canyon of wild and picturesque char-
acter, until it emerged into tlie large and fertile valley
of the Pas-sam-a-ri. Pas-sam-a-ri is a Shoshone word
for stinking water, and the latter is the name commonly
given in Montana to the beautiful mountain stream
which was called by Lewis and Clark in their journal
"Philantrophy river." Lateral streams of great beauty
pour down the sides of the mountain chain bounding
the valley, across which they run to their union with
6
the Pas-sam-a-ri. whicli. twenty miles beyond, unites
with the Beaver Head, one of the forming streams O'f
the Jefferson. Gold placers were found upon these
■tre;;nis, and occupied soon after by the settlement at
Virginia City, though limited in extent was sufficiently
productive to afford profitable employment to a little
community of twenty or more miners. * * *
Of the settlements in Alder gulch, Virginia City
w^as the principal one, though Nevada, two miles be-
low, at one time was of nearly equal size and popula-
tion. A stranger from the eastern states entering the
gulch for the first time, two or three months after its
uisc- very, w.julj be inspired by the scene and its asso-
ciatiLius with reflections of the most strange and novel
character. This human hive, numbering at least ten
thousand people, was the product of ninety days. Into
it were crowded all the elements of a rough and active
civilization. Thousands of cabins and tents and brush
wakiups, thrown together in the rougliest .form, and
scattered at random along the banks, and in the nooks
of the hills, were seen on every hand. Every foot of
the gulch, under the active manipulations' of the miners,
was undergoing displacement, and it was already dis-
figured by huge heaps of gravel, which had been passed
through the sluices and rifled of their glittering con-
tents. In the gulch itself all was activity. Some were
removing the superincumbent earth to reach the pay
dirt; others who had accomplished that were gather-
ing up the clay and gravel upon the surface of the
bed rock, while by others still it was thrown into the
sluice boxes. This exhibition of mining activity was
twelve miles long.
While there were a thousand claims lo-
cated in Alder gulch, that was not the only rich
mining locality. A spur of the mountains
which runs down between the Stinkingwater
and the ]\Iadison rivers contained highly pro-
ductive mines. Wisconsin gulch, so named be-
cause a Wisconsin company first worked it;
Biven's gulch, named after its discoverer, cel-
abrated for coarse gold nuggets weighing over
three hundred dollars, Harris and California
gulches, all paid largely.
The next important placer discovery after
Alder gulch was Last Chance gulch, where
now stands the capital city of [Montana —
Helena. The discovery was made on or about
the 15th day of July, 1864. The discovery was
made by four prospectors from Alder gulch,
who had been unable to secure claims there.
They were John Cowan, a tall, dark eyed, gray
haired man from Ackworth, Georgia ; R. Stan-
82
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
ley, who claimed as his residence the city of
Attleborough, Nuneaton, England ; J. D. Mil-
ler, an early California miner; and John Crab,
who shortly after the discovery returned east.
From this discovery place $16,000,000 was
taken, and Last Chance became one of the best
known mining camps of the countiy.
The following interesting story of the dis-
covery of Last Chance was written by R. Stan-
ley, one of the discoverers, in 1882 :
It was in the spring of 1864 that the Kootenai
stampede from Alder gulch took place. During the
winter extraordinary reports of the "big thing at
Kootenai" reached the camps, and each particular miner
not the happy possessor of ground in Alder gulch, was
in a fever of excitement to reach the new Eldorado,
the land of rushing torrents and large nuggets. Among
these, allured by the northern will-o'-the-wisp, were
four miners — Cowan, Crab, Miller and Stanley — after-
ward known as the discoverers of Last Chance dig-
gings, and at the time our story commences they were
encamped in one of the valleys of the Hell Gate river
on the Kootenai trail. Encamped beside them was a
certain Jim Coleman and party, whom they had that
evening run against, bearing the unwelcome news that
"Kootenai was piayed out," and that they were on their
way back to Alder gulch. Still the idea of returning
to Alder gulch with three months' flour and bacon in
their pan-fleshes could not be entertained, and the ad-
vice of one of the party, who had crossed the range
with Captain Fiske's party the previous summer, to
try on the Little Blackfoot (where they had found
gold in small quantities), and failing there, to cross the
range and prospect the gulches on the eastern slope
r- nr.-.r.g toward the Missouri river, was readily accepted.
Next morning, bidding Coleman's party farewell, they
took t^eir course eastward up the Hell Gate River.
They were accompanied on the start by an individual
named Moore, who left the party to join some friends
prospecting on Silver creek before the discovery of
Last Chance was made. They tried the Little Black-
foot well, but could find nothing better than a good
color. Following up the stream through an amphithea-
tre of circling mountains, they turned southward up the
stream, and as they began to rise rapidly into the
mountains, each vista that opened before them was a
scene of loveliness, the river for some distance being
a succession of magnificent cascades. Nearing the sum-
mit of the gulch the trail which they had found so
useful became more and more indistinct, and eventu-
ally faded out altogether. The second day not bringing
relief found the party rather demoralized, but still
■ pegging away : but a few yards before them was all
they could see, and the advisability of returning on
their trail before they became further involved was
more than once mooted. Fortunately toward evening
the weather cleared up, and above the tops of the
small pines by which they were enveloped, a rocky
point was seen to tower, and toward this, when the
camp was made, one of the travelers proceeded to
climb. The view that met his gaze from the rocky
summit was one long to be remembered and well re-
paid the exertions he had used t& obtain it. It was
like a pass into fairy land. Across the intervening
mountain tops lay stretched a lovely valley through
which several streams were seen to wind, and away
in the distance the blue mountains of another range
were plainly visible, while between the course of an
important river could be traced, which he rightly con-
cluded was none other than the mighty Missouri itself.
The good news greatly revived the spirits of the party
and banished the inclination to take the back trail
through the detestable pine thickets ; though some skep-
ticism as to the whereabouts of the Missouri was still
expressed, which the offer to bet a pony he could reach
it in a day's journey from where they stood, soon put a
stop to.
Next morning the descent began ; at first rather
steep, but they soon found a game trail in a small
gulch, which made traveling easy. The difficulties of
crossing the range were over, and as fresh scenes of
enchantment opened before them, they fully experienced
the joy of those who tread the unknown and unex-
plored. Though the range had been icrossed for years
at other points not far distant, as far as white men
were concerned, they claimed to have been the first to
cross it from the Little Blackfoot gulch. Game abounded
on every hand and was so unreasonably tame as
scarcely to offer decent sport in killing when required
for food. Proceeding down the gulch, a stately elk
bounded out, and stood at short range surveying the
strange party who had thus been the first to invade
his domain, necessitating a camp, in what the writer
believes was called Seven-Mile gulch ; at any rate it
was the first gulch north of what was afterward
known as the Last Chance gulch. Here they
remained prospecting for some time, but, like on
the Little Blackfoot, they could find nothing more
than a good color. Following down the gulch they
descended into the valley of the Prickly Pear, and
turning to the right they camped for dinner on the
banks of Last Chance creek. The valley seemed lit-
erally a hunter's paradise ; immense droves of antelope
were feeding on the plain, and along the margin of the
stream the white-tail deer were seen to be plentiful.
On their first appearance in the valley, between Seven-
Mile and Last Chance, they were reconnoitered by a
small band of the former animals, w'hich careered
around them until their curiosity was cruelly satisfied
by the crack of a rifle, which laid one of their number
low. . Dinner over, the travelers reclined under the
shade of some small trees and dis'cussed the situation.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
83
with the result that they would take their course north-
ward along the range and prospect the gulch, at the
mouth of which they were encamped on their return,
if nothing better turned up in the mountains. How-
ever, before saddling up, two of the party strolled to
the creek side, just to try a superficial pan of dirt.
Scratching a hole to the rimrock of a small bar, to
their surprise a first rate color was obtained, which
induced them to make further and more systematic
trials, but all ended in the same result — colors contin-
ually— until they began to think the whole country was
nothing but colors, and, almost in vexation at their tan-
talizing luck, they decided to pack up and go. No dis-
covery had yet been made in Last Chance gulch.
Northward they went digging holes innumerable
— here, there and everywhere — but finding nothing to
stick to. Up the Dearborn to the headwaters of the
Teton and Marias rivers, where they found an excel-
lent prospect of grizzlies, but none of gold. The further
north they went the more unlikely it looked— flat
table-topped mountains, showing the action of water
more than fire, took the place of the volcanic range they
had lately crossed. Their stock of provisions was fast
diminishing. With the exception of grizzlies game
was very scarce, and the former they were not in search
of. * * * Turning southward as they took their course
for Alder gulch, their daily remark was, "That little
gulch on the Prickly Pear is our last chance ; if we don't
find pay there we streak it straight for camp." And so it
became known as Last Chance gulch before the discov-
ery was made. They reached the spot again one after-
noon on or about the 15th of July and made their camp
a short distance up the gulch, near to where the First
National bank was built in 1866. That evening they put
two good holes down to bed-rock, one on each side of
the creek. When the rock 'was reached the hole oh
the north side was found to prospect well. Several
flat pieces of gold that would weigh quite half a dollar
were taken out : there was no mistake about it — the
little nuggets fell into the ringing pan with a musfc
particularly their own, a sound grateful to the ears of
our four wanderers. The gravel prospected to the
top of the ground, and they were experienced enough
to know that at last Dame Fortune had kindly smiled
upon them. Long into the night they sat around the
fire, too pleased to turn in. Within each bosom had
bloomed the hope of making the home-stake and seeing
friends and kindred once again ; and when they slept
it was to dream of civilization and of enjoying a good
square meal.
Hundreds of miners swarmed into Last
Chance g-ulch as soon as the news of the dis-
covery was made known, and only a few days
after the discovery mining was commenced. A
miners' meeting was held on Last Chance
creek on ]u\v 20, when the following laws and
regulations were adopted for the government
of the camp :
That the gulch be named Last Chance gulch, and
the district in which the discovery is made be named
Rattlesnake district, to extend down three miles, and
up to the m.outh of the canyon, and across from sum-
mit to summit. That mining claims in this district ex-
tend for two hundred feet up and down the gulch, and
■from summit to summit. That no person be allowed
to hold more than one claim by preemption, and one
by purchase, except as regards the discovery claims.
That each member of the discovery party be entitled
to hold, in addition to 200 feet by preemption, 100 feet
for a discovery claim. That the discovery party shall
have the prior right to the use of the gulch water.
That claims when pre-empted shall be staked and re-
corded.
A supplementary regulation was adopted
on August 3rd, as follows :
That any person, besides his own claim, be allowed
to record one for his actual partner, and one only,
and that he can represent both ; but if a partner be so
recorded for, it must be specified, and the name given
in full. That all claims must be recorded within three
days of location.
It was not long before preparations were
made for the laying out of a town in the new
camp, and on the 30th day of October a meet-
ing was held to select a name and provide for
a town government. The meeting was held
in the cabin of George J. Wood, and there
were present, among others, Geo. J. Wood,
Orison Miles, Abraham Mast, A. Peck, John
Cowan, Robert Stanley, T. E. Cooper, C. L.
Cutler, John Clore, Dr. Sales, John Somer-
ville, H. Bruce, Folsom, Wilder, O. D. Keep,
Murray, Marshall, Burke, Henry Sellick, P.
B. Anthony, John Scannell and others. The
naming of the town was the all important sub-
ject, and the name Helena was selected only
after many ballots had been taken and the sttb-
ject had been discussed at some length. Some
desired the place to be named after John Cow-
an, one of the discoverers, Robert Stanley, an-
other of the discoverers, or G. J. Wood, a man
who took a very active interest in the camp's
affairs. These propositions were all voted
84
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
down. The light hearted disposition of the
meeting is evidenced by the fact that among
the other names proposed were Pumpkinville,
Squashtown, Tomahawk, Tomah and other ti-
tles of like nature. Finally the name St. Hel-
ena was proposed by John Somerville, a jovial
frontiersman from Minnesota. The name was
finally shortened to Helena, and as such was
adopted by one or two votes over Tomah.
which was the only other name that was seri-
ously considered. Mr. Somerville was very
emphatic in his efiforts to have the town named
Helena, and among other arguments put forth
was that Helena meant "a place far in the in-
terior of the country." In a letter to J. H.
Mills written in 1885, Mr. Thos. E. Cooper
told of the selection of the name as 'follows :
"The question of naming the town came up,
and there being a great diversity of opinion as
to the name the town should bear, and not be-
ing able to agree, the chairman, Somerville,
got up and stated as follows : 'That he be-
longed to the best country in the world, and
lived in the best state (Minnesota) in that
country, and in the best county (Scott) of that
state, and in the best town (Helena) in that
county, and by the eternal this town shall bear
that name.' "
During the winter and spring succeeding
the discovery of Last Chance other rich plac-
ers were found in the vicinity. The town of
Helena w^as located upon what was called Dry
gulch, which could not be worked until water
ditches were constructed. Oro Fino and
Grizzly gulches united half a mile above the
town, forming the celebrated Last Chance
gulch. Nelson's gulch headed in the moun-
tains and ran into Ten-Mile creek. South
from these were a number of rich gulches run-
ning into Prickly Pear river. Confederate
gulch, east of the Missouri river and southeast
from Helena; Ophir gulch, west of the range
and thirty miles from Helena; McClellan
gulch, in the same neighborhood as the Ophir,
and others all proved to be rich finds. John L.
^NlcClellan was the discoverer of IVIcClellan
gulch, and the Ophir was found by Bratton,
Pemberton and others. For 150 miles north
and south of Helena and 100 east of and west
of the same point, mines of exceeding richness
were discovered in 1865 and 1866. First
Chance gulch, a tributary of Bear gulch, in
Deer Lodge county, yielded nearly $1,000 a
day with one sluice and one set of hands. New
York gulch and ^Montana bar, in ^ileagher
county, were fabulously productive.
In the fall of 1864 rich placer discoveries
were made in the vicinity of Butte, and the
first mining district there was formed with
William Allison as president and G. O. Hum-
phreys as recorder. The old town of Butte
came into existence in the fall of that year.
It \vas located on what was known as Town
gulch, adjoining the present townsite of Butte.
Among the discoveries of 1864 was the Silver
Bow^ or Summit Mountain district, at the head-
waters of Deer Lodge river, on Silver Bow
creek. The discovery was made in July by
Bud Baker, Frank Ruff, Joseph Ester, James
Ester, Peter Slater and others. The initial
discovery was below the point where Silver
Bow City now stands. The name of Silver
Bow was given by these discoverers because of
the shining and beautiful appearance of the
creek, which here sweeps in a crescent among
the hills. As was always the case when a new
strike was made people began to pour in. A
new district was formed at the lower end of
the gulch, and named Summit ^Mountain Min-
ing district, of w-hich \\'. R. Coggswell was
recorder. The district was twelve miles in
length, and besides the discovery gulch, there
were twenty-one discovei'ed and worked in
the following five years and about as many
more were worked after the introduction of
water ditches in 1869. During the winter of
1864-65 there were probably 150 men in Silver
Bow and vicinity, and many claims were re-
corded. In the spring of 1865 Summit Moun-
tain district was divided, claims No. 75 to 310,
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
85
above discovery on Silver Bow creek, were
organized into Independence district. From
1864 to 1869 there were taken from these
gulches $1,894,300 in gold dust. In the fall
of 1864 German gulch was discovered by Ed
Alfield and others. In the spring of 1865 a
big stampede took place for the new discovery,
and on the first of April there were nearly
1,000 men in German gulch.
While the discovery of the most noted
placer gulches had been made in 1863 and
1864, the year 1865 witnessed the discovery of
more mines of great richness and immigration
to ^Montana continued at a rapid rate. During
that year Elk creek, Bear, Lincoln and High-
land gulches, in Deer Lodge county, and New
York gulch and Montana bar, in Meagher
county (already referred to) began their con-
tributions to the mint. In 1869 another rich
placer discovery was made on Cedar creek, in
]\Iissoula county.
While these rich discoveries were being
made in different parts of the territory and
many were making their fortunes by a few
months' work, there were always many in each
camp who were unable to secure claims, but
who were always on the lookout for new
strikes, ready at a moment's notice to pack up
and set out for new diggings. One of the most
noted stampedes of the early days which re-
sulted in disaster was made for the Sun river
country in 1866. One, McClellan, left Helena
between two days looking wise and intimating
that he had as good a thing as he wanted. Sev-
eral hundred set out with all speed through
deepest snow and coldest weather, scarcely tak-
ing time to cook a meal or to rest at night,
fearing some other party would get in ahead.
No gold was found at the end of the trip, and
many deaths resulted from exposure.
The first arrival of hydraulic machinery in
Montana was in November, 1865, when the
Nelson Hydraulic Mining Co. imported four
engines of ten horse power, throwing water
eighty feet high, with iron piping and India
rubber hose extensions. Another powerful hy-
draulic machine was imported by N. G. Mc-
Comb in September, 1866, and put up on Zol-
ler's bar,. near Bannack. The construction of bed
rock flumes and extensive ditches was only just
begun. There were five hundred or more
gulches in Montana which produced well and
about twenty that were remarkal>ly rich. Some
were soon exhausted, but a good number paid
well for the introduction of improved means of
mining. As early as 1867 there were over
32 miles of ditching at French bar, near Can-
yon ferry, east of Helena, and 96 flumes, the
cost of which was $75,000, and was at that
period the largest improvement of that kind in
Montana. The Boulder ditch, owned by ]Mc-
Gregor, Metcalf & Speigle, of California,
which supplied the mines around Diamond
City, was five miles long and cost $60,000. The
excessive cost of work was occasioned by hav-
ing to use 1,716 feet of pipe in crossing Con-
federate gulch. The Eldorado bar ditch, north
of French bar, was four and one-half miles
long and cost $50,000; and many smaller
ditches had been constructed east of the Mis-
souri, whose aggregate cost was about a quar-
ter of a million. The ten mile ditch at Helena
was completed in June, 1867. It was built by
Henry B. Truett, who came to Montana in
1866. Deer Lodge county had in 1869 nearly
three hundred miles of ditches, costing $498,-
000, and carrying an aggregate of 20,350
inches of water. A nine mile ditch, carr\-ing
2,500 inches of water, was completed to Nor-
wegian gulch, in Madison county, in 1876. A
flume was completed to Confederate gulch in
1879. There had been one built in 1876.
which a flood destroyed. It was rebuilt liy the
owner, James King. It was but one mile in
length, but it was estimated that it would re-
quire twenty-five years of constant work to
exhaust the ground controlled by it.
It has been estimated that during the first
twenty years of Montana's placer mining his-
tory fully $150,000,000 was taken from the
86
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
ground, and the stories of the handhng of
some of the large finds are highly interesting.
Old residents of Helena still love to relate that
on the morning of the i8th of August, 1866.
two wagons loaded with a half ton each of
gold, guarded by an escort of 15 men, depos-
ited their freight at Hershfield & Co.'s bank
on Bridge street, this treasure having been
taken from Montana bar and Confederate
gulch in less than four months by two men
and their assistants. And Helena bankers are
still pleased to mention that in the autumn of
1866 a four-mule team drew two and one-half
tons of gold from Helena to Fort Benton, for
transportation down the Missouri ri\er, most
of which came from those celebrated mines in
one season, and the value of which freight was
$1,500,000. The treasure belonged to John
Shineman, A. Campbell, C. J. Friedrichs and
T. Judson.
During the early days the "dust," as it was
called, was the only money in circulation, and
it was passed currently at eighteen dollars an
ounce without regard to quality. Every busi-
ness house, hotel, saloon and ofifice was pro-
vided with scales for weighing it. In 1879
the United States assay office was opened in
Helena, where gold and silver bullion was re-
ceived on deposit. This proved a relief to the
miners, who had before been forced to send
their bullion east at exorbitant charges.
]\Iany are the stories told of the richness
of some of the claims staked by fortunate min-
ers, and nearly every claim had its famous nug-
get. In Brown gulch, five miles from Vir-
ginia City, the gold was coarse and nuggets
of ten ounces or more were not uncommon. In
1867 a miner named Yager found in Fair-
weather gulch, on J. McEvily's claim, a piece
of gold oblong in shape, with a shoulder at
one end and worn smooth, weighing fifteen
pounds, two ounces. One nugget was found
in a tributary of Snowshoe gulch in 1865
which weighed 178 ounces troy, and was worth
$3,200. In July, 1865, a nugget was found in
the claim of Maxwell, Rollins & Co., in Nel-
son's gulch, which was worth $2,073. I" the
same gulch, from J. H. Roger's claim, one
worth $1,650 was found. From Deitrick &
Brother's claim in Rocker gulch, in 1867, a
piece of gold worth $1,800 was found. Three
valuable nuggets were taken from the claim of
Captain Tandy on Scratch Gravel in 1875 ^""^
1876, weighing $375, $475 and $550. From
McClellan's gulch on the Blackfoot river, $30,-
000 was taken from one claim in eleven days
by five men. From a claim, No. 8, below Dis-
covery claim, on the same gulch, $12,584 was
taken out in five days. The dirt back of Black-
foot City paid from twenty cents to one hun-
dred forty dollars to the pan.
So far we have spoken only of the placer
mines, although the discovery of quartz ledges
and the mining of quartz was contemporan-
eous with that of the Bannack placers of 1862.
Because of the richness of the placer mines
very little was done in the direction of quartz
mining in the early days, and almost without
exception dismal failures resulted from at-
tempts in that direction prior to 1870. People
were not content to await slower returns that
come from quartz mining, when the gold could
be picked from the ground with comparative
little expense. An authority on" the mines of
Montana has stated that a few thousand dol-
lars would have been sufficient to buy all the
great bonanzas of Butte even as late as 1870.
In August, 1864, however, there were fourteen
gold mills in operation in the territory, of
which ten were steam mills. The number of
stamps employed at that time was 195, with
several arrastras, all valued at a half million
dollars. Some idea of the condition of quartz
mining in the early days may be gleaned from
the report of A. K. Eaton, made in 1867, as
follows :
.\ large number of mills for the working of gold
ores have been erected in the territory, and few of
them with more than partial success. The reason is
obvious and in their partial failure, mining history only
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
87
repeats itself. Some of them are to that untried char-
acter of which it may be said that whilst they show in
construction some new features and some good ones,
unfortunately the new things are not good and the
good points are not new. Novel inventions, even if
capable of success, are inevitably destined to failure
in a new country. The principal difficulty, however,
has been in the irmperfect management of these dilTer-
ent enterprises, arising sometimes from the incapacity
of agents, but more frequently from the impossibility
of anticipating in a country new and undeveloped, the
exact requirements of the case. One great error has
been made by almost all. It has arisen from the over-
sanguine belief that quartz could be mined in quantity
without preliminary expense in development. The mills
are erected, tlie money and patience of the proprietors
exhausted, and with untold wealth the machinery is
left to rust and rot for want of ore. Today nearly
every mill in the territory could be worked most profit-
ably by the expenditure of a few thousand dollars in
the thorough opening of the mines belonging to them.
So early as 1861 there was published in
the San Francisco Bulletin (August 28th) the
testimony of an old California miner who had
prospected in the Rocky mountain region to
the effect that he had counted seven quartz
lodes in one mountain.
The first lode worked was the Dakota,
bearing gold quartz, which was discovered
near Bannack and located November 12, 1862.
The Dakota was a large, irregular shaped
vein, carrying free gold, varying from three
to eight feet in thickness. The decomposed
quartz from the surface of the vein was packed
down from the bald hill on wdiich it was sit-
uated to the creek, where the gold was panned
out. A mill to crush the quartz was begun by
William Arnold in the winter of 1862 and was
finished by J. F. Allen the following spring,
the motive power for the mill being water. The
mill was erected out of such material as was
at hand. The stamp stems, four in number,
were made of wood ; the shoes and dies of old
wagon tires welded together. Nearly all the
material that w-ent into the mill was furnished
by the wagons abandoned at this point by the
Salmon river emigrants. Out of the wagon
tires, in a common blacksmith shop, were fash-
ioned the stamps, weighing four hundred
pounds each. Out of this simple and econom-
ical contrivance more gold was extracted than
from some mills that were erected later that
cost ten times as much. This primative affair
was followed in 1863 by the erection of other
mills which had been transported from Color-
ado and the east and from that time on the gold
quartz near Bannack gave employment to sev-
eral mills. The first steam quartz mill was put
up in Bannack by Hunkins. Walter C. Hopkins
placed a steam mill on No. 6 Dakota in August,
1866. The Bullion Mining company owned a
mill in 1866, having three Bullock crushers.
This mill was placed on New York ledge. The
East Bannack Gold and Silver Mining com-
pany owned a mill in 1866, which was oper-
ated on the Shober ledge, and of which David
Worden was manager. The Butterfield mill
and the Kirby and Clark mill were also in oper-
ation near Bannack in 1866. During the same
year N. E. Wood placed a Bullock patent
crusher on Dakota No. 12 for the New Jersey
company.
After the Bannack discoveries the next
quartz locations were made in the vicinity of
Helena, where on September 27, 1864, James
W. Whitlatch discovered the famous Union
lode. Concerning this discovery and the early
working of quartz mines in the Helena neigh-
borhood we quote from the history of Montana
by H. H. Bancroft :
In September, 1864. James W. Whitlatch, not much
cultured in book learning, but with great shrewdness
and an indomitable will, who had become acquainted
with mining and milling ores in Nevada and Colorado,
was looking for a quartz location, having prospected
in several districts before he came to Prickly Pear,
where he tried working some silver bearing galena
ores which proved intractable from the presence of
copper and antimony. The expenditure in the country
nf hi.eh prices reduced his exchequer to naught, and he
sought Last Chance gulch, there to encamp for the
winter with eight companions. The placers were
paying enormously, and believing that quartz is the
mother of placer gold, he began searching for the veins.
In this search he was assisted by his eight messmates,
who, having less faith, and desiring to test their for-
tunes in the placer diggings, bound him to an agree-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
ment to give up the pursuit if at the close of a cer-
tain day of the month he had not found his bonanza.
The day was drawing to a close and his cornipanions
had returned to camp when Whitlatch caught sight
of a fragment of quartz, which on being broken open
by his pick showed free gold. It was with a quickened
pulse that he struck it in to the earth and uncovered
the long sought lode.
This was the famous Whitlatch mine. In order to
work it a company was formed of succeeding claimants,
called the Whitlatch Union Mining Company. In 1864-
6s there was taken out a good quantity of ore worth
on an average of $40 per ton, and in September, 1866,
the mill of the National Mining and Exploring Com-
pany commenced crushing it, followed by several others
which were erected in this and the follcnving year.
These were the Tuniley, Hendie, Sensenfelder & Whit-
latch and Ricker & Price mills, the first two erected
in 1866. Over 32,000 tons were worked before the close
of 1867, yielding $1,001,500. The cost of mining and
milling ores in Montana at this period was enormous,
being $7 per ton to get out the ore and from $15 to $18
for crusihing it, in gold, when gold was worth a pre-
mium of 100 per cent. The profit was, therefore, small,
but such as it was, Whitlatch, with the true enterprise
of a pioneer, devoted himself to the further development
of his own and neighboring mines. IXL, owned by
J. C. Ricker and M. A. Price, was claim No. i west
from Whitlatch discovery claim. Whitlatch & Sen-
senfelder was claim No. 3 east and claim No. 3 west
on the lode, from discovery, a half interest in which
was sold to Sensenfelder in June, 1869, and a thirty
stamp mil! erected thereon. The property was resold
to a Philadelphia company under the name of the
Columbia Mining Company of Montana, managed by
B. H. Tatem. Claim No. 4 east was owned equally by
this company and E. Mansfield & Co. Claim No. 2
east was owned by Mansfield and E. Hodson. The
westward extension on the Union lode was called the
Parkinson and was owned by J. W. Whitlatch, J. Park-
inson and C. McClure. On the extension the Essex
Mining company, composed of Thomas Parkinson, W.
Parkinson, Thomas Argj-le and C. McClure, owned
1800 feet. They received a patent for the ground from
the United States, the first granted in Montana under
a law of Congress concerning quartz claims. The mill
site included ten acres on Grizzly gulch, one-quarter
mile from the mine. More fortunate than many other
men of his class, he secured a fortune for his own uses.
The discovery of the Whitlatch lode led to a quartz
excitement, not only about Helena, but in every other
part of Montana. The Cliff was a promising lode at
Helena, discovered by Worden & Hall, on which eigh-
teen claims were located, nine of 'which were consoli-
dated in one company known as the Croesus' Mining
company. The crevice of the Cliff was from 20 to 200
feet wide, and it rose in many places 30 feet above the
surface. It formed a dividing line between the slate
and granite formations. It crossed the gulches in the
vicinity of Helena, all of which paid well below it, and
none paid above it, from which it would appear that it
must have been the source of their riches. The Owyhee
Park mines also were famous in 1866. Prof. Hodge
was agent of the National Mining and Exploring com-
pany of New York, which owned them. Turnley's
mill commenced running on the ores in the latter part
of August, 1866. The Bullion Mining company, of
Nilson's gulch, commenced crushing their ores in No-
vember, 1866. The Sultana, at the head of Grizzly
gulch, had a ten stamp mill erected by J. Gormley & Co.
at work in November also. It w'as erected by Richard
Fisher. His partner, Clifford^ was superintendent for
a New York company which owned five mills in
Georgia before the rebellion. The property being con-
fiscated, Clifford migrated to Colorado and mined there
five years before coming to Montana. Among other
mines partially opened in 1865 near Helena was the
Uncle Sam, owned by a miner from Scotland named
Brown, who had formerly worked on the Gould and
Curry lode of Nevada. This mine was said at the pe-
riod of its discovery to be the richest in the known
world, being a well defined ledge five feet wide, three-
fourths of which was pure gold, and the remainder
principally bismuth. The quartz containing the vein,
it was stated, would assay from $500 to $2,000. Making
every allowance for over-enthusiasm, the Uncle Sam
was undoubtedly a mine of very unusual richness, with
one of those bonanzas at the top which have not been
altogether unknown in other mines.
While the niills were pounding out the gold
in the Bannack and Helena districts, quartz
mining was being also carried on in the vicin-
ity of Virginia City. In Summit district, five
miles south of Virginia City, four mills were
soon at work running on ores taken from mines
near the capital city. Also in Hot Springs dis-
trict, thirty miles north of Virginia City, there
was considerable activity and three mills were
kept busy. The first mill erected in Madison
county was the Idaho, which began pounding
ore with twelve stamps in December, 1865.
It was not successful and was replaced by
another about a j-ear later. The following
year Seneca Falls mill, in a large frame struc-
ture, with excellent machinery ; Scranton mill,
with a Dodge crusher, in a stone building; and
Excelsior mill, with twenty stamps, in a fine
large building, were added to the Idaho mill.
In a gulch just below Summit was the Forest
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
mill with twenty-four stamps, which crushed
the ore from the Mesler lode. A fifty stamp
mill arrived the same year for the Mill creek
mines, the owners of which were J. A. Dowdall,
Manlius Branham and C. C. Branham. The
first run was made on the Lady Suffolk lode.
Two mills arrived in Summit in October for
Frank Chistnot from Nebraska City. The
best known lodes of Summit district were the
Yankee Blade, Lucas, Caverone, Oro Cache
and Keystone. There was a mill belonging to
Raglan, Cope & Naptoon, a custom mill, and
one to the Clark & Upson Mining Co., of which
company Prof. Eaton was the agent. The
mines in the Hot Springs district which were
worked at this period were the Cotopaxi, Gold
Hill, Esop, Oro Fino, Sebastapol, Buena Vista,
Poco Tiempo, Alpha, Cleopatra, Mark Antony,
May Reid, Megatherium, Brooklyn and Pony,
the last named being the leading mine. There
were several other mills running in this vicin-
ity in 1867, owned by H. A. Ward, McAn-
drews, Warre & Co., Isaac and L. W. Borton.
At Pipestone, a few miles north of Hot
Springs, a mill was erected in 1866. At Fish
creek, a short distance south of Pipestone, the
Red Mountain district was opened too late
that season for the introduction of mills.
Other important quartz mining districts in
the sixties were Trout Creek, Crow Creek,
Silver Bow, Blackfoot and McCIellan. Again
we quote from Bancroft concerning the mines
in these districts :
Northeast of and within about fifteen miles of
Helena, on the east side of the Missouri, was the Trout
Creek district, in which both mills and arrastras were
busily at work grinding and pounding out gold from
rock of great richness, at a place 'called New York,
on a creek flowing into the Missouri, with a Brooklyn
on the opposite side, the two towns having a population
of about 400. Jo'hn A. Gaston, one of the first comers,
and an Englishman, was associated with Sim'pson in a
thirty stamip quartz mill. Each stamp weighed 600
pounds and dropped thirty-five times a minute, pound-
ing 22 tons in 24 hours. It started up August 28, 1866.
A water power mill, with an eleven foot overshot -wheel,
■was located west of the steam mill and carried six
joo-pound stamps, crushing a ton a day eaich. This
was the pioneer mill of the Trout Creek district and
belonged to Wessel & Wilkes, and started August 25.
It was an arastra attached. Another water mill was
erected by Cullen, and a twenty stamp steam mill by
Hendrie & Cass, during the summer. An arastra be-
longing to Rumlay & Watrous consisted of a circular
basin twelve feet in diameter, with five mullers, weigh-
ing in the aggregate 3,000 pounds. It reduced l.ooo
pounds of ore in six hours, and was run by water
power for an overall, it wheel, eight feet in diameter.
The Star of the W'e-t wa- tlie first ledge developed
in this district. Seven terns yielded $387.50 in Wessel
& Wilkes' arrastra, at a total expense of $97.50. The
Nonpareil, Grizzly, Alta, Excelsior No. 2, Little Giant,
Zebra, Chief of Montana, Hidbard, Trout, Keystone,
Humbolt, Sampson and Old Dad were more or less
worked in 1866. The mines, both placer and quartz,
were discovered in January by four hunters returning
from an exploring expedition to Sun river. These men
were ^loore, Price, Ritter and Spivey, The valley of
Trout creek was two and one-half by one and one-
fourth miles in extent. The stream furnished the
famous New York gulches and numerous bars.
In June, 1866, quartz and placer mines were dis-
covered on Crow creek, on the west side of the Mis-
souri, nearly due west of the south end of the Belt
range of mountains, which has furnished so great a
number of good mines on the east side. At this place
the town of Radersburg was laid out in October, one
mile from the road leading from Helena to
Gallatin. The first lode found was the Blipp, by J. A.
Cooper and George Beard. The Johnny Keating and
Blacher, Ironclad, Leviathan, Twilight, Nighthawk,
Ohio, Ultramarine. Robert E. Lee and twenty others
were located during the summer. The district was a
rich one and Radersburg had in 1868 six hundred in-
habitants.
In the Silver Bow and Blackfoot regions quartz
was being daily discovered. In December, 1865, there
had been discovered the Lioness, Rocker, Shamrock,
Original, Alhambra, Wild Pat, Mountaineer, Polar
Star, Lepley, Dewey, Arctic, Fairmont and a host of
others. Quartz was discovered near McCIellan gulch
by Henry Prosser and Charles Melvin, i.ooo feet of
which sold for $10,000. This was the Glencofe mine.
But there appears to have been no mills introduced
west of the Rocky mountains until later.
We have next to consider the silver mining
histoiy of Montana. In minin,g countries the
usual succession is first placer mining, then
quartz gold mining, and lastly silver quartz
mining. But in Montana the discovery of gold
and silver quartz was made at almost the same
time. The first experiment with silver quartz
90
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
was made in the Blue Wing and Rattlesnake
districts, a few miles east and northeast of
Bannack. The first lodes of the Blue Wing
district where the Huron, Wide West, Blue
Wing, Arizona and Silver Rose; of the Rattle-
snake district. Legal Tender, White Cloud,
New World, Watson and Dictator. The ores
carried enough galena to make them reducible
by the smelting process, furnaces being set
up in 1866 by several companies. James A.
jMcKnight, an authority on the mines of Mon-
tana, has written concerning the first silver
mill erected within the state : "The first silver
mill was unquestionably the old Pioneer. The
pans for this mill were shipped by wagon all
the way from San Francisco, and in crossing
the Rio Virgin, in southern Utah, the team
sunk in the quicksand and the pans were buried
there for several weeks till they could be dug
out and raised from the river by derricks."
The first smelter was erected at Marj'sville
by the New York & Montana Mining, Pros-
pecting and Discovering company. Their sci-
entist was W. K. Eaton, and their general
manager, E. Loring Pratt. In 1868 the St.
Louis Smelting company erected furnaces at
Argenta. The Rocky Mountain Gold and Sil-
ver Mining company put up a cupelling fur-
nace at Marysville, just east of Bannack. The
ore smelted was from the Wide West in Blue
Wing district. A blasting furnace was erected
by Prof. Eaton; a furnace and a twenty-four
stamp mill by Duran & Co. ; a cupel furnace in
the Rattlesnake district by Professor Augustus
Steitz, on Legal Tender lode. The ore yielded
80 percent lead. The mine was owned by Es-
ler and others. The Stapleton and Henry Clay
ores were also worked in this furnace. The
Huron Silver ^^lining company' also erected
furnaces.
This beginning created a sort of epidemic
of silver mining. The fact that placer mines
were not being discovered as rapidly as had
been the case during the first few years of the
rush to Montana led more people to turn their
attention to quartz mining. In the rich and
fertile valleys, where no one dreamed of look-
ing for mineral, cropped up legions of silver
lodes, notably in the country about the three
forks of the ]\Iissouri. Silver Bow creek,
which had received its name because of the
shiny crescent of water which the creek
formed, now meant that the crescent was
backed by a wall of silver leads. Among the
other early silver discoveries were in Jefferson
county, notably the Gregory, owned by Axers
& Mimmaw.
The activity in mining circles, which had
prevailed during the early days, began to wane
about 1869, and during the few years follow-
ing Montana was in comparative poverty.
Large streams of gold were continually pour-
ing out of the country, and the population was
diminishing, owing to the migration of miners
to new discoveries in other parts of the coun-
try and the natural desire of many to return
to their homes in the east as soon as they had
made a "stake." Besides the precious metals
and a few hides and furs there were no exports
from the territory, always a bad condition for
any country. An extravagant system of gov-
ernment added to the burdens of the people.
This condition of stagnation lasted until about
1873. But this period, however, discouraging,
was not lost upon the permanent population,
which was paving the way for more prosper-
ous times. Those who owned quartz mines
and mills, and who had not found them re-
munerative by reason of defects in machinery
or ignorance of methods, took time to right
themselves, or found others willing to take
the property off their hands at a discount and
make improvements. Those who owned placer
claims were driven to construct ditches and
flumes whereby the dry gulches and creek beds
could be mined.
Strong reaction toward an increased produc-
tion of the precious metals did not begin until
in 1878. Then the silver yield was in excess
of the gold. The most famous silver districts.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
91
which were beings developed at that time were
at Butte, Philhpsburg, Glendale and Jefferson.
Having purposely neglected to make very
little mention of the mining history' of the dis-
trict about Butte, heretofore in this chapter,
we shall now confine our attention to that won-
derful district, than which there is no greater
mining district on the continent, or perhaps in
the world, no spot which presents such a pic-
ture of human life and endeavor. The country
round is entirely barren and desolate. Trees
and vegetation of all kinds are an impossibility
on account of the presence of the fumes from
the smelters and reduction works in the valley,
and even- particle of timber has been cut down
to be user:! as fuel. Concerning the Butte for-
mation James A. McKnight has written :
The vein systems of Butte have been so often de-
scribed in scientific terms and so little understood that
it may not be amiss to give an idea of them in plain
language. The formation is granite, with occasional
porphry. The trend of the veins is due east and west;
their dip is generally south and the pitch of the ore
sihoots almost invariably west. These parallel veins
occur at irregular intervals from the Utah & Northern
depot to a point a mile north of Walkerville, and can
be traced laterally for five miles in length. * * * They are
true fissures, like most of the great mines of the world,
and each seems to retain its uniformity as to width,
depth and general characteristics. The larger veins
vary in width from ten to one hundred feet, and seem
to extend through the granite like vast channels filled
with argentiferous or cupriferous ores, and showing
vast spaces where they are merged. The ore, as before
stated, occurs in shoots, usually varying in length from
100 to 1,000 feet. These shoots are the bonanza de-
posits, and they differ from pockets or kidneys in that
they are more lasting. A pocket is very seldom per-
manent, and a miner sinking a shaft to strike a pocket
is always likely to strike above or below it. Not so
with the ore such as occurs at BuUe. It often fills the
vein from wall to wall. Its dip is uniform. It goes to
the deep. No bottom has yet been found to the great
ore shoots of the Butte mines. Permanence is their dis-
tinguishing feature and the mighty three-compartment
shafts which are sunk 400 feet without cross-cutting to
the vein afford the best evidence of the confidence of
capital in the downward continuity of the veins. Tliere
is enough ore in sight in the Butte mines today (1892)
to last fifty years, and still not one claim in 20 is being
opened. It is not a question of ore, but one of mills
and smelters that sometimes agitates the people of
Butte. As far as ore is concerned there never was a
camp like Butte and may never be again. The whole
district is laced by mineral veins.
In May, 1864, G. O. Humphreys and Wil-
liam Allison came to this now renowned spot
and camped above where Butte now stands
on what is known now as Baboon gulch, and
prospected for a month in the vicinity. At
that time there were no stakes struck nor any
signs of work having been done in the camp,
except upon what is now known as the Origi-
nal lode, where there was an old hole sunk four
or five feet. Near the hole were some elk
horns, which had evidently been used for gads
and handspikes. From all appearances the
work had been done years before. By whom
this work was done there is no telling, nor will
it probably ever be known. Humphreys and
Allison returned to Virginia City for .provi-
sions, and early in June came back to their old
prospecting grounds. Near here during the
month of May Charles Murphy, Major Wil-
liam Graham and Frank Madison prospected
and staked the first claim in the vicinity —
named by them the Deer Lodge lode, but
later known as the Black Chief. This was an
enormous ledge, extending for miles.
Humphreys and 'Allison discovered and
staked the Missoula, Virginia and Moscow
leads. During the months of June and July
they ran a tunnel upon the first named, and
organized what w-as known as the Missoula
company, consisting of Frank and Ed Madi-
son, Dent, G. Tutt, Col. R. W. Donnell,
Swaope, Hawley, Allison and Humphreys.
Soon after the discovery of the Missoula lode
Dennis Leary and H. H. Porter, w^ho w-ere
fishing on the Big Hole river, followed the
wagon tracks of Humphreys and Allison into
camp and were favorably impressed by the ap-
pearance of the ore from the Missoula lode.
Copper was soon found in the foothills in
the same vicinity and soon a camp of seventy-
five or a hundred men was in existence on
Silver Bow creek — the foundation of the city
92
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
of Butte. Although mineral was found in
plenty the miners had neither mills nor smelt-
ers, and had it not been for the finding of good
placer diggings by Felix Burgoyne, the camp
would probably have been abandoned. As it
was the miners stayed in the vicinity, and in
1866 a furnace for smelting copper was erected
by Joseph Ramsdall, William Parks and Por-
ter Bros.
But the times were not prosperous in the
camp and the original locaters of the claims
did not have confidence enough in them to do
the assessment work. In 1875 the time ex-
pired when the discoverers could hold their
claims without doing the assessment work
fixed by a law of congress, and the discover-
ers not appearing to make these improvements,
W. L. Farlin relocated thirteen of the quartz
claims located southwest of Butte, erected a
quartz mill and infused new life into the camp.
Five years later a substantial city, with five
thousand inhabitants, occupied the place of
the fonner shabby array of miners' cabins.
Twenty mills, arrastras, roasters and smelters
were in existence and $1,500,000 was being an-
nually turned out.
For the early history of the other import-
ant mining districts we quote again from the
history of H. H. Bancroft :
Cable district. Cable district, twenty-five miles
northwest of Butte, took its name trom the Atlantic
Cable gold mine, which yielded $20,000 from 100 tons
of quartz, picked specimens from which weighing 200
pounds contained $7,000 in gold.
Algonquin district : Northwest of the Cable dis-
trict was the silver district of Algonquin, on Flint
creek, where the town of Phillipsburg was placed.
Here were the famous Algonquin and Speckled Trout
mines, with reduction works erected by the North-west
Company. In 1881 a body of ore was found in the
Algonquin which averaged 500 ounces to the ton of
silver, with enough in sight to yield $2,000,000. The
Hope. Comanche and other mines in this district were
worked by a St. Louis company, and produced bullion
to the amount of from $300,000 to $500,000 annually
since 1877. The Granite furnished rock worth $75 a
ton.
Phillipsburg district: Phillipsburg was laid out
in 1867, its future being predicated upon the silver
bearing veins in its vicinity. The first mill, erected at
a great expense by the St. Louis & Montana Mining
Company, failed to extract the silver, which for years
patient mine ownerrs had been reducing by crude arras-
tras and hand machinery to prove the value of their
mines, and the prospects of Phillipsburg were clouded.
A home association, called the Imperial Silver Mining
Company, was formed in 1871, which erected a five
stamp mill and roaster, and after many costly experi-
ments, found the right method of extracting silver
from the ores of the district. The stamps of their mill
being of wood, soon wore out, and the company made
contracts with the St. Louis Company's mill to crush
the ore from the Speckled Trout mine, the machinery
having to be changed from wet to dry crushing, and
two new roasting furnaces erected, the expense being
borne by the Imperial company. The process which
was adopted in this district was known as the Reese
river chloridizing process. The cost of milling and
roasting the ore was $40 per ton, and the yield $125.
Eight tons per day of 24 hours was the capacity of the
works. In 1876 the St. Louis company took $20,000
worth of silver bullion from 157 tons of the Hope ore,
and the average yield of medium ore rated at $65 per
ton. As a result of the profitable working of the mmes
of this district, the population, which in 1872 was little
over 200, by 1886 had doubled * * *
Lewis and Clark county: In Lewis and Clark
coimty the quartz gold mines held their own. The
Whitlatch-Union, after producing $3,500,000, suspended
that its owners might settle some points of difference
between them, and not from any want orf productive-
ness. About 25 miles northwest of Helena was the Sil-
ver Creek or Stemple district, the most famous of
whose mines of gold is the Penobscot, discovered by
Nathan Vestal, who took out $100,000, and then sold
the mine for $400,000. The mines in this district pro-
duced by milling about $10 per ton on the average.
The Belmont produced with a twenty stamp mill $200,-
000 annually, at a profit of nearly half that amount.
The Bluebird, Hickory, Gloster and Drum Lemond
w-ere averaging $10 to $12 per ton.
Jefferson county: Silver mines were worked at
Clancy, eighteen miles south of Helena. At A. VVickes,
25 miles south, were the most extensive smelting works
in Montana, erected by the .-Mta-Montana company,
which had a capital stock of $5,000,000, and calculated
to treat all classes of ores in which silver and lead
combined.
Qark's Fork: Silver was discovered on Clark's
Fork of the Yellowstone in 1874, and F. D. Pease went
to Pennsylvania in the spring of 1875 to arrange for
erecting smelter works; but Indian troubles prevented
mining in that region until 1877. when the Eastern
Montana Mining and Smelting Company erected fur-
naces. In 1873 the famous Trapper silver lode was dis-
covered, follo\ved immediately by others in the vi-
cinity.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
93
The product of gold and silver from Mon-
tana mines during the first nineteen years after
the discovery of gold, according to figures con-
tained in Strahorn's "^Montana," was as
follows :
1862 $ 600,000
1863 8,000,000
1864 16,000,000
1865 18,000,000
1866 17,000,000
1867 16,000,000
1868 15,000,000
1869 1 1,000,000
1870 9,000,000
1 87 1 8,000,000
1872 7.000,000
1873 5,200,000
1874 4,000,000
1875 4,100,000
1876 4,500,000
1877 $3,750,000
1878 4,867,000
1879 5,000,000
1880 6,500,000
Total $164,517,000
According to the same authority these
sums were divided among the several counties
as they existed at the time as follows :
Madison $79,500,000
Lewis and Clark . . 29,000,000
Deer Lodge 26,367,000
Meagher 135000,000
Beaver Head .... 19,500,000
Jefferson 5,500,000
Missoula 1,000,000
Gallatin 650,000
CHAPTER VIII
THE REIGN OF TERROR.
The history of Montana would be woefully
incomplete without the narration of the law-
lessness in the different mining camps in the
early sixties and its suppression by a bold band
of the best citizens from the several camps,
who styling itself a vigilance committee,
hung the worst of the offenders, banished
others, and in a short time restored compara-
tive order where before murder, robbery and
social vice had brazenly presented an organized
front and offered open contest for supremacy.
The history of civilization has demonstra-
ted that society cannot exist without laws ; that
whenever even a few have gathered in one lo-
cality, some one must take the reins of govern-
ment and administer justice; that without or-
ganized principles civilization cannot prosper.
Man in his most savage state lived without any
form of government. However, during times
of scarcity of food he would organize war
parties, some one being chosen chief, that he
might capture other human beings for food.
From this beginning of organized government
there has been a steady advance toward a
higher organization, which has resulted in
modern policies of government, where every
subject is assured the protection of life, the
security of property and the pursuit of happi-
ness.
There have been times in the newly settled
portions of our country when the government
was not adequate to cope with the lawless ele-
94
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
ment, when the Hves of subjects were im-
periled, and when property was subject to no
protection. During such times the law abiding-
have found it necessary to put into execution
such measures as would provide protection, and
such organizations in our western country
were known as vigilance committees.
In no other portion of the civilized world
were the lawless in such complete control of
affairs as they were in the mining comps of
Montana before the vigilantes organized.
When gold was discovered here the most des-
perate characters swarmed in. Most of these
first came from the mines of Idaho, where they
had bad records. Having committed desperate
deeds in other places and finding public senti-
ment against them, they had come to the new
"diggings," well aware that if they vi'ere taken
prisoner and removed to the places where their
criminal acts had been committed, the law
would have no mercy upon them. Others
flocked into the new country whose past re-
cords were not s.tained by nefarious deeds, but
whose temperaments were such that when
brought face to face with the opportunity of
acquiring a fortune without labor and with little
liability of punishment, and when coming in
contact with men of a lawless nature, they
needed but little encouragment to induce them
to become members of the outlaw class. Such
men as these are known to all new mining
countries.
We of today can hardly realize to what ex-
tent these desperadoes gained control of the
early mining camps of Montana. Never be-
fore, since man became civilized, had the law-
less gained the upper hand in a civilized com-
munity to such an extent as they did here. The
work of this class is generally done by stealth,
in darkness, and as far away from society as
it is possible to get. Here it was in the open.
Men openly boasted of their crimes and feared
not punishment. Think of a community of
several thousand people in which the criminal
element is greater than the peaceful element
and you may be able to realize something of
the condition here. When the Montana vigi-
lantes entered upon their work they did not
kno\\' how soon they might have to encounter a
force numerically greater than their own — and
the committee was composed of nearly all law
abiding citizens of the territor\-. For a long
time no organized effort was made to bring
about a change of condition for the reason that
the friends of law and order believed the power
of evil to be in the ascendant and that it would
be impossible to check the lawlessness. Thus
encouraged, the ruffian power increased in
audacity and threatened all that portion of the
community which did not belong to its or-
ganization. "An issue involving the destruc-
tion of the good or bad element actually ex-
isted at the time that the people entered upon
the work of punishment," says Mr. Nathaniel
P. Langford in "Vigilante Days and Ways."
As Bannack was the first [Montana camp,
here the desperadoes came first. Early in the
winter of 1862 from the mines west of the
Rocky mountains came Henry Plummer, soon
afterward elected sheriff, Charlie Reeves,
Cyrus Skinner and Augustus Moore. These
were the van guard of the desperate characters
to come to Montana. They no sooner got the
lay of the country than they began operations.
These ruffians served as a nucleus for the or-
ganization of an outlaw band, composed of all
the disloyal, desperate and dishonest of the
camp. The condition of affairs in Bannack at
that time is ven,^ entertainingly told by Mr.
Langford as follows :
The very composition of the society of Bannack
at the time was such as to excite suspicion in all minds.
Outside of their immediate acquaintances, men knew
not whom to trust. They were in the midst of a peo-
ple who had come from all parts of the country and
from many of the nations of the old world. Laws
which could not be executed were no better than none.
A people, however, disposed to the preservation of
order and punishment of crimes, was powerless for
either so long as every man distrusted his neighbor.
The robbers, united by a bond of sympathetic atrocity,
assumed the right to control the affairs of the camp by
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
95
the bloody code. No one was safe. The miner for-
tunate enough to accumulate a few thousands, the
merchant whose business gave evidence of success, the
saloonkeeper whose patronage was supposed to be pro-
ductive, were all marked as victims by these lawless
adventurers. If one of them needed clothing, ammuni-
tion or food, he obtained it on a credit which no one
dared refuse, and settled it by threatening to shoot the
person bold enough to ask for payment. Such a con-
dition of society as all foresaw, must sooner or later
terminate in disaster to the lovers of law and order or
to the villains who depredated upon them. Which were
the stronger? The roughs knew their power, but their
antagonists, separately hedged about by suspicion as
indiscriminate as it was inflexible, knew not how to
establish confidence in each other upon which to base
an effective opposition. Meantime the carnival of
crime was progressing. Scarcely a day passed unsignal-
ized by outrage or murder. The numerous tenants
of the little graveyard had all died by violence. Peo-
ple walked the streets in fear.
The roughs kept the law abiding citizens
in a constant state of terror; wanton and un-
provoked murders were the order of the day.
But there was method in their lawlessness. The
more daring of the rough element organized
as a band of road agents. After other camps
were established and communication was es-
tablished, these robbers systemised a plan of
highway robbery. Members of the band were
in both Bannack and Virginia City and cor-
respondence was constantly kept up. The
roads throughout the territory were under the
surveillance of members of the gang and to
such a system was their work reduced that
horses, men and coaches were marked in some
understood manner, to designate them as fit
objects for robbery. When a coach or "train"
was about to leave a town some member of
the road agents was always on hand to get
the particulars of its destination and amount of
gold carried, and with the system of markings
those who were lying in wait received all the
information necessary.
Thomas J. Dimsdale, in "The Vigilantes
of Montana," tells of the usual method oi
operating: "The usual arms of a road agent
were a pair of revolvers, a double-barreled shot
gun, of large bore, with the barrels cut down
short, and to this they invariably added a knife
or dagger. Thus armed and mounted on fleet,
well-trained horses, and being disguised with
blankets and masks, the robbers awaited their
prey in aniljush. When near enough they
sprang out on a keen run, with leveled shot
guns, and usually gave the word, 'Halt ! Throw
up your hands, you !' If
this latter command were not instantly obeyed,
that was the last of the offender; but, in case
he complied, as was usual, one or two sat on
their horses, covering the party with their
guns, which were loaded with buck-shot, and
one dismounting, disarmed the victims and
made them throw their purses on the grass.
This being done, and a search for concealed
property being effected, away rode the robbers,
reported the capture and divided the spoils."
From the confession of Erastus Yaeger,
commonly known as "Red," at the time of his
execution by the vigilantes, the members of the
band became known for the first time. Henry
Plummer was chief of the band; Bill Bunton,
stool pigeon and second in command; George
Brown, secretary; Sam Bunton, roadster;
Cyrus Skinner, fence, spy and roadster;
George Shears, horse thief and roadster ; Frank
Parish, horse thief and roadster ; Hayes Lyons,
telegraph man and roadster; Bill Hunter, tel-
egraph man and roadster; Ned Ray, council-
room keeper at Bannack City; George Ives,
Stephen Marshland, Dutch John (Wagner),
Alex Carter, Whiskey Bill (Graves), Johnny
Cooper, Buck Stinson, Mexican Frank, Bob
Zachary, Boone Helm, Clubfoot George
(Lane), Billy Terwilliger, Gad Moore were
roadsters. "Red" was also a member of the
band. According to this statement these men
were bound by oath to be true to each other,
and were required to perform such services as
came within the defined meaning of their sep-
arate positions in the band. The penalty of
disobedience was death. If any of them, un-
der any circumstances, divulged any of the
secrets or guilty purposes of the band, he was
96
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
to be followed and shot down at sight. The
same doom was prescribed for any outsiders
who attempted an exposure of their criminal
designs, or arrested any of them for the com-
mission of crime. Their great object w^as de-
clared to be plunder, in all cases without taking
life if possible; but if murder was necessary,
it was to be committed. Their pass-word was
"Innocent." Their neckties were fastened with
a sailor's knot, and they wore mustaches and
chin whiskers.
Henry Plummer, the leader of the gang,
was no ordinary criminal. When he first came
to Bannack he held the esteem of all citizens.
So popular was he that he was elected sheriff,
which office he held for a long time. Con-
cerning this man, who finally met death at the
hands of the vigilantes, Mr. Langford, who
was intimately acquainted with him, has said :
"He possessed great executive ability — a
power over men that was remarkable, a fine
person, polished address, and prescient knowl-
edge of his fellows — all of which were mel-
lowed by the advantages of a good early edu-
cation. Withal the concerns of a mining
camp experience had made him familiar, and
for some weeks after his arrival in Bannack
he was of tener applied to for counsel and advice
than any other resident. Cool and dispassionate,
he evinced on these occasions a power of analy-
sis that seldom failed of conviction. He speed-
ily became a generad favorite. We can better
imagine than describe the mixed nature of
those feelings, which, fired with ambitious de-
signs and virtuous purposes, beheld the way to
their fulfilment darkened by a retrospect of un-
paralleled atrocity. So true it is that the worst
men are the last to admit to themselves the
magnitude of their offences, that even Plum-
mer, stained with the guilt of repeated mur-
ders and seductions, a very monster of iniquity,
believed that his restoration to the pursuits
and honors of virtuous association could be
established but for the possible exposure by
some of his guilty partners. He knew their
watchful eyes were upon him; but they were
ready to follow him as a leader or crush him
as a traitor." Professor Dunsdale has written
of the chief of road agents : "Plummer was a
man of most insinuating address and gentle-
manly manners under ordinary circumstances,
and had the art of ingratiating himself with
men and even with ladies and women of all
conditions. Wherever he dwelt, victims and
mistresses of this wily seducer w'ere to be
found. It was only when excited by passion
that his savage instincts got the better of him
and that he appeared in his true colors — a very
demon."
Space prohibits our telling of the many
crimes committed by the lawless element of
Bannack in 1862, all of which were unre-
strained. Not even a protest of any kind had
been made against this state of affairs — the
law abiding believing the lawless to be the
numerically stronger, and that any attempt to
bring any of the outlaws to justice would re-
sult in disaster to all who took part in the pro-
ceedings.
The first attempt to mete out punishment
was early in the year 1863, and was brought
about by one of the most atrocious and un-
provoked crimes that had yet been committed.
Charley Reeves, a member of the gang, had
bought a squaw from the Sheep Eater tribe of
Bannacks. She refused to live with Reeves,
claiming that she was ill treated, and returned
to live with her friends. The tepee in which she
was stopping was located on an elevation south
of that portion of the town known as Yankee
Flat, a few rods to the rear of the street.
Reeves proceeded to the tepee to compel the
squaw to return with him. She refused and
he then used force. An old chief interfering, a
scuffle ensued and in the melee the chief re-
ceived a blow from Reeves' pistol, one barrel
of which was harmlessly discharged.
The next evening while intoxicated. Reeves
and Moore entered Goodrich's saloon and de-
posited upon the bar two double barreled shot
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
97
guns and four revolvers, declaring that if the
people of Yankee Flat were afraid of the In-
dians, they were not and that they would soon
set the ball rolling. They carried their implied
threats into execution, and going to the rear of
the houses, opposite the Indian camp, they
emptied their weapons into the tepee. The
result was highly unsatisfactory to the desper-
adoes, only one Indian being wounded. They
then returned to the saloon, where they boasted
of what they had done, and took several more
drinks. Then, accompanied by William
Mitchell, they went back to the vicinity of the
Indian camp determined to complete their mur-
derous work. All three fired a volley into the
tepee with the result that there were killed the
old chief, a lame Indian, a pappoose and a
Frenchman by the name of Gazette, who had
come to the tepee to learn the cause of the
firing. Several other persons who were there
for the same reason were wounded. When the
murderers were afterward told that they had
killed white men, Moore with a profusion of
profane appellations said "they had no business
there."
For the first time in the history of Bannack
indignation was aroused to such an extent
that the matter of punishing the perpetrators
was discussed. A mass meeting of citizens was
held the next morning and guards were ap-
pointed to prevent the escape of the murderers.
Moore and Reeves, hearing of the contem-
plated action, fled on foot in the direction of
Rattlesnake. Henry Plummer preceded them
on horseback, evidently to provide means for
their protection, but as he afterwards asserted
through fear that in the momentary excitement
the people might hang him for the shooting of
Jack Cleveland, which crime had been com-
mitted only a short time previous. When it
was found that Moore and Reeves had gone
volunteers were called for to pursue and ar-
rest them. Messrs. Lear, Higgins, Rockwell
and Davenport offered their services and came
up with the fugitives about twelve miles from
7
town, where they were hidden in a thicket of
brush near the creek. They at first refused to
surrender, but aiming their pistols at the ap-
proaching party ordered them to approach no
farther if they \'alued their lives. The pur-
suers were entirely at the mercy of the murder-
ers, who could easily have shot down every
one of the attacking party. A parley ensued
in which the position of both parties was fully
discussed. The attackers admitted that it
would be impossible for them to effect a cap-
ture, but they argued that ultimate escape was
entirely out of the question, as their failure to
return with the prisoners would result in the
sending out of such a party that the capture
of the criminals would surely result. An agree-
ment was reached by the surrender of the fugi-
tives upon the express condition that they
should be granted a jury trial. All then re-
turned to Bannack.
Plummer was put upon trial immediately
and was acquitted, the verdict apparently meet-
ing a popular approval, the claim being made
at the trial that the shooting was done in self
defence. Early the next morning the whole
population of Bannack assembled for the trial
of Reeves, Moore and Mitchell. Business in
the camp was suspended. The miners quit
their work, the stores and hotels were aban-
doned, and the whole population, numbering at
least four hundred people, assembled at the
large log building which had been designated
as the place for conducting the trial.
The account of this trial, the most remark-
able one that has ever come to our notice, we
shall present in the words of Mr. N. P. Lang-
ford, who was one of the jurymen — the only
one Avho had the courage to render a verdict
in accordance with his conviction :
Every man was armed, some with rifles and shot
guns, others with pistols and knives. The friends of
the prisoners gave free utterance to threats, which they
accompanied with much profane assumption of supe-
rior power and many defiant demonstrations. Pistols
were flourished and discharged, oaths and epithets
freely bestowed upon the citizens, and whatever ve-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
hemence of gesture and expression could do to intimid-
ate the people, avas adopted. Amid all this bluster it
was apparent from the first that the current of popular
opinion set strongly against the prisoners. There was
an air of quiet determination manifested in every
movement preparatory for the trial. The citizens were
ready for an outbreak, and the least indication in that
direction would have been the signal for a bloody and
decisive battle. It is not improbable that an attempt
at rescue was prevented by the presence of the over-
powering force of armed and indignant citizens.
The efforts of the roughs to suppress the trial
only increased the indignation of the people, and after
electing a temporary chairman, a motion was made
that the accused be tried by a miners' court. * * *
When the motion was made to substitute the miners'
court it fell into their midst like a thunderbolt. They
regarded a trial by the mass as certain of conviction
as a trial 'by jury would be acquittal, not because the
later would be any less likely than the former too per-
ceive their guilt, but because fear of personal conse-
quences would prevent them from declairing it. Men
whose identity was lost in a crowd would do that which
if they were known, would mark them as victims for
future assassination. The friends of the prisoners
showed the estimation in which they regarded this
consideration when they openly threatened with death
every individual who participated in the trial. They
anticipated that, as none would dare in defiance of this
threat to act upon a jury, all proceedings would be
suppressed, thus renewing the license for their con-
tinued depredations.
The statement of the motion by the chairman was
the signal for a violent commotion among the roughs.
One long howl of profanity, mingled with the most dia-
bolical threats and repeated discharge of pistols, filled
the room. Many shots were turned from their deadly
aim by timely hands and discharged into the ceiling.
Knives were drawn and flourished in the faces of prom-
inent citizens, accompanied with threats of death in
case the motion prevailed. The scene was fearful in
the extreme. The miners in different parts of the
crowd could be seen getting their guns and pistols
ready for a collision which at one stage of the tumult
it seemed impossible to avoid. At length the repeated
cries of the chairman for order, and the earnest voices
of several persons who were desirous of discussing the
proposition, allayed the noise and confusion, so that
they could be heard. The guilt of the prisoners was
so palpable that the people deemed any sort of a trial
which would not speedily terminate in their condem-
nation a farce. A very large majority were in favor
of a miner's court, because they foresaw that any other
form of trial afforded opportunity for escape. Three
hours were spent in determining the question. Many
short, emphatic arguments were made. In the mean-
time the disturbance made by the roughs waxed and
waned to suit the different stages of the discussion.
Shots at one moment and shouts at another betrayed
their approval of the sentiments of the speaker. I had
from the first made myself offensive to my own immed-
iate friends and intimates by pertinaciously claiming
for the prisoneers a trial by jury, and mounting a
bench I embraced an early opportunity to give, in a few
pointed words addressed to the assembled miners, my
views. I reminded them of the constitutional pro-
vision which secured to everyone accused of crime a
trial by jury. It was the law of the land, as appli-
cable on this as on any other occasion. The men were
probably guilty; if so, the fact should be proved; if not,
they had the right by law. on proving it, to an acquittal.
Moreover they had surrendered at a time when they
could not have been captured, upon the express con-
dition that they should be tried by jury. I asked,
"Shall we ignore the agreement made with them by our
officers?" I concluded by offering a motion that they
be tried by jury. It was negatived by three to one.
Immediately a cry rose in the crowd, "Hang them at
once ;" this was followed by other cries of "String
'em up," "To the scaffold with 'em." Pistols were
drawn and flourished more freely than before, and
many personal collisions, resulting in bloody noses,
black eyes and raw heads took place in all parts of the
room. Another hour was spent in discussion, and
finally by a bare majority it was agreed to give the
prisoners the benefit of a trial by jury.
It is impossible to portray with accuracy of de-
tail the fearful effects of passion which were exhibited
by the assembly while this question was being deter-
mined. On a limited scale it could not have been unlike
some of the riotous gatherings in Paris in the days of
th^ first revolution. It wanted numbers, it wanted the
magnificent surroundings of those scenes, but as an
exhibition of the passions of depraved men, when in-
flamed with anger, drink and vengeance, it could not
have been greatly surpassed by them.
Order at length being restored, a portion of the
room was enclosed with scantling for the accommoda-
tion of the court and jury. J. F. Hoyt was elected
judge. Hank Crawford sheriff and George Copley
prosecutor. The jury was next chosen by a vote of the
people. My own appointment on the jury was urged
by the roughs as a compliment for my efforts to ob-
tain for them a jury trial. I was regarded by them as
a friend, and they hoped confidently for acquittal
through my influence.
At first it was determined that the examination of
tlie witnesses for both prosecution and defence should
be conducted by George Copley, the prosecutor, but
upon an appeal for justice in behalf of the prisoners
it was at length decided by a small majority that the
accused should be allowed the assistance of counsel,
with the understanding that all the questions of their
counsel were first to be submitted to the prosecutor.
Hon. William C. Rheem was chosen to defend the pris-
oners, and there were many threats of violence toward
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
99
him for consenting to conduct the defence. It was
agreed that the arguments to be made on either side
should be brief, and that the trials should be urged to
their conclusion with all possible expedition. Mr.
Rheem's ability as a lawj'er was unquestioned^ — which
fact furnished to those who objected to a jurj- trial
their principal reason for opposing his employment as
counsel for the prisoners. As the extent of Mitchell's
criminality was uncertain, he was allowed a separate
trial. His case was first brought under examination.
It appeared in evidence that he accompanied Moore and
Reeves on their second murderous visit to the tepee,
but he was able to show that he did not once fire his
gun, and consequently could not be guilty of murder.
His trial was soon teniiinated. The jury recommended
that he should be immediately banished from the gulch.
The guilt of Moore and Reeves was fully estab-
lished. This result was foreseen by their friends : and
while the trial was in progress they sought by threats
and ferocious gesticulations to intimidate the jury.
Gathering around the side of the enclosure occupied
by the iury, they kept up a continued conversation, the
purport of which was that no member of that court
or jury would live a month if they dared to find tlie
prisoners guilty. Occasionally their anger waxing
hot. they would draw their pistols and knives, and
brandishing them in the faces of the jurymen, utter a
number of filthy epithets, and bid them beware, of their
verdict. Crawford was an object of their especial hate.
Their abusive assaults upon him and threats were so
frequent and violent that at one time he tendered his
resignation and refused to serve, but upon the promise
of his friends to stand by and protect him he retained
his position. The case was given to the jury at about
seven o'clock in the evening. A friend of the prisoners
in the court room nominated me as foreman, but upon
my refusal to serve under that nomination I afterwards
received the appointment by a vote of my fellow-jury-
men.
The jury were occupied in their deliberations until
after midnight. No doubt was entertained, from the
first, of the guilt of the prisoners, but the exciting
question was whether they icould afford to declare, it.
They all felt that to do so would be to announce their
own death sentence. They knew that the friends of
the prisoners fully intended to have life for life. They
had sworn it. One of the jurymen said that the pris-
oners ought never to have been tried by a jury, but in
a miners' court, that he should not be governed in his
decision by the merits of the case, but that, as he had a
family in the states to whom his obligations were
greater than to that community, he should have to
vote for acquittal. After much conversation of this
sort, which only served to intensify the fears of the
jurymen, a vote was taken which resulted as follows-:
not guilty, 1 1 ; guilty. I ; myself, the supposed friend
of the roughs, being the only one in favor of the death
penalty. It was apparent that further deliberation would
1 not change this decision, and the jury compromised by
agreeing to a sentence of banishment, and a confiscation
of the property of the prisoners for the benefit of those
they had wounded.
The court met the ensuing morning, when the ver-
dict, under seal, was handed to the judge. He opened
and returned it to the foreman, with the request that
he read it aloud. An expression of blank astonishment
sat upon the face of every person in the room, which
was followed by open demonstrations of general dis-
satisfaction, by all but the roughs, who, accustomed to
outrages and long immunity, hailed it as a fresh con-
cession to their bloody and lawless authority.
That this, the first test of strength be-
tween the roughs and the law abiding citizens,
was a complete victory for the tough element
was demonstrated by the events of the next
few days. ]\Iitchell remained away only a few
days — if he ever left the town — and was not
molested upon his return. Shortly afterwards
a miners' court was called, and the verdict of
banishment against Moore and Reeves was re-
scinded. This action was taken in view of the
fact that the sentence against Mitchell was not
enforced. The roughs now considered them-
selves in complete control of the town. They
believed, and rightfully, that the people were
afraid of them. All who had taken an active
part in the trial lived in constant fear because
of treats against their lives. Especially bitter
were the roughs against the judge, J. F.
Hoyt ; the sheriff, Hank Crawford ; and N. P.
Langford, the juryman who voted for the
death sentence. Now the lovers of law and
order and the criminal element were brought
into open, public antagonism — and the crimi-
nals had the upper hand.
Shortly after the trial the gang of toughs
held a meeting, at which it was agreed to kill
every active participant in the trial of Moore
and Reeves. The victims were all named, as
were the men who were to dispose of them, and
the work was deliberately planned. This
wholesale vengeance was to be accomplished
secretly, or by provoking into a quarrel those
who were marked for slaughter and then dis-
patching them under the guise of self defense.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
So thorough were tliey in this work that within
five months after the trial, not more than seven
of the twenty-seven who participated in the
trial as judge, prosecutor, sheriff, witnesses
and jurors, were left alive in the territory.
Eight or nine were known to have been killed
by members of the band, and others had fled
to escape a fate which they knew had been de-
termined upon.
Crime became rampant and no man's life
was safe. Murderers walked the streets of
Bannack and feared not punishment. It would
be hard to imagine a more deplorable state of
society. Mr. Langford has written of this
period of the camp's history: "Had it been
possible at any time during the period I have
passed under review, for the peaceable citizens
of Bannack to return to their old homes in
safety, such was the terror that environed
them, I doubt not that nearly all would joy-
fully have gone. The opportunity for speedy
accumulation of fortune from a prolific gold
placer offered small compensation for the daily
risk of life in obtaining it, and the possibility
of ultimate destruction to the entire settlement.
The people were spellbound, and knew not
what to do. They assented almost passively to
the belief that the ruffian population, when dis-
posed, was strong enough to crush them; and
when a murder was committed, or a robbery
made, expressed no stronger feeling than that
of thankfulness for their own escape."
Up to June, 1863, Bannack was the only
camp in the territory. Then came the discov-
ery of rich placers in Alder gulch, and Virginia
City came into existence, destined to become
the most important camp in the territory. With
the stampede that followed came nearly all the
rough element from Bannack, as well as hun-
dreds of others from different parts of the
country, and almost immediately the road
agent gang had control of the camp. Henry
Plummer, the leader of the gang, who was
sheriff of Bannack, by means of threats suc-
ceeded in getting himself elected sheriff of Vir-
ginia City. He was now sheriff of both camps,
and three of his deputies, Jack Gallagher,
Buck Stinson and Ned Ray, were members of
the road agent gang. Another of his deputies,
however, was a man named Dillingham, who
was of an entire differeiit character. By
means of his office he learned the names of
the road agent band and many of their plans,
although he was entirely innocent of crime
himself. This fact, of course, brought him a
speedy death.
Dillingham was murdered in cold blood by
Hayes Lyons, Buck Stinson and Charley
Forbes. Again was the people's ire aroused
as it had been at the time of the shooting
into the Indian tepee, and vengeance was de-
manded. A people's court was organized and
the three murderers were tried by the people
cii masse. Stinson and Lyons w^ere tried first
and by an almost unanimous verdict were de-
clared to be guilty. The death sentence was
imposed. Forbes was cleared, although he
was equally guilty wuth the others. Prepara-
tions were at once made to carry out the sen-
tence imposed upon Lyons and Stinson ; a gal-
lows was erected and graves dug; the men
were taken to the place of execution. Then
so strong were the pleas for mercy by the con-
demned themselves and several ladies who had
assembled to witness the hanging that a vote
was ordered taken to determine whether or not
the execution should proceed. After several
votes had been taken, in which the friends of
the condemned men successfully increased the
vote by unfair means, it was decided to liber-
ate the men, and horses w-ere furnished them
to leave the camp. Thus terminated another
miscarriage of justice, and no crime had yet
been punished in the future territory of
Montana.
This failure of justice naturally caused a
deterioration in the condition of society, bad as
it had been before. No man felt that he could
call his life his own in Virginia City or the
neighboring camps in Alder gulch. Wounded
HISTORY OF :\IOXTAXA.
men lay almost unnoticed about the city. A
writer of these times has said that "a night or
a day without shooting, knifing or fighting
would have been recognized as a small and
welcome installment of the millenium." To
give an idea of the conditions in Virginia City
at a time just prior to the organization of the
vigilance committee, we reproduce the follow-
ing from ]\Ir. Langford's "Vigilante Days and
\\'ays :"
Gold was abundant, and every possible device was
employed by the gam'blers. the traders, the vile men and
women that had come with the miners to the locality to
obtain it. Nearly every third cabin was a saloon where
vile whiskey was peddled out for fifty cents a drink in
gold dust. Many of these places were filled with
gambling tables and gamblers, and the miner who was
bold enough to enter one of them with his day's earn-
ings in his pocket seldom left until thoroughly fleeced.
Hurdy-gurdy dance houses were numerous, and there
were plenty of canup beauties to patronize them. There
too, the successful miner, lured by siren smiles, after
an evening spent in dancing and icarousing at his ex-
pense, steeped with liquor, would empty his purse into
the lap of his charmer, for an hour of license in her
arms. Not a day or night passed which did tiot yield
its full fruition of fights, quarrels, wounds or murders.
The crack of the revolver was often heard above the
merry notes of the violin. Street fights were frequent,
and as no one knew when or where they would occur,
every one was on his guard against a random shot.
Sunday was always a gala day. The miners then
left their work and gathered about the public places in
the towns. The stores were all open, the auctioneers
specially eloquent on every .corner in praise of their
wares. Thousands of people crowded the thorough-
fares, ready to rush in any direction of promised ex-
citement. Horse-racing was among the most favored
amusements. Prize rings were formed, and brawny men
engaged at fisticuffs until their sight was lost and their
bodies pommelled to a jelly, while hundreds of on-look-
ers cheered the victor. Hacks rattled to and fro between
the several towns, freighted with drunken and rowdy hu-
manity of both sexes. Citizens of acknowledged re-
spectability often walked, more often perhaps rode
side by side on horseback, with noted courtesans in
open day through the crowded streets, and seemingly
suffered no harm in reputation. Pistols flashed, bowie-
knives flourished, and braggart oaths filled the air, as
often as men's passions triumphed over their reason.
This was indeed the reign of unbridled license, and men
who at first regarded it with disgust and terror, by
constant exposure soon learned to become part of it,
and forgot that they had ever been aught else. All
classes of society were represented at this general ex-
hibition. Judges, lawyers, doctors, even clergymen,
could not claim exemption. Culture and religion af-
forded feeble protection where allurement and indul-
gence- ruled the hour.
Underneath this exterior of recklessness there was
in the minds and hearts of the miners and business
men of this society a strong and abiding sense of
justice — and that saved the territory.
An instance of the overbearing and high
handed rule of the desperadoes is shown by
the custom of George Ives, who was the first
one of the band to be executed. When in need
of money he would mount his horse, and with
his ever ready pistol in hand, ride into a saloon
or store, and throw his empty buckskin purse
upon the counter with the request that it be
filled with gold dust as a loan. The proprietor
or clerk of whom the demand was made knew
better than to refuse. Often while the gold
was being weighed Ives would amuse himself
by firing his revolver at the lamps or other
articles of furniture that would make a crash
when hit. This outrage occurred so many
times it attracted very little attention, and peo-
ple submitted to it, believing that there was
no redress — and there was not until later.
While conditions in the camps were as we
have described them, life there was compara-
tively safe when we consider the dangers that
beset tlvDse who undertook a journey when any
great amount of money was carried. The only
stage route in the country was between Virgin-
ia City and Bannack. a region admirably ad-
apted to the operations of the road agents.
From the former place to Salt Lake City, the
objective point for all who were leaving the
country, lay a route nearly five hundred miles
long through a wild 'and unsettled country.
Luckv. indeed, was the miner who was success-
ful in making this trip on his way out of the
countrv if he had any considerable amount of
gold dust. It is impossible to even estimate the
number of persons who fell victims to the road
agents on this long and perilous journey. The
inquiries of relatives and friends for hundreds
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
of them for months and years after their depar-
ture from the mining camps of jMontana leaves
no doubt that the robbers did a thriving busi-
ness and that many a bloody deed was commit-
ted on that trail.
It was not until the last day of 1863 that
the people became aroused to such an extent
that summary vengeance was demanded and
that the first member of the road agent gang
met death at the hands of an outraged people.
The beginning of this reign of terror to the law-
less was brought about by the murder of a
young German by the name of Nicholas Tbalt,
■who was foully murdered by George Ives for
a small sum of money.
Tbalt. who was in the employ of Burtchy
& Clark, had sold that tirni a span of mules and
had received the money for them. The ani-
mals were in charge of herders at Dempsey's
ranch, and the young German left, taking the
gold with him, to bring the mules. Several
days elapsed without the return of the young
man, and his employers believed that he had
left the country, taking the money and mules
with him. As a matter of fact he had secured the
mules and was returning with them, when he
met George Ives, who murdered him, robbed
him of the money and took the mules. Nine
da3-s later the body was found, almost miracul-
ously, by William Palmer, who was hunting
grouse in the neighborhood of the cabin of
John Franck — better known as Long John.
Palmer had shot a grouse, and upon going to
the spot where he saw it fall, the dead bird
was found lying upon the dead body of the mur-
dered man, the location being in a clump of
heavy sage brush, completely concealed and at a
distance from the road — a spot which would
never have been visited except by chance. The
hunter went at once to the wakiup occupied
by Long John and George Hilderman, a dis-
tance of a quarter of a mile, informed them of
the finding of the body, and asked their assis-
tance in placing the corpse in his wagon that
he might bring it to town.
"We'll have nothing to do with it." said
Long John. "Dead bodies are common
enough in this country. They kill people every
day in Virginia City, and nobody speaks of
it, nobody cares. Why should we trouble our-
selves who this man is after he's dead?"
\\'ithout assistance Palmer contrived to
place the corpse into the wagon and brought it
to Nevada. Here it was identified, and for
half a day lay exposed in the wagon, being
visited by hundreds of people from the differ-
ent camps in the gulch. A bullet wound over
the left eye showed the cause of death. The
body bore the marks of a lariat about the
throat, which had evidently been used to drag
him, while still alive to the hiding place. The
hands were filled with small pieces of sage
brush, showing that the unfortunate man still
lived while being dragged to this out of the
way place by his murderer.
The sight of the dead body, bearing evi-
dence of cruel death, aroused- the indignation
of the people to an extent never before equalled
in the community. Then and there they re-
solved to avenge the death. The reaction
against the criminal element had commenced.
A campaign against crime was inaugurated,
which ceased not until the country was entirely
freed of the bloodthirsty brigands.
At ten o'clock in the evening of the same
day that the corpse was brought to Nevada
twenty-five citizens of that camp left in search
of the murderer. All subscribed to an obli-
gation of mutual support and protection, and
a more determined band of men never set forth
on an errand of justice. Before daylight the
next morning the party arrived at the wakiup
of Long John, where were found asleep Long
John, "Old Tex," Alex Carter, Bob Zachary,
Whisky Bill, Johnny Cooper and a couple of
innocent strangers who had fallen in with the
roughs the evening before. Long John was
arrested for the murder, who, after a severe
examination, declared Ives was the guilty
party. Ives and "Old Tex" were also taken
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
103
into custody and the march back to the camp
was commenced, George Hilderman being
taken on the way back. A daring attempt to
escape was made by Ives on the return march,
but was defeated, and the cavalcade arrived
in Nevada soon after sunset, on the i8th of
December, 1863.
Then began the usual controversy as to the
mode of trial. The roughs became alarmed
and sent a messenger to Plummer at Bannack
to inform him of the high handed outrage that
was being perpetrated in defiance to law and
with no regard whatever to the constitutional
authorities. They asked that he come at once
and demand the prisoners for trial by the "civil
authorities," in which case he, as sheriff, would
have the selecting of the jurors. Plummer.
however, did not put in an appearance, and the
trial proceeded without any interference from
the "civil authorities."
Before ten o'clock on the morning of the
19th fifteen hundred or two thousand people
had gathered in the town of Nevada to partici-
pate in the trial, and the camp took on holiday
appearance. After considerable discussion it
was determined that the trial should be held in
the presence of the entire asssemblage, the
miners reserving the right of final decision on
all questions. An advisory commission or
jury of twelve men from each of the two dis-
tricts were also provided for. Col. W. F. San-
ders, a resident of Bannack, but at the time so-
journing at Virginia City, was sent for to con-
duct the prosecution and he was assisted by
Chas. S. Bagg. Messrs. Smith, Ritchie,
Thurmond. Colonel Wood and Davis appeared
for the prisoners. It was decided to try Ives
first, and that gentleman, secured by chains,
was brought before the miners' court.
Late in the afternoon of the 19th the trial
began and it continued until after dark of the
2 1 St. A strong defense was made and the ar-
guments of the attorneys at times were long
and eloquent. On the evidence of George
Brown and "Honest Whiskey Joe," Ives en-
deavored to establish two alibis, but because
of the poor reputations of the witnesses the
attempts failed. Long John testified under the
rule admitting the reception of state's evidence
and told a straightforward story, although he
was not an eye witness to the killing. He
swore that Ives had boasted to his companions
after this fashion : "When I told the Dutch-
man I was going to kill him, he asked me for
time to pray. I told him to kneel down then.
He did so and I shot him through the head just
as he commenced his prayer." The testimony
was not restricted to the crime in question, but
evidence was admitted showing many past
crimes which he and his friends had committed,
and this evidently had considerable weight in
determining a verdict. As a result of this evi-
dence, also, several of the desperadoes whose
names were brought into conspicuousness
hastily departed the territory. Prof. Dimsdale
thus graphically describes the scene at the trial :
The crowd which gathered around that fire in
front of the court is vividly before our eyes. We see
the wagon containing the judge and an advocate plead-
ing with all his earnestness and eloquence for the
dauntless robber, on whose unmoved features no shade
of despondency can be traced by the fitful glare of the
blazing wood, n-hich lights up at the same time the
stern and impassive features of the guard, who, in
every kind of habiliments, stand in various attitudes, in
the circle surrounding the scene of justice. The atten-
tive faces and compressed lips of the jurors show their
sense of the vast responsibility . that rests upon them,
and of their firm resolve to do their duty. Ever and
anon a brighter flash than ordinary reveals the expect-
ant crowd of miners, thoughtfully and steadily gazing
on the scene, and listening intently to the trial. Beyond
this close phalanx, fretting and shifting around its
outer edge, sways with quick and uncertain motion the
wavering line of desperadoes and sympathizers with
the criminal; their haggard, wild and alarmed count-
enances showing too plainly that they tremble at the
issue which is, when decided, to drive them in exile
from IMontana. or to proclaim them as associate crimi-
nals, whose fate could neither be delayed nor dubious.
A sight like this will ne'er be seen again in Montana.
It was the crisis of the fate of the territory. Nor was
the position of prosecutor, guard, juror or judge one
that any but a brave and law-abiding citizen would
choose or even accept. Marked for slaughter by des-
peradoes, these men staked their lives for the welfare
I04
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
of society. A mortal strife between Col. Sanders and
one of the opposing attorneys was only prevented by the
prompt action of wise men, who corralled the com-
batants on their way to fight. The hero of that hour
of trial was avowedly W. F. Sanders. Not a despera-
do present but would have felt honored by becoming
his murderer, and yet, fearless as a lion, he stood there
confronting and defying the malice of his armed ad-
versaries. The citizens of Montana, many of them his
bitter political opponents, recognized his actions with
gratitude and kindly feeling. Charles S. Bagg is also
remembered as having been at his post when the storm
blew loudest.
It was dark when the evidence was all in and
the arguments had closed. The advisory jury
retired and within a half hour returned with a
verdict of guilty, only one of the twenty-four
jurymen voting for acquittal. "Thank God for
that!" "A righteous verdict!" and other like
expressions broke from the lips of the as-
sembled crowd of miners, while from the outer
edge of the crowd, where were collected the
friends of the criminal were heard curses, exe-
crations and howls of indignation, the quick
click of guns and revolvers. One of the ruf-
fians exclaimed, "The murderous, strangling
villains dare not hang him, at any rate." The
motion prevailed, with some opposition from
Ives' attorneys, that the assembly adopt the
verdict of the jury.
Then came the crucial test. Prompt ac-
tion was necessary; in the previous murder
trials justice had been defeated because of
lack of it. Col. Sanders moved that "George
Ives be forthwith hanged by the neck until he
be dead," and the motion was carried almost
unanimously. Then came pleas for delay until
morning for the execution. The appeals for
mercy and delay were piteous, but they lost
much of their weight when some one in the
crowd said, "Ask him how long a time he gave
the Dutchman."
Preparations for the execution were made
at at once, A. B. Davis and Robert Hereford
preparing the scaffold. The butt of a small
pine, forty feet in length, was placed on the
inside of a half enclosed building standing
near, under its rear wall, the top projecting
over a cross-beam in front. Near the upper end
was fastened the fatal cord ; a large dry goods
box, about five feet high, was placed beneath
for the trap. Accompanied by the whole
crowd, Ives was taken to the place, and after
only a short delay came the command, "Men,
do your duty!" The click of a hundred gun
locks was heard as the guards brought their
weapons to the shoulder and leveled them upon
the crowd to check any possible attempt at
rescue. The box flew out from under the feet
of the murderer, and the first member of the
road agent gang was launched into eternity.
George Hilderman was put upon trial at
once, found guilty, and banished from the ter-
ritory. Long John, having given state's evi-
dence, was allowed his freedom. Nothing ap-
pearing against "Old Tex" at the time, he was
released.
Ives' execution had a terrifying effect upon
the desperadoes, though a few of them put on
a bold face and were as loud in their threats
as before. Intense popular excitement pre-
vailed throughout the territory immediately
following the hanging of Ives. Those who
participated in the trial were threatened with
death, as had been those who took part in the
trial of Moore and Reeves. The prominent
ones were singled out for death, and the ven-
geance of the ruffian horde would doubtless
have Been as great as in the former case, had
not events so shaped themselves that the road
agents and murderers had other business to at-
tend to than seeking vengeance.
CHAPTER IX
THE VIGILANTES.
In the preceding chapter we have told of
the state of society in the mining camps of
Montana prior to the beginning of the year
1864. The ruffians had complete control, and
the law abiding were apparently powerless to
bring about any kind of order. Now we shall
tell of a complete reversal of conditions,
brought about by the vigilantes of Montana.
Going a little ahead of our story, we shall
here tell of the results of the organization of
the vigilantes. Within one short month the
gang of murderous road agents was entirely
broken up, and all but one or two of the mem-
bers were hung. This was accomplished by
an organization comprising nearly every good
man in the territory — an organization which
promised to, and did. render impartial justice
to friend and foe, without regard to clime,
creed, race or politics. It became known that
the voice of justice, so long stilled, had spoken
in tones that must not be disregarded. The
face of society was changed as if by magic.
In the words of Professor Dimsdale: "The
vigilantes, holding in one hand the invisible yet
effecttial shield of protection, and in the other
the swift descending and inevitaljle sword of
retribution, struck from his ner\-eless grasp the
weapon of the assassin, commanded tlie
brawler to cease from strife, warned the thief
to steal no more, bade the good citizen take
courage, aiid compelled the ruffians and ma-
rauders who had so long maintained the 'reign
of terror' in Montana to fly the territory, or
meet the just rewards of their crimes."
Between the first of the new year and the
third of February the following meml>ers of
the gang which had so long terrorized the
people met untimely deaths at the hands of
the vigilantes on the dates and at the places
mentioned: Erastus Yager (commonly called
Red) and G. W. Brown, Stinkingwater valley,
January 4, 1864; Henry Plummer, Ned Ray
and Buck Stinson, Bannack City, January 10,
1864; John Wagner (commonly called Dutch
John) and Joe Pizanthia, Bannack City, Janu-
ary II, 1864; George Lane (commonly called
Club-foot George), Frank Parish, Hayes Ly-
ons, Jack Gallagher and Boone Helm, Virgin-
ia City, January 14, 1864; Steven Marsh-
land, Big Hole Ranch,, January 16, 1864;
William Bunton, Deer Lodge valley, January
19, 1864; George Shears, Frenchtown, Jan-
uary 24, 1864; Cyrus Skinner, Alexander Car-
ter and John Cooper, Hell Gate, January 25,
1864; Robert Zachery, Hell Gate, January 25,
1864; William Graves (commonly called
Whisky Bill), Fort Owe;is, January 26, 1864;
William Hunter, Gallatin valley, February 3,
1864. By discoveries of the bodies of the vic-
times, the confession of the murderers before
execution, and other reliable information se-
cured by the vigilantes, it was determined that
the men had taken the lives of 102 people
in different places. That is the record
deduced from reliable information. However,
it is not believed that that number any where
near covered their actual murders. Scores of
unfortunates had undoubtedly been murdered
and their bodies buried, whose fate were never
definitely ascertained. All that is known is
that parties had started, with greater or less
sums of money for various places and were
never heard of again.
The following were banished from the ter-
ritory: Judge H. P. A. Smith and J. Thur-
mond, the road agents' counsel ; H. G. Sessions
and H. D. Moyer, manufacturing and circulat
io6
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
ing bogus gold dust ; a man named Kustar for
reckless shooting.
On December 22, 1863, the day after the
execution of George Ives, was taken the tirst
step toward the organization of the vigilance
committee. The state of the public mind was
excited, brought about by the disclosures made
at the Ives trial. Alec Carter's name had been
frequently mentioned in connection with the
Tbalt murder, and the miners determined that
he should be brought to justice. Stinson and
Lyons, the murderers of Dillingham, had es-
caped punishment, and their death was also
decided on.
The scheme of organizing to bring the mur-
derers to justice was originated by five men in
Virginia City and one man in Nevada City.
On the 22nd these gentlemen met and talked'
over plans, and before the close of the next day
a league had been foi-med to carry out the plans
of dealing justice to the cummunity and bring-
ing to a close tlie reign of terror.
The birthplace of the Montana vigilantes
was a back room of a store owned by John
Kinna and J. A. Nye on Jackson street, op-
posite the gambling house and saloon known in
those days as "No. 10." In the "Story of
Montana," McClure's magazine, August, 1906,
Mr. C. P. Connolly has described this initial
meeting. He states that Mr. Paris S. Pfouts
was elected president. Colonel W. F. Sanders
official prosecutor, and Captain James Wil-
liams executive officer. After this election the
candles were extinguished, and standing about
the room in a circle, with hands uplifted, the
assembled company took this oath :
"We, the undersigned, uniting ourselves
together for the laudable purpose of arresting
thieves and murderers and recovering stolen
property, do pledge ourselves on our sacred
honor, each to all others, and solemnly swear
that we will reveal no secrets, violate no laws
of right, and never desert each other or our
standard of justice, so help us God."
One of the by-laws adopted by the vigilan-
tes read as follows :
"The only punishment that shall be inflicted
by this committee is death."
A few days more and such strength was
secured as promised the best of success. Be-
fore the organization had been completed a
new incentive was given the people for desir-
ing the punishment of the roughs. This was
the cold blooded murder of Lloyd Magruder on
his way home to Lewiston from Virginia City.
Prof. Thos. J. Dimsdale has written : "The
reasons why the organization was so generally
approved and so numerously and powerfully
supported were such as appealed to the sympa-
thies of all men who had anything to lose, or
who thought their lives safer under the domin-
ion of a body which, upon the whole, it ihust
be admitted has from the first acted with a
wisdom, a justice and vigor never surpassed on
this continent, and rarely, if ever, equalled.
Merchants, miners, mechanics and professional
men alike joined in the movement, until, with-
in an incredibly short space of time, the road
agents and their friends were in a state of con-
stant and well-grounded fear, least any re-
marks they might make confidentially to an
acquaintance might be addressed to one of the
much-dreaded committee."
The committee mustered in a party of
twenty-four men, which set out on the 23rd
to capture Alec Carter and such others as were
belie\-ed to be implicated in murder. The mem-
bers of the party were armed with revolvers,
rifles, shot guns and rope. Liquor was for-
bidden and only light rations were carried.
Carter was known to have left Alder gulch im-
mediately after the trial of Ives, in company
with Bill Bunton, Whisky Bill Graves and sev-
eral others, fearing arrest because of the dis-
closures made at the trial, and was supposed to
have crossed to the west side of the range. The
pursuers followed on his trail and as rapidly
as possible into the Deer Lodge valley.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
107
On Deer Lodge creek the party came upon
Red (Yager), who had just warned Carter
and his associates that the vigilantes were after
them. None of the party were acquainted with
Red and his mission was not I'Cnown at that
tiniQ. He informed the party that Carter, Bun-
ton, Graves and others were lying at Cotton-
wood (now Deer Lodge City) drunk. The
next day the vigilantes proceeded to Cotton-
wood, where they expected to surprise and
capture the ruffians without great difficulty.
What was their great surprise to find that Car-
ter and his companions had fled. It afterwards
was learned that the intelligence of the pur-
suit by the vigilantes was sent them from Vir-
ginia City. Red was the messenger and
George Brown the writer of the letter that
gave the warning. The scouts, thoroughly
disheartened, now returned to Beaver Head
rock, determined to arrest both Brown and
Red, if possible, for their interference.
They stayed at Beaver Head two days,
suffering much from cold and hunger. Being
informed that Red was at Rattlesnake, volun-
teers were called for and dispatched to accom-
plish his arrest, while the rest of the party, on
the homeward march, stopped at Dempsey's
to await the return of the volunteers who had
gone after Red. The small party captured
Red without any trouble and brought him to
the rendezvous. Brown, who was acting as
bar keeper at Dempsey's, was also taken into
custody. The men were accused of being
members of the gang, which they both emphat
ically denied. The scouts gave them a trial
and decided that there was no doubt as to their
guilt. A vote being taken it was unanimousl}
decided that the two men should hang.
The culprits were taken to Lorrain's ranch,
on the road to \^irginia City. Here at ten
o'clock that night preparations were made for
the execution of the two men. Red made a full
confession of all his crimes and told of the
secret workings of the gang, of which he ad-
mitted he was a member. He gave to the vigi-
lantes the names of all the members and the
history of their crimes. The substance of this
confession has been given in the preceding
chapter.
Less than a quarter of a mile from the
Lorrain ranch, on a beautiful curve of the Pas-
sam-a-ri (or Stinkingwater) , stood several
large and majestic cottonwood trees, and from
two of these trees was executed the sentence
of the two criminals. The lower branches
were clipped from the trees, ropes were suspen-
ded, and two stools placed one upon the other
served the purpose of a drop. Brown met his
doom first. With the petition on his lips, "God
Almighty, save my soul," the stools were
jerked from under him, and he died without
a struggle. Red was unmoved by the death
of his comrade. When it came his turn, he
shook hands with all his executioners and said,
"Let me beg of you to follow and punish the
rest of this infernal gang." Then, just before
the drop, he cried, "Goodbye, boys; you're on
a good undertaking. God bless you." The
stools fell, and another of the Plummer gang
had gone to meet his reward. On the back of
Red was pinned this label, "Red! Road Agent
and Messenger." The other corpse was given
the inscription, "Brozm! Corresponding Secret
tary." The bodies were left suspended, and
were not buried for several days afterwards.
The little band now returned to Nevada.
Here they found the vigilantes more thorough-
ly organized than before their departure, and
that their execution of Red and Brown was
highly approved. The crisis was past, and the
law abiding were no longer in fear of their
lives for telling what they knew of crimes that
had been committed. A meeting of the com-
mittee was at once called to learn of the dis-
closures made by Yager, and to act upon the
information received. It was decided to pur-
sue the criminals and not cease operations until
every one of the gang was hanged or had fled
the country.
There was consternation among the rob-
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
bers when it became known that two of theii
number had met death at the hands of vigi-
lantes, and it would have been much greater
had they known of the revelations made bv
their messenger. Many, both at Bannack and
Virginia City, fled at once; others, not antici-
pating treachery from their comrades, believed
themselves safe. So strong was the Plummer
gang in the belief that evidence could not be
brought against them that very few memberu
of that order left the county, and so, almost
without exception, all those who had been listed
because of Red's disclosures were captured and
summarily executed.
The news of the hanging of two of the
gang and the fact that the vigilantes were de-
termined to rid the country of the lawless char-
acters of course reached Bannack as soon as
horsemen could carry it. There Plummer and
his road agent friends learned which way the
wind was blowing and thought best to leave
the countr)^ although as yet they had no direct
information that they were marked for slaugh-
ter. On the ninth of January an effort was
made to organize a vigilance committee in
Bannack. A public meeting was called to dis-
cuss the question and many looked upon the
formation of a committee with favor. Among
others present were Buck Stinson and Ned
Ray. One energetic citizen present, knowing
these men in their true light, threw cold water
on the proposition, deeming it best to carry out
the plans more secretly, and the meeting ad-
journed without anything definite being done.
At midnight that same night four vigi-
lantes from the Virginia City organization ar-
rived in Bannack, bearing the information of
the organization and work of the order at that
place, and asking the co-operation of the miners
of Bannack in 'carrying out the work of rid-
ding the country of the rough element. A few
trusted ones met with these men, and before
daylight of the loth a branch organization
was organized in the older mining camp. The
four vigilantes from Virginia City bore an
order for the execution of Plummer, Stinson
and Ray as leader and members of the road
agent band. The newly organized branch con-
curred in the decision of the older organiza-
tion that these men must die. It was resolved
that the next day, which was Sunday, shi)uld
be spent in increasing the membership of the
order; no great progress was made in this,
however.
Sunday night three horses were brought
into town and were recognized as belonging
to the three men slated for execution. It was
good enough evidence that the murderers were
about to leave the country, and their immediate
arrest and execution was decided upon, the de-
cision being reached at a speedily called meet-
ing. Squads were detailed to arrest the three
men, which was accomplished without much
difficulty. Under a formidable guard the men
were marched to the gallows, a structure which
had been erected the year before by Plummer.
and from which had been hung one John
Horan. The pleadings of the chief of the
road agents were piteous. He begged to be
chained down in the meanest cabin; offered to
leave the country forever; wanted a jury trial;
implored time to settle his affairs; asked to
see his sister-in-law ; declared that he was too
wicked to die. "Do with me anything else you
please," he said. "Cut off my ears, and cut
out my tongue, and strip me naked this freez-
ing night, and let me go. I beg you to spare my
life. I want to live for my wife — my poor ab-
sent wife." Again: "I am too wicked to die.
I cannot go bloodstained and unforgiven into
the presence of the Eternal. Only spare me,
and I will leave the country forever." ]\Iean-
time his companions in crime and misery dis-
charged volley after volley of oaths and vile
epithets at the vigilantes, employing all the of-
fensive language of their copious vocabulary.
Pleadings and curses alike failed to move the
men who had set out to do the work.
The first rope being thrown over the cross
beam, the command was given, "Bring up Ned
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
[09
Ray." Struggling wildly and cursing fear-
fully, he was strung up. Being loosely pin-
ioned, he got his fingers between the rope and
his neck and so prolonged his misery. It was
necessary to grasp his hands, and by a violent
effort to draw his fingers from between the
noose and his throat. Stinson was soon dang-
ling besides the first.
Then came the order, "Bring up Plum-
mer." The fatal noose being adjusted several
of the vigilantes lifted the frame of the un-
happy criminal as high as they could reach,
when they suddenly let it fall, and Henry
Plummer, the chief of the road agents fell to
the death which he was so justly entitled tu
die. The guards remained at the scaffold un-
til satisfied that death was certain ; then they
quietly withdrew. A large number of people
gathered at the hanging, but there were no at-
tempts at rescue, the friends of the criminals
not being so vociferous as on former occasions.
The execution of these men produced ii
marked tone for the better in public sentiment.
Men breathed freer, for the sheriff and his
deputies were feared by nearly everyone in
camp. Plummer was known as a wily, red
handed, and politely merciless chief. Ray was
a brutal murderer and robber. Stinson was
especially dreaded. Professor Dimsdale has
described him as belonging to that type of
brutal desperado whose formula of introduc-
tion to a western bar room was: "Whoop!
I'm from Pike county, Missouri; I'm ten feet
high ; my abode is where lewd women and
licentious men mingle ; my parlor is the Rocky
mountains; I smell Hke a wolf; I drink water
out of a brook like a horse. Look out, you
, I'm going to turn loose." Public sen-
timent sustained the vigilantes, and the order
was rapidly increased in numbers.
The next day, January 1 1, the vigilantes of
Bannack executed two more men. The first
one of these w-as Jo Pizanthia, a Mexican, who
lived in a little cabin on a side hill overlooking
the town. "The Greaser," as he was called.
was not a member of Plummer's band, but he
had borne a shady reputation since coming to
Bannack. It was decided to arrest him and in-
vestigate his career since coming to the terri-
tory. The party started for his cabin, and
upon reaching it, demanded that the inmate
come out. There was no answer, and Smith
Ball and George Copley entered, contrary to
the advice of the rest of the party. They had
no sooner entered than they recei\-ed the tire
of the concealed Mexican. Copley was shot
through the breast and died within a few
minutes. Ball was not so seriously wounded.
The shooting of Copley raised the public
excitement nearly to madness, and Pizanthia's
death was immediately decided on. A moun-
tain howitzer, which had been left by a wagon
train, was procured and brought within range
of the cabin. Three shots were sent through
the cabin and then a storming party was
formed. The Mexican was found badly
wounded. Unceremoniously he was taken from
the building and stretched up. A clothes line
was fastened about the neck of Pizanthia. The
leader of the vigilantes, holding the other end
of the rope, then climbed a pole, and, while
his comrades held up the body, he wound the
rope around the top of the stick, making a
jam hitch. Before the leader had a chance to
come down, the crowd blazed away with their re-
volvers and rifles at the form of the murderer
swinging beneath his feet. Over a hundred
shots were put into the swinging corpse. Then
the Mexican's cabin was razed to the ground,
and a huge bon-fire kindled. A proposition to
burn the body was received with cheers, and
with a shout of exultation the maddened peo-
ple tore down the body and hurled it upon the
flames. When the fire had done its work there
was not even a bone left of what a short time
before had been Jo Pizanthia. The ne.xt
morning a number of notorious women
the town prospected the refuse, panning
out the ashes of the ill-fated desperado
in search of gold, which he might have had
in his pockets at the time of his death.
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
On the evening of the same day that the
]\Iexican was hung, another of the road agent
gang met his fate. This was John Wagner,
commonly called Dutch John, one of the brav-
est and most daring of Plummer's men. Wag-
ner had been captured without assistance some
days before by Neil Howie, while the brigand
was on his way out of the country, fearful less
summary vengeance should overtake him. He
and Steve ]\Iarsland only a short time before
had robbed a train, and the fact that he was
one of the party was known. \\"ith the as-
sistance of John Fetherstun. Howie had safely
conducted Dutch John to Bannack, where they
were guarding him at the time his execution
was ordered by the vigilantes. He had con-
fessed his many crimes and had corroborated
the story of the gang as told by Red.
The committee met to determine the fate of
Dutch John, and alter some preliminary dis-
cussion, his execution was unanimously ad-
judged the only penalty that would fit his many
crimes, he having been a murderer and robber
for years. His execution was set for one hour
later, and one of the party went to inform the
prisoner of his doom. Like Plummer had
done the day before he begged hard for his
life. He said: "Do with me as you please.
Disable me in any way ; cut off my hands and
feet; but let me live. You can certainly de-
stroy my power for harm without taking my
life."
Of course his pleadings were in vain, and
he was taken at the appointed time to the
scaffold upon which his leader had been hung
the day before. Here he mounted the barrel ;
the noose was placed about his neck; the man
laid hold of the rope that encircled the barrel,
and when all was ready, the barrel was jerked
from beneath him. and the stalwart form of
the robber was soon cold in death.
While the executions just mentioned had
been taking place in Bannack, the vigilantes
at Virginia City were not inactive. Six mem-
bers of the band were known to be in the city,
and it was decided to attend to their cases at
once. On the thirteenth orders were sent
out for the vigilantes to assemble in force to
make the arrests and conduct the trials. That
evening the city was encircled by more than
five hundred men, who formed a cordon to
prevent the escape of the men wanted while
the executive council was in session deliberat-
ing upon the evidences of guilt of the six men.
So quietly was the guard placed about the city
that not until the next morning did the people
of Virginia City learn about it. One of the
doomed men, however — Bill Hunter — suspect-
ing danger, had crawled away along a drain
ditch and made his escape.
"While the committee was deliberating in
secret," writes Prof. Dimsdale, "a small party
of men who were at that moment receiving
sentence of death were gathered in an upper
room at a gambling house, and engaged in
betting at faro. Jack Gallagher suddenly re-
marked, "while we are here betting, those vig-
ilante are passing sen-
tence upon us.' This is considered to be the
most remarkable and most truthful saying of
his whole life; but he might be excused telling
the truth once, as it was entirely accidental."
When the morning of the fourteenth broke
the citizens were very much astonished to see
the pickets of the vigilantes surrounding the
town. The city was like an entrenched camp.
Hundreds of men with guns on their should-
ers were marching through the snow on all
the surrounding hillsides, with military regu-
larity and precision. People knew what was
coming and talked with abated breath of the
doom which certainly awaited those of the
gang who were still in the city. ^Messengers
were sent to the other towns in the gulch to
come and assist in the trials. Other members
of the vigilantes were detailed to arrest and
bring before the committee the following men :
Jack Gallagher, George Lane (Club-foot
George), Boone Helm, Frank Parish, Hayes
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
Lyons and Bill Hunter. The members of the
branch organizations from Nevada, Junction,
Summit, Pine Grove and Highland came to
town in detachments and formed in a body on
Main street. The town was soon full of
people.
So thorough were the preparations that
all the men wanted except Hunter, who had
made his escape, were captured with little dif-
ficulty, and brought before the executive board.
Here each was given a hearing, and nothing
being adduced to change the minds of the vig-
ilantes, it was decided to proceed with the exe-
cution at once.
Before being taken to the place of execu-
tion, the prisoners were thus addressed by the
president of the vigilantes : "You are now to
be conducted to the scaffold. An i)])p(irtuiiity
is given you to make your last ro(|iK-sts ami
communications. You will do well tu impru\e
it by making- a confession of your own crimes
and putting the committee in possession of in-
formation as to the crimes of others." All re-
fused to confess or to make a statement of any
kind. The prisoners were then pinioned, and
the chief called upon men that could be de-
pended upon to take charge of the condemned
criminals. The plan adopted was to march
the criminals, each between two vigilantes,
who grasped an arm of the prisoner wath one
hand, and held in the other a navy revolver
ready for instant use. Some six or eight
thousand people were present at the execution,
and the vigilantes were exceptionally careful
to prevent an attempt at rescue. The doomed
men were marched into a hollow square which
was flanked by four ranks of vigilantes. A
column in front and rear, armed with shot
guns and rifles carried at half present, ready
to fire at a moment's warning, completed the
precautions to prevent the escape of the pris-
oners and possible aid from their friends in
the crowd. Pistol men were distributed
throughout the crowd to attend to the general
deportment of outsiders.
The central cross-beam of an unfinished
log building at the corner of Wallace and Van
Buren streets was selected for a scaffold. The
building was roofless, and its spacious open
front exposed the interior to the full view of
the crowd. Five ropes were drawn across the
beam to a proper length and fastened firmly
to the logs in the rear basement. Under each
noose was placed a large empty dry goods box,
with cord attached for the drops. The pris-
oners were marched in and each one stepped
upon one of the boxes. It was decided to ex-
ecute the men one at a time, and at the nov/
familiar words, "Men, do your duty," the box
upon which one of the criminals was standing
would be jerked away, and a dangerous out-
law would be launched into eternity. Thus
one by one five more of Plummer's gang was
made away with.
These executions were a fatal blow to the
road agents, who now saw that the vigilantes
were in earnest in their intentions to bring to
justice every one of the road agents. They no
longer hesitated, but every one endeavored to
get out of the territory. People no longer
feared to express opinions on the side of right.
All the ruffians had now fled from Virginia
City and Bannack, having taken their way
over the range to Deer Lodge and Bitter Root,
intending to return to their old haunts in the
mining camps of Idaho. " The vigilantes had
decreed, however, that all members of the
gang must suffer death for their crimes, and
plans were laid to hunt down and execute all
who were on the list.
A company of twenty-one men started out
from Nevada on the 15th, the day after the ex-
ecution of the five bandits at Virginia City.
They proceeded to Big Hole and from there
sent out a small detachment to Clarke's ranch
in pursuit of Steve Marshland, wdio with
Dutch John had attacked Forbes' train and
been wounded. The party found Marshland in
bed with his feet badly frozen. On being in-
formed of the purpose of the visit Marshland
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
denied everything, but later confessed his
crimes, and begged for mercy. A pole was
stuck into the ground and leaned over the cor-
ral ; a box was placed for him to stand on, and
from this improvised scaffold he was hung.
This was on the i6th. The detachment re-
turned to the main body of vigilantes and re-
ported the hanging.
The party now pushed on to Deer Lodge,
where they found that nearly all the men
wanted had taken flight and left the town.
However, they found two whom they wanted
— Bill Bunton and "Tex." These were cap-
tured and tried. Bunton was unanimously sen-
tenced to death, while "Tex" was cleared.
Bunton was executed on the 19th from an im-
provised scaffold formed by a corral gate.
Without waiting for the "All ready, boys," he
leaped from the plank and died without a
struggle.
The next few days witnessed the execu-
tion of several more members of the gang.
Learning that several of the men wanted were
at Hell Gate, a little settlement about ninety
miles down the river, the vigilantes at once set
out for that place. After many hardships they
reached the place and entered the town on a
dead run. They found Cyrus Skinner, one of
the men wanted, in the doorway of his saloon,
and that road agent was taken without much
trouble. Alec Carter, another member of the
gang and one who had a part in the murder of
Tbalt, was found in the building next to Skin-
ner's saloon, and taken into custody. The two
men were taken to Higgins' store and their ex-
amination was immediately commenced. Be-
fore the examination of these men was com-
pleted Johnny Cooper, another of the road
agent gang, was arrested. All were found
guilty, and Carter confessed to complicity in
the nlurder of Tbalt.
While these trials were in progress a de-
tachment of eight men left Hell Gate in search
of Bob Zachary, whom they found at the cabin
of Barney O'Keefe. Zachary was taken and
the party started back toward 1 icll (Jatc. It was
learned that a stranger, who answered the de-
scription of George Shears, another of the
band, was stopping at Van Dorn's cabin, in
the Bitter Root Valley. Three vigilantes left
to investigate and captured Shears without an
effort. He was immediately conducted to the
barn, where, a rope being cast over a beam, he
met his doom. To save the trouble of prepar-
ing a drop, the prisoner was requested to climb
a ladder and jump off as soon as the noose was
prepared. This he did without any apparent
reluctance. This hanging occurred on the 24th.
Skinner and Carter were executed early in
the morning of the 25th. Scaffolds were
hastily erected by placing poles over the fence
of Higgins' corral, dry goods boxes being used
for the drop. Each man, as he was being
launched into eternity, exclaimed, "I am inno-
cent," the password of the band. Later the
same day Johnny Cooper was hanged from
the same scaffold. He was quite badly woun-
ded at the time and had to be drawn to the
place of execution in a sleigh. The party which
had captured Zachary brought him to Hell
Gate the same day. He was tried and found
guilty. On the scaffold he prayed that God
would forgive the vigilantes for what they
were doing, as it was the only way to clear the
country of road agents. He died without ap-
parent fear or suffering.
The execution of William Graves (Whis-
key Bill) took place on the 26th at Fort
Owen. Intelligence had been received at Hell
Gate that Whisky Bill was at Fort Owen, and
three men were sent immediately to arrest and
execute him. He had repeatedly sworn that
he would kill any vigilante that came his way,
and when found he was armed and on the look-
out. His captors swooped down on him so
suddenly, however, that he did not have time
to make resistance, and was easily captured.
He refused to make a confession. Mr. Lang-
ford tells of his execution as follows : "A rope
was tied to the convenient limb of a tree, and
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
the drop extemporized by placing the culprit
astride of a strong horse, behind a vigilante.
When all was ready the rider, exclaiming
'goodbye, Bill,' plunged the rowels into the
sides of the horse, the fatal noose swept the
robber from the seat, breaking his neck by the
shock, and killing him instantly."
This had been one of the most successful
raids of the vigilantes since starting out, and
the work was fully appreciated by the people
living in the Hell Gate neighborhood. There
had been a reign of terror in the neighborhood
since the desperadoes had been driven out of
Bannack and Virginia City. Their work having
been completed, the vigilantes set out on the
return to Nevada.
It will be remembered that wlien Boone
Helm and his comrades were hung at Virginia
City, the death penalty had also been pro-
nounced upon Bill Hunter, who, however,
managed to escape through the pickets. Soon
after it was learned that this man was living
in the Gallatin valley. On February 3rd he
was captured and executed — the last of the
Plummer gang of road agents. A number of
vigilantes, under the pretence of joining the
Barney Hughes stampede to a new placer dis-
covery, set out to effect his capture. As soon
as his whereabouts were definitely known four
resolute men volunteered to capture and ex-
ecute him. On the evening of the 2nd these
men arrived, after a long and perilous journey,
at a log cabin in the neighborhood of the rocky
jungle where their game had taken cover. He
was taken captive, and a return journey in the
direction of Virginia City was commenced.
Alx)ut two miles from the cabin the party
halted under a solitary tree. Here breakfast
was had, and then ensued a brief consultation as
to what disposition should be made of the
prisoner, it being decided after some discussion
that his execution should take place at once.
A noose was prepared and the rope passed
over the limb of the tree. When everything
was in readiness the men took hold of the rope
and at a given signal, by a rapid pull, the pris-
oner was run up so suddenly that he died with-
out apparent suffering. So strong is the rul-
ing passion in death that as he was suspended
in the air and, certainly, unconscious, he
reached as if for his revolver and pantomimi-
cally cocked and discharged it six times. Leav-
ing the corpse suspended from the tree, the
vigilantes now hurried homeward at a rapid
pace.
Thus perished the last one of Henry Plum-
mer" s road agent band. The bloody reign of
terror was at an end. The punishment of the
wrong doers had been severe, but severe meas-
ures were necessary. We quote at some length
from two authorities on the vigilante question
of Montana, showing the opinions of the people
on the methods adopted to bring a condition
of law and order out of one that had before
been one of lawlessness. Mr. N. P. Langford
has written :
The retribution, almost Draconic in severity, ad-
ministered to these daring freebooters had in no re-
spect exceeded the demands of absolute justice. If the
many acts I have narrated of their villainies were not
sufficient to justify the extreme course pursued in their
extermination, surely the unrevealed history, greater
in enormity, and stained with blood of a hundred or
more additional victims, must remove all prejudices
from the public mind against the voluntary tribunal of
the vigilantes. There was no other remedy. Practic-
ally, they had no law, but, if law had existed, it could
not have afforded adequate redress. This was proven
by the feeling of security consequent upon the destruc-
tion of the band. When the robbers were dead the
people felt safe, not for themselves alone, but for their
pursuits and their property. They could travel with-
out fear. They had a reasonable assurance of safety
in transmission of money to the states, and in the ar-
rival of property over the unguarded route from Salt
Lake. The crack of pistol* had ceased, and they could
walk the streets without constant exposure to danger.
There was an omnipresent spirit of protection, akin to
that omnipresent spirit of law which pervaded over
civilized communities. Men of criminal instincts were
cowed before the majesty of an outraged people's
wrath, and the very thought of crime became a terror
to them. Young men who had learned to believe that
the roughs were destined to rule, and who, under the
influence of that guilty faith, were fast drifting into
crime, shrunk appalled at the thorough work of the
114
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
vigilantes. Fear, more potent than consK:ience. forced
even the worst of men to observe the requirements of
:iviHzed society, and a feeling of comparative security
among all classes was the result.
Prof. Thos. Dimsdate has written :
On looking back at the dreadful state of society
which necessitated the organization of the vigilantes,
and on reading these pages, many will learn for the
first time the deep debt of gratitude which they owe to
that just and equitable body of self-denying and gallant
men. It was a dreadful and disgusting duty that de-
volved upon them ; but it was a duty, and they did it.
Far less worthy aictions have been rewarded by (he
thanks of congress, and medals glitter on many a
bosom, whose owner won them lying flat behind a
hillock, out of range of the enemy's fife. The vigilantes,
for the sake of their country, encountered popular dis-
like, the envenomed hatred of the bad, and the cold
toleration of some of the unwise good. Their lives
they held in their hands. "All's well that ends well."
Montana is saved, and they saved it, earning the bless-
ings of future generations, whether they receive them
or not.
After the vigilantes had e.xecnted the last
of the road agent band, they considered that
tlieir work was nearly completed. They had
freed the country from highwaymen and mur-
derers— at any rate there was no organized
band in the territory. There being no regular
civil authority, the people decided to establish
what was known as a people's court, where all
offenders should be tried by judge and jury
and where all civil matters should be disposed
of. This was the nearest approach to civil
order that the circumstances permitted, and,
while not strictly legal, the people determined
that its decrees should be enforced. The vig-
ilantes did not at once disband, however, and
for some time afterward the fact that the or-
ganization was still in existence caused a re-
straint on acts of the lawless. Several more
executions were made by this band before
their place was taken by civil authorities. A
few reckless spirits remained who, after the
excitement was over, forgot the lessons that
had been taught.
The vigilantes were censured quite severely
for some of these latter acts, it being consid-
ered that they were carrying their self-consti-
tuted power too far. The first execution after the
work detailed in this chapter was that of J. A.
Slade of Virginia City, a man who had many
friends among the best people of the commun-
ity but who was terrorizing rough when drink-
ing and made life miserable for the people of
Virginia City. We shall not go into detail
in telling of these latter doings of the vigi-
lantes, but simply give an outline of their work.
Early in the summer of 1864 James Brady
was hung near Nevada for the attempted mur-
der of one Murphy, a saloon keeper. In Sep-
tember of the same year Jem Kelly was hung
by the Virginia vigilantes for the robberj' of
a coach going from Virginia City to Salt Lake.
The hanging took place near Portneuf. On
September 17, 1864, John Dolan was hung at
Nevada for the robbery of James Brady and
for suspicion of having been connected with
stage robbery. He escaped to Salt Lake City,
but was brought back. In the fall of the same
year R. C. Rawley was hung at Bannack, upon
the same gallows that Plummer had met his
doom. Rawley was hung principally for his
threats against the vigilantes and the fact that
he was suspected of having been a spy for the
Plummer gang. He had left the country when
the vigilantes first made their appearance, but
had come back that summer.
Soon after the discovery of the precious
metal in Prickly Pear valley and the springing
up of the town of Helena John Keene was ex-
ecuted there for the murder of Harry Slater.
Many roughs caine to the new diggings and
to protect themselves the citizens of the new
town organized a branch of the vigilantes,
many of the members of the older organiza-
tion becoming members. Shortlly after this
organization Jake Silvia was arrested at Dia-
rnond City, about forty miles east of Helena,
on the charge of robber}', obtaining goods under
false pretenses and various other crimes of a
similar nature. He was brought to Helena
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
and at his trial admitted that he had been a
robber for twelve years and that during that
time he had taken part in twelve murders. He
was hanged.
The last execution by the Virginia vigil-
antes were two horse thieves named John Mor-
gan and John Jackson. These were executed
for horse stealing, but before death admitted
that they were road agents.
The committee at Helena and a newly or-
ganized one at Diamond Gulch were occasion-
ally called upon to make examples of outlaws
who had come to those camps, and several ex-
ecutions were necessary before order was re-
stored. The most remarkable case here was
that of James Daniels for the murder of a man
named Gartley at Helena. Daniels was tried
by the civil authorities and found guilty of
manslaughter. He was sentenced to serve a
term of three vears in the territorial peniten-
tiary. He was reprieved by the executive and
promptly returned to Helena, where he was
hanged by the vigilantes.
So much confidence did the people of Mon-
tana have in the vigilantes that when the ter-
ritory was organized many people scouted the
idea of having any better law for their protec-
tion. When the new officers arrived they were
told by some that the courts might be called
upon to settle the civil cases, but that the peo-
ple wanted no other laws than those laid down
and executed by the vigilantes. When, how-
ever, they found the courts adequate to their
necessities, vigilante rule gradually gave way
to the civil authorities. In some extreme cases
the court's slow action was anticipated and the
old organization was again called into vogue,
but this occurred only when the oft'ence was of
a verv aggravated character.
PART II
PARK COUNTY
CHAPTER I
EXPLORATION AND EARLY SETTLEMENT— iSo6 TO i88.
It was on Tuesday, the 15th day of July,
1806, that the first white man set foot on soil
that is now within the boundaries of Park
county. On that date a party consisting of
twenty men, one squaw, one papoose and 50
horses, under the command of Captain William
Clark, crossed the belt range of mountains at
the point which in later years became known as
the Bozeman pass and descended the east side.
Details of this journey are in another chapter
of this work.
The operations of the various fur traders
and trappers are given in the chapter entitled
"The Fur Traders."
Jim Bridger, he of Rocky mountain fame,
spent the winter of 1844-45 ""^ that part of
the county now known as Emigrant gulch
with a band of Crow Indians. This statement
has been vouched for by C. R. Glidden, who
has stated that the fact was verified by certain
marks and signs used by all mountaineers and
which has been accurately described to the
first settlers in Emigrant gulch.
^Ir. D. B. Weaver, who began mining in
Emigrant gulch in 1864, has this to say of
evidences of Mr. Bridger having been there
at an early day. According to this account.
the time of Mr. Bridger's residence here would
appear to have been earlier than the date given
by Mr. Glidden :
"In Curry's district (in 1864), about a
mile from the valley, stood a lonely pine tree,
some twenty inches in diameter, around whicl-:
was placed eighteen or twenty large elk horns
with the concave side next to the tree. In the
course of a number of years the growth of
this tree caused the tree to expand and caused
the horns to be tightly fastened around the
tree so they could not be removed. It was a
problem no one could solve who had placed
the horns around the tree or how long ago it
had been done. This was a question that none
could answer. During the fall of 1864 Cap-
tain Fridley built a log house in Bozeman
which was used by the traveling public as a
place to stop in over night, by spreading their
blankets on the ground floor. Here one night
in the fall of 1864 a number of travelers were
resting, among the number Jim Bridger, Rich-
ard Owens and others. One of the men was
telling- about these elk horns around the tree
over in Emigrant gulch. Old Jim Bridger
spoke up, saying, T helped to put them elk
horns there twenty-five years ago.' Now, tak-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
ing Bridger at his word, we arrived at the con-
clusion that Bridger was the first white man to
reside in this gulch and this part of the Yellow-
stone valley. Likely his party were trapping
for beaver along the river and this gulch af-
forded them a safe place to encamp from hos-
tile Indians."
By the terms of the treaty signed Septem-
ber 17, 1 85 1, a part of the Yellowstone valley
was set aside as a resefvation for .the Crow In-
dians. The boundary line of this reservation
commenced at the mouth of the Powder river
and followed that river to its source, thence
along the main range of the Black Hill and
Wind River mountains to the headwaters of
the Yellowstone river then down the Yel-
lowstone river to the mouth of Twenty-
five Yard creek, or Shields river, and across
to the headwaters of the Musselshell, thence
down the Musselshell to its mouth, thence to
the headwaters of Dry creek and down that
creek to its mouth. In this reserve was all
that part of the present Park county east of
the Yellowstone river, and Shields river. As
there were no settlers in this part of the coun-
try it made no difference whether Park county
was included in an Indian reservation or not
at this time, but before the boundaries were
finally moved to the eastward, by the treaty of
1880, there had been many prospectors over
the countn,^ to the east of the Yellowstone, who
had found rich prospects.
Fifty-three years after the expedition under
Clark had crossed Park county on its way to
the east another government expedition
crossed the county. It was in the spring of
1859 that Lieutenant Maynadier, of the expedi-
tion under Capt. W. F. Raynolds, of the corps
of topographical engineers. U. S. A., passed
through the southern part of the county, going
from east to west. He kept close to the flank
of the mountains until he reached the valley of
the Yellowstone; then he hastened to join his
commanding officer at the three forks of the
Missouri, the appointed rendezvous, which
place he reached on the third day of July. One
of the objects of this expedition was the ex-
ploration of the upper Yellowstone, but its
primary object was to observe an eclipse of
the sun at some point further west and north.
Owing to the fact that there was only a little
time to reach the appointed place of observa-
tion, the further exploration of the Yellow-
stone was abandoned.
Prior to the year i860 Montana was prac-
tically unknown except to the fur traders and
a few Catholic missionaries, who had taken up
their place of abode west of the mountains.
During the next year or two rumors of gold
in the Rocky mountain country brought a few
prospectors into the country. It was not until
the discovery of the Bannack mines in 1862,
however, that there was any attempt made at
permanent settlement. Then came the discov-
ery of the rich placers at Alder gulch the fol-
lowing year, and the rush to the land of gold
was on. No part of the mountain country was
overlooked by the prospectors, who swarmed
over the hills and gulches looking for the pre-
cious metal. It was the work of these gold
seekers that led to the settlement of Park
county.
We find that in 1863 several such parties
penetrated the country which is now within the
limits of Park county. In April of that year
a party of prospectors and prospective town
builders, who had elected James Stuart as their
captain, set out for Bannack with the inten-
tion of prospecting in the Yellowstone valley
and of laying out a townsite at some point in
that unknown country. The members of the
party were James Stuart. Cyrus D. Watkins,
John Vanderbilt, James N. York. Richard Mc-
Cafferty, Jas. Hauxhurst, D. Underwood, S.
T. Hauser, H. A. Bell, Wm. Roach. A. S.
Blake, Geo. H. Smith, H. T. Gerry, E. Bost-
wick and Geo. Ives. The party left Bannack
on April 9th and proceeded to the Gallatin
river. Thence they crossed to Shields river,
down that stream to the Yellowstone, and then
EMIGRANT PEAK
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
on their search to the east. Concerning the
trip through Park ^county, Mr. Stuart in his
journal said : "From Bannack City to a point
between the Madison and Gallatin rivers we
traveled to suit ourselves, in regard to course,
etc. ; then we were suckers enough to try to
travel by Lewis and Clark's notes and maps,
and the consequences were that from there to
the mouth of Shields river we traveled 75 miles
without getting any nearer our destination.
After that we laid Lewis and Clark aside and
traveled to suit the lay of the country."
In the preceding chapter of this work we
have told of the many hardships encountered
by this party during the subsequent part of the
journey.
That year another prospecting party, num-
bering thirty or forty men, traversed the county
■from north to south, ascending the Yellowstone
river into what is now the National Park.
There all their horses were stolen by Indians.
The party then divided into two parts and both
prospected the country in the vicinity of Clark's
fork for several days. They finally returned
and descended the Yellowstone, and found
good prospects near the southern boundary of
the present Park county, but did not follow up
their discoveries.
Gold was found in Emigrant gulch in 1863
by Thos. Curry, who remained in the vicinity
for some time, living with the Indians and put-
ting in his time hunting and prospecting.
Curry was an Irishman and by trade, a tailor.
He left Emigrant gulch for the diggings
further east, and early in the summer of 1864
we find him starting out with two companions
from Virginia City to return to his prospects.
Soon after they commenced work in the gulch
the Crows came upon them and robbed them of
all their provisions and nearly all the rest of
their equipment. Notliing daunted by this
treatment, the men returned to Virginia City,
where they laid in a new supply of pro^'isions
and such other articles as was necessary to
carry on their work, and returned to the gulch.
Now, during the summer of 1864 there
was a great rush to the gold fields of iMon-
tana at Bannack, V'irginia City and other
points where the precious metal had been
found. Much of this travel was by boat up
the Missouri to Fort Benton, but John Boze- .
man successfully opened up a new overland
route, and on July 30 reached the present site
of the city of Livingston with a large emigrant
train. From here the train proceeded west-
ward, via the Bozeman pass, and the present
site of the city of Bozeman, to the mining
camps further west. Another large train was
brought over the Bozeman route that summer
as far as the mouth of Shields river, piloted by
Jim Bridger, the famous trapper and hunter.
I'rom that point Bridger took his train up
Shields river and thence to the western mining
camps. Other parties not connected with either
of these trains and traveling in smaller compan-
ies, came over the Bozeman route, all tound
for the renowned gold fields of the Rockies.
Curry and his companions having found
gold in Emigrant gulch some 25 miles above
the point where the Bozeman trail left the Yel-
lowstone, and desiring to share their good for-
tune with the emigrants from the east, met
some of the first parties at that point and in-
duced some few of the gold seekers to abandon
the trip to Virginia City and to try the new
diggings up the Yellowstone. These found
good prospects and at once went to work. A
meeting was called and Curry mining district,
in honor of the discoverer of the mines, was
formed about the middle of August, of which
Dr. Hull, of Iowa, was the recorder. It was
not long before there were two or three hun-
dred people digging up the ground in Emi-
grant gulch. Each party that passed over the
Bozeman route would lose a few members,
who would decide to tiy their luck in the newly
discovered mines up the Yellowstone.
David R. Shorthill, D. B. Weaver and
Alexander Norris arrived at Emigrant gulch
August 27. Weaver has written as follows of
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
the cimp as it appeared to him that day in
August, 1864:
"Here for the first time I saw men washing
dirt or ground for gold. The bank or bar of
this gulch had stakes set in the ground every
200 feet with the owner's name written on it.
I estimate that there must have been two miles
of ground staked ofif. The owners of these
claims had formed a company, sawed out lum-
ber and made a long string of sluice boxes, into
which they were shovelling the gravel and dirt.
They were trying to get to bed rock in the ex-
pectation of finding 'pay dirt.' "
Although the prospectors were busily en-
gaged in turning over the ground in great
quantities at this point the yields were not rich.
Air. Shorthill, who was an experienced Colo-
rado miner, concluded that the source of the
gold was higher up the gulch and at once be-
gan prospecting. On Tuesday, August 30, he
struck coarse gold in paying quantities, and
the camp became quite famous in a small way.
By-laws in Emigrant Gulch. Shorthill's District.
Resolved, By the miners of said district that the
limits of said district shall be from the second falls of
the main stream up said gulch to the forks of said
stream and extending in width from summit to sum-
mit along said gulch.
Resolved, That no mining claim in said district
shall exceed in length along said gulch one hundred
feet, but all claims shall extend in width from summit
to summit across said gulch.
Resolved, That no person shall hold more than one
claim as above specified by pre-emption, and but one
by purchase except discovery claim.
Resolved. That any preempted claim upon which
the owner thereof shall not have performed; or cause
to be performed, actual mining labor within ten days,
next after his preemption thereof, shall be liable to be
preempted by any person entitled to preempt the same
and that after labor shall have been performed upon
claim if an interval of five days shall elapse without
additional labor being performed thereon said claim
shall be liable to be preempted by any other person en-
titled to preempt the same, provided that if any com-
pany or copartnership for the purpose of mining who
shall owm claims in said district shall labor upon any
one claim owned by said company or copartnership said
labor shall be deemed to be performed upon the several
claims owned by them. ^
Resolved, That there shall be one recorder elected
from the mines of said district, whose duty it shall be
to record the claims of said district and for which he
shall receive for each claim fifty cents.
Resolved, That all disputes arising concerning
claims in this district shall be settled by the miners
of said district.
Resolved, That the time for quitting labor in this
district during the coming winter shall be th-e first day
of October, and further that the time of resuming labor
the ensuing summer shall be the first day of June,
1865 — provided that claim holders may resume work
upon their own claims if by them deemed expedient.
Resolved, That the recorder shall call a meeting
of the miners upon request of three miners of said
district.
September 12, '64.
The original copy of these laws is in the
possession of Mr. Hackney, the secretary, who
lives at the national soldiers' home at Los An-
geles, California. The laws were not signed by
the secretary at the time of their adoption, but
the following addition to the records will show
that they are now in the proper legal fonn :
National Soldiers' Home,
Los Angeles. Cal., 9-12-1906.
This is to certify that at a miners' meeting held
in the Shorthill district in Emigrant Gulch, Montana,
Sept. 12, 1864, I was elected secretary of said meeting
and wrote the above by-laws ; but as there was some
unfinished business 'when the meeting adjourned I did
not sign them, but do now, 42 years later.
W. H. HACKNEY.
Preparations for founding a town were be-
gun before mining ceased, in the fall of 1864.
A site was surveyed at the mouth of Emigrant
gulch and named Yellowstone City. The first
building erected was a house put up by Thos.
McGronagle. At the time, the house was con-
sidered a commodious one, put up with a view
to architectual beauty, but in this latter day
civilization it would in all probability be prop-
erly termed a "shack." The town was built
up rapidly, and practically the whole popula-
tion of Emigrant gulch passed the winter "in
town." The cabins up the gulch were deserted
and everything was "packed" down to Yellow-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
stone City. In a letter to a friend in the east,
dated Yellowstone City, March 15, 1865, Mr.
D. B. Weaver said : "Yellowstone City is sit-
uated at the mouth of Emigrant gulch. It has
about 75 log houses and a couple hundred
inhabitants, 15 being women. It was com-
menced last fall. It is the only settlement in
this valley and the most eastern town in this
territory, except Fort Laramie. This promises
to be quite a place the coming summer."
Yellowstone City consisted not alone of
miners' cabins. In the fall there arrived in
Emigrant gulch four or five freight wagons,
loaded with merchandise and articles for trade
with the Indians. These goods were the prop-
erty of Aguste Archambeau and Frank Cin
Cin, two French explorers and trappers, both
described as estimable gentlemen. They
erected a large log building for their store, and
carried on the largest establishment in the
town. The camp was a comparatively orderly
one, composed of the best class of miners. Al-
though outside the jurisdiction of peace of-
ficers and courts, the people banded to-
gether and formed laws of their own.
A meeting was held in the fall when a
justice of the peace was elected and penalties
prescribed for different offenses. Hanging
was to be the penalty for murder, thieving or
for insulting women. In the fall of 1864 a
baby boy was born to the wife of Mr. Miller,
and was named ^Montana. This was probably
the first white child born in what is now Park
county, or for that matter in the Yellowstone
valley. Another child born at a very early
date was the son of Mr. and -Mrs. John J. Tom-
linson, the sawmill man. This child was
named Philo.
The winter of 1864-65 will never be for-
gotten by any who passed that season in Yel-
lowstone City. They were the vanguard of
civilization. For hundreds of miles to the east
there was nothing but the wild animals and
wilder savages; to the north and south it was
no better ; to the west the nearest mining camp
was Virginia City, 120 miles distant. Con-
cerning the state of society here that winter,
Mr. C. R. Glidden has written :
"Notwithstanding their perilous position
the residents enjoyed life to the utmost. Balls
and parties were frequent and well attended,
the most cordial good fellowship prevailing.
The gentlemen were soon dressed in true
frontier style — that is in buckskin suits with
long fringes attached to the seams of their gar-
ments, a la Buffalo Bill. The ladies were com-
pelled to replenish their wardrobes with gar-
ments made from empty flour sacks, and, as it
was impossible to erase the original brands,
their clothes lines presented an amusing specta-
cle, seldom seen except in the far west."
When the emigrants came to the gulch in
the summer they were generally well supplied
with groceries of all kinds, but in most cases
these ran out long before the winter was over.
The deep snows on the ranges to the west pre-
vented an easy replenishment of their stock,
and many were reduced to the necessity of liv-
ing on "meat straight" during the latter part
of the winter. Some also had been unable to
secure profitable claims, and their diet of "meat
straight" was due. in some cases, to lack of
funds, as well as the inability to reach markets.
But game of all kinds was abundant and none
was so poor that he could not have plenty. The
snow in the mountains drove the wild game
down into the valley and on the foothills. An-
telope, black tailed deer, common deer. Rocky
mountain sheep, elk and bear were the most
common varieties, and often such game wan-
dered down within plain sight of the town
Because of the heavy snows on the mountains,
making it very difficult to bring in stocks of
goods, and the steady diminishing of the food
supplies of Yellowstone City, it was but natural
that prices for such goods went soaring. Con-
cerning the prices of merchandise during this
winter, we quote again from the letter already
referred to, written :\Iarch 15. 1S65, by ^Ir.
Weaver :
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
I shall now give you the dust, or gold, prices of
articles (you must double the sum to get it in green-
backs) : Flour, $20 to $25 per sack or loo pounds;
bacon, 60 cents per pound ; coffee, 75 cents ; sugar 75
cents per poimd ; dried apples, 50 cents per pound ; po-
tatoes, 12 to 16 cents per pound; turnips, S cents per
pound; onions, 10 cents; butter, $1.00 to $1.25 per
pound; canned fruit, $1.50 per can; ax and pick handles
$1.00 a handle; writing paper, s cents per sheet. The
largest profit last summer was on flour. It could be
purchased in Omaha for three dollars tper hundred in
greenbacks and sold here for $20 to $25 in gold. Flour
is now selling here at $40 per hundred in gold, or $80
in U. S. currency. Virginia City is our nearest post-
office. It costs 371/2 cents to send a letter and 75 cents
to get one here in gold by private conveyance.
Now, as the mining season lasts but six months,
to pay the above prices a man is bound to make big
wages. Last summer my'average wages at mining was
thirteen dollars a day in gold, and I expect the coming
summer equally as good.
But not all the events of the year were
centered in Emigrant giilch. As stated before,
the whole of the mountain country of Mon-
tana was prospected that year, and several of
these parties found their way into other parts
of Park county. G. J. Batcheldor and a party
of prospectors who were coming up the Yel-
lowstone valley stopped at the mouth of
Shield's river, and near there washed some
dirt, which showed what in later years would
have been called good prospects, but the find-
ings were not rich enough to satisfy the eager
gold hunters of that day. John T. Lilly was
a member of the party and took out a sinall
nugget that weighed six cents. Some years
thereafter considerable excitement was aroused
among the upper Yellowstone miners over re-
ported gold discoveries in the Shields river val-
ley, some distance up the stream, but no dis-
coveries of value were found. As late as the
spring of 1884 there was another excitement
of the same nature in the same place, but it
resulted in nothing but excitement, and there
has never been any mining in that valley.
.\nother party of 73 men, commanded by
Jas. Stuart, prospected and hunted Indians
across Park county in the summer of 1864.
One of the objects of the trip was to punish the
Indians for the outrages committed upon the
Stuart party of the year before. They came
from Deer Lodge to the Yellowstone valley
and thence around the east base of the Absa-
roka range into the valley of the Shoshone
river. At the latter place the party was com-
pelled to separate into groups. One small
party went as far south as the Sweetwater, and
recrossed the continental divide at Two Ocean
pass. They descended the Yellowstone, passed
the Yellowstone lake and the Grand canyon,
and crossed Park county on their way home.
Another event of the year 1864 was the dis-
covery of Hunter's hot springs by Dr. A. J.
Hunter. That gentleman, accompanied by his
wife and three children, the youngest a baby
in its mother's arms, left their home in Mis-
souri on the 2nd of April, 1864, and started
westward by wagon for California. On the
Platte river below Denver, they met about 500
wagons, loaded with excited emigrants and
gold seekers. They had just heard of the new
"diggings" in Montana, and many decided to
abandon the California trip and come to Mon-
tana, Dr. Hunter and his wife among the
others.
John Bozeman had started for the new gold
field with his big party just a day ahead of the
Hunter party, and the latter followed him all
the way into the territory. Besides Mrs. Hun-
ter there was but one woman in the party,
which included sixteen men, two women and
three children. This little band of pioneers
crossed Wind river on the fourth of July by
swimining and converting the wagon beds into
boats, and on the twentieth they crossed the
Yellowstone in the same manner, and reached
the site of the present city of Livingston on
July 30.
But before reaching this point the party
had encamped one day near the present site of
Hunter's hot springs, which in those days, and
probably for hundreds of years, had been
known to the Indians and recognized for the
medicinal and curative qualities of the waters.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
123
One day while Dr. Hunter was making a hunt-
ing trip some distance from the wagon train
he came upon hundreds of Indians camped
about the hot springs, in which they were bath-
ing. There were many sick among them who
were carried into the water by companions,
and the instincts and training of the white doc-
tor told him the value of his discovery. He
believed he had found a gold mine of new char-
acter, and immediately staked out a claim to
the springs. Then he proceeded on his way
•.vith his companions up the Yellowstone, ar-
riving in Bozeman on the 4th day of August,
where he caught up with the Bozeman party
and witnessed the erection of the first house in
the Gallatin valley, built by Bozeman. Beal and
Rouse. It was six years later when Dr. Hun-
ter returned to his property.
The miners of Emigrant Gulch raised a
trouble with the Indians during the year 1864.
but in the spring of the following year an event
took place which put them on their guard. It
was in the month of May that a miner named
Hughes, originally from Keokuk, Iowa, was
brought into Yellowstone City, badly wounded,
bringing the .report that he and two compan-
ions had been attacked by Indians and that
his companions had been shot down.
The miners of Emigrant gulch raised a
purse for him and he was started on his way
home. As there were not enough rich claims
for all the miners in the camp when the' spring
of 1865 came, quite a number left for the
camps further west. This left the camp much
smaller than it had been the preceding year,
and those that remained put in part of their
time building for better protection up in the
mouth of the canyon, against a possible attack
by Indians.
An important addition to the community
this year was the erection of a sawmill on the
Yellowstone, just below the mouth of Mill
creek, nine miles down the valley from Emi-
grant gulch. This was operated by John J.
Tomlinson. who brou.ght the machinery with
him across the plains. Here he sawed out lum-
ber for the manufacture of boats for the use
of those who desired to make the trip down
the Yellowstone and home in the fall.
The year 1865 was quite a profitable one
in Shorthill's district, but it proved the Curry
district to be of little value.
So many had left Emigrant gulch in the
fall of 1865 that by the following spring the
population was so small that it was a question
if it were safe to continue operations there,
because of the threatened hostilities of the In-
dians. And the fears of the miners were not
groundless. One party which decided to seek
fortunes in the camps further west consisted
of Joseph Davis and family, Charles Hopkins,
Isaac Dawson, Benj. Strickland, D. B. Weaver
and the Hackney brothers. These departed
for Helena and other camps.
At the time of departure of these men quite
a large number of others were fitting up boats
at the mouth of the canyon, prepatory to
making the trip back to the states by way of
the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers. One boat
containing five men started out ahead of the
rest, and at some distance down the river were
attacked by Indians, who had concealed them-
selves in the bushes along the river. ■Mr.
Lawrence, one of the party, was killed. The
rest then hastily paddled for the opposite shore,
landed safely, and then hastened back to warn
the others of the danger. About a dozen men
had decided to remain in Yellowstone City
during the 1866 season, but when the news of
the Indian attack was brought to them, all
hastily packed such articles as they could take
with them, loaded them on an ox cart and set
out with all possible speed for Bozeman, going
over the Trail creek route. Emigrant gulch
was entirely deserted, and remained so until
August, when, the Indian alarm having sub-
sided, miners began to return.
Concerning the events of the fall of 1866
Mr. \\'eaver has written :
"The Indian alarm having quieted down.
:24
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
John S. Hackney and I each got a riding
horse and a pack horse, and, leaving Helena,
returned to Yellowstone City, and found the
place without a living soul in it. The houses
were just as they had been when the last man
left the place. We went up to our old claims,
and not a living person was here either. So
^\•e had the choice of claims, sluice boxes, cab-
ins and tools. We were not here long before
men began to come in to these mines to make
a 'grub stake' for the coming winter, saying
that if they could get enough gold dust to buy
their flour and salt, they could kill all the wild
meat they would need and would live well till
next spring. Mr. Hackney and I continued
digging gold until the 13th of October, when a
heavy fall of snow interrupted our gold min-
ing and we returned to Helena. * * *
When I left Yellowstone City on the 13th the
empty cabins were being reoccupied by men
who had come here to pass the coming
winter."
It was in 1866 that one of the first parties
to enter what is now the Yellowstone National
Park made its way from Virginia Citv up the
Madison ri\'er to the geyser basins. This
party, which was under Geo. Huston, crossed
to the Yellowstone at Mud geyser, ascended
the river to Yellowstone lake, passed com-
pletely around the latter, discovering Heart
lake on the way. and then descended the Yel-
lowstone by the falls and canyon and finally
came to Emigrant gulch, where by this time
the miners were again at work. Here they
were interviewed by a newspaper reporter, L.
R. Freeman, who chanced to be in the camp,
and an account of the travels through the park
was published in the Omaha Herald. The
members of the party were Geo. Huston, Geo.
Hubbard, Rube Lilly, Soors, Lewis and a Mex-
ican. After the year 1866 mining was carried
on in Emigrant gulch for many years, but
never to the extent that it was during these
first three years.
D. B. Weaver estimated that during these
three years there was less than $30,000 taken
out. However, as mining was continuous for
many years, the total amount recovered from
the sands of Emigrant gulch may have reached
cjuite a respectable figure in later years. In
1889 C. R. Glidden estimated the amount at
that time at $250,000, and stated that 250,-
000 cubic yards of gravel had been worked,
thus making an average yield of one dollar
per yard.
While the greater part of the people who
came to Montana in the early sixties were ac-
tuated by the sole desire to obtain wealth by
mining operations, a few turned to the less
strenuous pursuits, with which they were more
familiar, and this was true of those who came
to Park county at that early date. A few years
after the discovery of gold in Emigrant gulch
we find that a few scattered settlers bad begun
tilling the soil. This would have been more
general but for the fact that the choicest lands
in the vicinity of the mines lay on the east side
of the Yellowstone ri\'er, and that was a por-
tion of the Crow Indian reservation and not
open to settlement. The first practical attempt
at farming was made near the present site of
Fridley. Before long a few scattered settlers
might be found in that part of the valley now
called Paradise valley. These raised produce
for the camp at the gulch besides supplying
their own wants. Sometimes driven out of the
country by hostile Indians, they returned and
resumed their work when the scare was over.
These few scattered settlers proved the worth
of the country from an agricultural standpoint.
In the spring of the year 1867 occurred the
death, at the hands of Indians, of John Boze-
man, that intrepid pioneer who had opened the
route across the plains that crossed Park
county and who had brought the first train
over it. The place of his death was just east
of Mission creek, about seven miles east of the
present city of Livingston. The spot is near
the present line of the Northern Pacific rail-
road, and in the earlv davs stood a cairn, or
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
small stone pile, upon the spot. The story of
the tragic taking away of this pioneer is told
in Topping's "Chronicles of the Yellowstone:"
"In March of this year (1867) John Boze-
man and Tom Coover started from Bozeman
to go to Fort C. F. Smith, where they expected
to get a contract. They stopped the first night
out at Louis Reshaw's cabin, at the Yellow-
stone crossing. Indians were prowling about
the cabin all night and stole one horse. The
next morning Reshaw advised Bozeman to
wait till night and then travel far enough to
get away from the war party, but it was not
taken and they went on. At noon they camped
at a little stream below Mission creek. Just
after they had eaten, Coover saw six Indians
coming up the bottom afoot, and started for
the horses. Bozeman stopped him, saying,
'they are Crows." When the Indians were
about 200 yards distant, Bozeman said, T do
not think they are Crows. You get the horses
and I'll stand them off.' Coover started for
the horses, which were about 200 yards away
and on the opposite side of the camp from the
visitors.
"The Indians carried their guns in buck-
skin covers and Bozeman must have still
thought they were Crows, for he let them come
up to within fifteen feet of him. Then one
raised a gun quickly and fired through the
cover, hitting Bozeman in the breast, and he
fell. Bozeman was holding Coover's rifle and
his own, and as the Indians came near, Coover
ran back and when they shot was about the
same distance from Bozeman as they were.
He ran toward Bozeman as he fell, shooting
his pistol rapidly as he did so, and the Indians
backed off. When Coover had secured his gun
and found that Bozeman was dead, he re-
treated slowly and reached the bush with but a
slight wound in the shoulder. He came to Re-
shaw's cabin that night, and the second day
after a party went down and buried Boze-
man's remains. In 1870 the body was taken
up and buried with ceremony in the cemetery
of the town that bears his name * * * ."
It was also in 1867 that Montana's militia
came to that part of the territory which is now
Park county on the proposed war against the
Indians. The militia, 600 strong, was sent
out by acting Governor Meagher to protect the
settlers who were fast settling up the Gallatin
valley and other portions of eastern Montana.
It was doubtless also the intention to engage
in battle with the Sioux, who were on the war
path, but this event did not come off, partly
because of the action of the general govern-
ment and partly because of the acts of the
militia, about to be related.
The state soldiers crossed the divide between
the Gallatin and Yellowstone valleys and spent
the winter of 1867-8 at the mouth of Shields
river. Taken as a whole these soldiers were
a pretty hard class of citizens, though they
were all brave, energetic and adventurous, and
some few of the number later became highly
respected citizens of the territory and state.
But they were all men accustomed to think for
themselves and men who revelled in personal
freedom ; hence the discipline of army life had
but little effect on these rough frontiersmen.
Of the doings in this camp on the Yellowstone
that winter a writer in the Livingston Enter-
prise, under date of September 8, 1888, said:
"Among the number were many outlaws,
renegades, horse thieves and others who were
too glad to seek shelter from the law by enroll-
ing under its protection. As the winter went
on, however, provisions commenced to get
scarce. Xone were forthcoming from the go\--
ernor and no pay could be obtained. The
vouchers issued by the territory were worth-
less. A mutinous spirit grew apace and raids
on the commissary by hungry men became a
daily occurrence. All discipline soon come to an
end and a mutiny was soon in full sway. Whole
squads of men deserted, taking with them what
they could. Officers found themselves without
men and many a member of the organization
was killed in the numerous quarrels which per-
126
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
vaded the camp. It is said by some who were
there that more men were killed among them-
selves than were ever killed by the Indians
during the whole organization. A strong
guard of trusties tried to preserve the scanty
commissary from maurauders, but it was al-
most useless. Captain Hart was killed in de-
fending the stores, and many others whose
names are long since forgotten. What was left
of the regiment gradually dwindled away,
some being discharged, many, however, not
waiting for that ceremony to be completed, but
quietly went away and engaged in other busi-
ness. It is claimed by some that the territory
owes these men their pay yet and that it could
be collected up to the present time, but we think
that most of them were so glad to get out of
the scrape that they have nut thought twice
about the matter of pay since they left the
camping ground."
Many years after this event, when Living-
ston had become quite a city, a few graves
were still discernable just below the town —
graves that marked the last camping grounds
of some of Montana's first militiamen.
By a treaty signed May 7, 1868, the bound-
aries of the Crow reservation were changed,
so that now it took in only that country boun-
ded by the 107th meridian of longitude, the
Yellowstone river and the southern boundary
of the territory. This cut ofif all the country
between the Yellowstone and Musselshell
rivers which had heretofore been included.
The only et¥ect of this treaty, so far as Park
county was concerned, was the opening of the
northeast corner of the county to settlement —
that part east of Shields river. At this time
the white people were interested only in that
part of the country which was adjacent to the
Emigrant gulch mines, and the changing of the
boundary lines had not the slightest effect
upon these.
The spring of 1868 marked a few Indian
depredations upon the white settlers. The home
of the Whitman family was attacked, all the
household^ goods burned and their cattle run
off. The miners organized a company and
pursued the Indians. After a short skirmish,
in which no lives were lost, the miners suc-
ceeded in recapturing the stock. Some of the
miners then returned with the stock, while the
rest of the party pursued the raiders to a point
on the mountains nearly opposite to where Liv-
ingston is now located.
In accordance with the provisions of the
Crow 'treaty of May 7, 1868, before referred
to, in July, of the same year, Captain LeMott
disbursed the first annuities ever received from
the go\'ernment by the Crows. This took
place on Little Timber creek, in the present
Sweet Grass county. A short time
after this event Major Camp, of the United
States army, was appointed agent and at once
commenced building an agency on Mission
creek. A ferry laoat was put in there by Billy
Lee for the government, and the place later be-
came known as Benson's Landing. About the
same time "Buckskin" Williams built a cabin
for a saloon and trading post on the north side
of the Yellowstone, opposite the agency.
It was in 1873 that this post was christened
Benson's Landing. In the summer of that year
Amos Benson and Dan Naileigh built a log
house for a liquor saloon, near the ferry boat
landing, and the place was named in honor of
one of the partners. The place became quite
a noted point and was headquarters and main
resort of the trappers, miners and frontiersmen
of the upper river.
Here the trappers brought their furs and
here the traders came to buy, and here also for
poor whiskey was spent a great part of the
money for which the hunters imperiled their
lives.
Benson and Naileigh established and main-
tained a scantily supplied store for the accom-
modation of trappers and hunters. In the years
that followed Benson's advent to this place,
when staging over the route was a safe mode
of travel, this point became a stage station and
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
postoffice,and though only a small cluster of log
cabins marked the site, it became as well known
as any point on the Yellowstone. Here in
1873 and 1874 Hugo J. Hoppe, afterwards
quite prominent in the history of Park county,
was also eng-aged in business.
The tales of prospectors and trappers con-
cerning the wonderful freaks of nature in that
part of the country which we now term the
Yellowstone National Park led to several trips
to that country by parties who went to verify
these tales and to learn of the wonders which
were reported as being there. These different
parties invariably passed through the country
whose history we are writing, as have thou-
sands upon thousands- of people done since the
first one in 1869. The first of these parties
consisted of only three men, David E. Folsom,
C. W. Cook and \Vm. Peterson. They started
out from Diamond City, Montana, on Septem-
ber 6, 1869. Their route lay up the Missouri
river to the three forks, thence by way of Boze-
man and Fort Ellis to the Yellowstone, and
thence up the Yellowstone into the park. The
writings of these explorers gave to the world
the first authentic accounts of some of the won-
ders to be found in the country of the upper
Yellowstone.
Another party explored the park in 1870,
being composed of General Henry D. Wash-
burn, commander of the expedition; N. P.
Langford, Cornelius Heges, Samuel T. Hau-
ser, Warren C. Gillette, Benj. Stickney, Tru-
man C. Everts, Walter Trumbull and Jacob
Smith. There were also two assistants, Mr.
Reynolds and Elwyn Bean, and two African
boys for cooks. At Fort Ellis (near the city
of Bozeman) the party was joined by a detach-
ment of United States soldiers under command
of Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane, 2nd U. S.
cavalry. The soldiers in the escort were Ser-
geant William Baker and Privates John Wil-
liamson, Geo. W. McConnell, William Leipler
and Chas. Moore. The start was made from
Helena August 17th and on the 22nd the ex-
pedition, accompanied by the soldiers, set out
from Fort Ellis.
On August 26, the ^Vashburn party entered
the park and visited nearly all of the points of
interest therein. To the explorations of this
party was due the first agitation that brought
about the setting apart of this wonderful coun-
try into the Yellowstone National Park.
Dr. A. J. Hunter, who had in 1864 staked
the hot springs which now bear his name and
who for several years after that date had spent
his time in the different mining camps of Mon-
tana, returned to the springs in the spring of
1870 and built his home there, at a point op-
posite the present hotel. He also built a big
dam between the cold creek and the hot creek,
and in the big pond white men and Indians
bathed for years — in fact, at that early date
was started the sanitarium, which has since be-
come famous all over the country. In 1873
Dr. Hunter built more pretentious bath houses.
These were built from lumber that cost $80
per thousand feet in Bozeman, with an addi-
tional charge of $60 per thousand for hauling
to the springs. The Crows, who inhabited this
part of the territory, were friendly to Dr.
Hunter and his family and did not resent the
encroachment, nor did the doctor attempt to
deprive the natives of their rights to the use
of the water for bathing purposes. The only
thing the Indians protested against was the
cultivation of the soil, which they wisely said
would bring rain and spoil their hunting sea-
son. Nevertheless. Dr. Hunter engaged in
agricultural pursuits to a limited extent.
For years after first settling here Dr. Hun-
ter and his family spent only the winter at the
springs, being compelled to return to Boze-
man after the spring crops were put in, for in
May the Crows went out on their hunting trips,
and they were immediately followed by the
murderous and thieving Sioux and Blackfeei.
A few times the Hunter home was attacked by
bands of these tribes before they could get out
of the countrv. Lieutenant Jas. H. Bradley,
[28
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
who visited the springs in 1876, wrote of con-
ditions there at that time as follows :
"Two miles from camp are Dr. Hunter's
warm springs, which I visited. Found the
water very hot, but did not learn the tempera-
ture nor the mineral constituents, though sul-
phur evidently predominates. Gypsum is
abundant in this neighborhood. Dr. Hunter's
family is now at the springs, but full of dread
of the Sioux. His house is, in the summer
season, something of a resort for the afflicted,
but the Sioux frequently appear in the vicinity,
and once attacked the house — facts which do
not attract custom. The springs pour out a
copious stream of steaming water, and the day
will come when the property will be very
valuable."
Even the wild animals recognized the good
of the waters, and for years after Dr. Hunter
settled there they would come and drink of
the warm water. On one occasion, Mrs. Hun-
ter declared, she saw a band of not less than
5,000 elk come to the springs for a drink, pass-
ing the cold waters of the Yellowstone river
on the way.
Again in 1871 the present Park county
was traversed by a party on the way to the
country of the National Park. There were, in
fact, two expeditions under the direction 01
the government — one in command of Dr.
Hayden and the other under Captains Barlow
and Heap, of the engineer corps of the army.
Both traveled under the same military escort,
although the work of the two expeditions was
different. The route was the usual one up the
Yellowstone, leaving the present Park county
at the mouth of Gardiner river. Mammoth
hot springs, which had heretofore escaped the
notice of all the previous expeditions, were
found by these parties.
Now let us turn our attention to the dis-
covery of the mines, and the early history of
the mining operations, in that part of the
county which was known as the Clark's Fork
district — in the extreme southeastern portion
of the present Park county. As before stated,
that part of the county east of the Yellowstone
river was, according to the treaty of 1868, in-
cluded within the Crow reservation. .Among
other stipulations of the treaty was the provi-
sion that this territory
Shall be, and the same is, set apart for the absolute and
undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians herein
named, and for such other friendly tribes or individual
Indians as from time to time they may be willing, with
the consent of the United States, to admit amongst
them ; and the United States now solemnly agrees that
no persons, except those herein designated and author-
ized so to do, and except such officers, agents and em-
ployes of the government as may be authorized to enter
upon Indian reservations in discharge of duties en-
joined by law, shall ever be permitted to pass over,
settle upon, or reside in the territory described in this
article for the use of said Indians, and henceforth they
will, and do hereby, relinquish all title, claims, or
rights in and to any portion of the territory of the
United States, except such as is embraced within the
limits aforesaid.
This article was plain enough but the pros-
pectors of the early sixties, in their search for
the precious metal, paid not much attention to
the boundary lines of Indian reservations. It
was in 1870 that a small party discovered very
rich silver ore in three or four places near the
head of Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, and
this, too, cropping out in such large bodies as
to leave no doubt of the permanent values.
But, of course, title could not be obtained. The
mill stone of the Crow reservation hung over
this country, and white men had no right there.
Although it was believed to abound in rich
mineral, the country was of no benefit to any-
one. Not even the Indians, to whom the coun-
try belonged, ever visited this part of their
domain on hunting trips.
Notwithstanding the fact that they had no
right there, in 1870, 1871 and 1872 a few
prospectors found their way into this country,
and good prospects were found. Some little
time after this prospecting, in spite of all ob-
structions from difficult transportation, hostile
Indians and the impossibilty of obtaining title
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
[29
to their lioldings. a Bozeman company erected
a smelting furnace at the place now known as
Cooke. In 1877 the Eastern Montana Mining
& Smelting company made a run of silver ore
in the old stone smelter. The bullion obtained
from this run was not removed until the
Northern Pacific railroad was built into the
country in 1883. -But it was not until the open-
ing- of the reservation in 1882 that mining to
any extent was carried on in that part of our
county.
The year 1875 witnessed the last act of
hostility by the Indians in .Park county, with
the exception of the raid of the Nez Perce two
years later. It was in July, 1875, that James
Hughes and a driver named Anderson, each
having a six or eight mule team, left Boze-
man for the new agency of the Crows upon
Rosebud creek. Hughes and his companion
camped the first night west of the Bozeman
pass. Next day about midday, while they
were between the divide and the site of the
present city of Livingston, they were attacked
by a marauding band of Sioux. Hughes, who
was the owner of the two teams, stopped to
catch a mule he was leading behind his wagons,
the same having broken the lead rope during
the first onslaught of the savages. Having
secured the animal, he turned his attention to
the enemy, when a rifle ball pierced his heart.
Anderson jumped from his wagon, sought
safety in the bush of Billman creek, cached
himself under this shelter till dark, and then
made his way to Fort Ellis, near Bozeman,
and gave the alarm.
Major Benham, then in command at Fort
Ellis, sent out Lieutenant Jerome with his
company of the 2nd cavalry, together with
seven volunteers from Bozeman, in pursuit of
the Indians. Nineteen days and nights were
spent by the pursuing party in an endeavor to
overtake the murdering savages. Without
blankets, overcoats or bedding of any kind,
through cold, bleak, rainy and snowy weather
they continued their search, which resulted
only in failure.
The Nez Perce war of 1877 had but little
bearing upon the history of Park county, al-
though many events of considerable historical
importance were enacted in the Yellowstone
National Park, just south of this county. One
or two small detachments of the marauding
Indians, however, entered the confines of the
present Park county and committed depreda-
tions. The main body of the hostiles under Jo-
seph entered the park on August 23 by
Targhee pass and camped on Firehole river
that night. On the 24th the Indians, with
Chief Joseph at their head, moved to the Yel-
lowstone river at the site of the ford near Mud
geyser. Here they remained during the 25th.
On the following day the bulk of the command
crossed the river, ascended its right bank to
the lake, and took the Pelican creek trail to
the Lamar river valley in the northeast cor-
ner of the park. A small body of marauders
separated from the main body at Mud geyser,
descended the Yellowstone by the Mt. Wash-
burn trail, attacking a Helena tourist party
on the way, killing one man, burned and par-
tially destroyed Baronett bridge near the junc-
tion of the Yellowstone and Lamar rivers,
made a raid upon Mammoth hot springs, kill-
ing one man there, and went down the valley
as far as Henderson's ranch, where Cinnabar
now stands. Here they committed numerous
depredations, stole a number of horses, and
then returned without having suffered any loss
whatever.
The main body of the Indians left the park
by the way of Miller creek, guided by a white
man named Shively, whom they had captured
and made to act as guide. One party visited
the smelter which had been making the run
there that year, partially destroyed the smelter
and machinery, and stole some of the. bullion.
While some prospecting and a little mining
had been done in the Clark's Fork district dur-
:30
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
ing tlie seventies, it was not until 1882 that
the district was tlirown open and active opera-
tions begun there. Tlie Indians caring little
for this part of the reservation, it was a sim-
ple matter to get their assent to its relinquish-
ment, but the United States government moved
with its proverbial slowness, and it was June
30, 1880, before a treaty was made, and nearly
two years after that date before the district
was finally thrown open to white settlement.
From the earliest discovery of mineral here in
the late sixties until this date the prospector
had been impatiently waiting and hoping for
the chance to get into this country.
The treaty of 1880 provided for the sale to
the United States of that part of the reserva-
tion bounded as follows: "Beginning in the
mid-channel of the Yellowstone river at a jxDint
opposite the mouth of Boulder creek ; thence up
the middle of the channel of said river to the
point where it crosses the southern boundary
of Montana territory, being the 45th degree
of north latitude; thence east along said par-
allel of latitude to point where said parallel
crosses Clark's fork, thence north to a point
six miles south of the first standard par-
allel, being on the township line between town-
ships six and seven south ; thence west on said
township line to the iioth meridian of longi-
tude: thence north along said meridian to a
point east or west of the source of the east-
ern branch of Boulder creek; thence down
Boulder creek to the place of beginning."
Under this treaty all of the present Park
county was taken out of the reservation, al-
though it left within it a large part of the
county as it was originally created and re-
mained until the counties of Sweet Grass and
Carbon were formed in 1895. Before the new
territory could be opened for settlement under
the terms of the treaty, it was necessary to
survey the lands and make the Indian allot-
ments. This took nearly two years, and it
was not until April 11. 1882, that the land was
actually opened.
The prospectors and miners were not slow
in getting into the new country. They came
from all the mining camps of the country,
wherever the reports of the richness of the
Clark's Fork mines had penetrated. Some
prospectors had waited all winter in the moun-
tains, ready to make locations as soon as the
treaty was signed; others were stationed in
Bozeman and hastened over the mountains as
soon as the telegraph brought the news of the
relinquishment of the Indian title. The snow
was still deep and the last twenty or thirty
miles had to be made on snow shoes. Swarm-
ing into the country, the prospectors spread out
upon each other in ever increasing parts of cir-
cles, having the original discoveries at the pres-
ent town of Cooke as a common center. Their
search was not in vain ; for go where they
would, they found the precious ore, covering a
gigantic mineral belt.
In 1883 some Pittsburg men made a short
run in the old Eastern ^Montana Alining &
Smelting company's smelter under the direc-
tion of A. Wills. Several other runs were made
in the same smelter in 18S5. Large sums of
money were spent by the Republic Mining
company that year in building a smelter and
development work. The Republic smelter be-
gan running in 1885 and was in operation one
year. Of the later historv' of this district we
shall tell in another chapter.
Undoubtedly the most important e\-ent in
the history of Park county was the building
of the Northern Pacific railroad, which was
completed through that part of Montana terri-
tory which later became Park county in De-
cember, 1882. Prior to this time the county
was little better than a desert wilderness. True
there had been considerable activity in differ-
ent parts of the county at one time or another,
but there had been no permanent development,
such as was to follow the building of the rail-
road. Scattered over the county, in the valleys,
were a few improved farms, but these were
more in the nature of an experiment than any-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
^31
thing else. Besides these, the only other occu-
pants of this broad country were a few hunters
and venturesome prospectors. Before 1882
there was not a town in the county, if we ex-
cept the Uttle group of prospectors at Cooke
City and the station called Benson's Landing,
near the present site of Livingston. Of the
wonderful change in conditions between the
years 1882 and 1907 we shall tell in the next
chapter.
CHAPTER !1
PASSING EVENTS— 1883 TO 1907.
The year 1883 marked the Ijeginning of a
aew era in the territory which a few years later
was set off as Park county. With the building
of the main line of the Northern Pacific rail-
road across the county and the completion of
the Natioanl Park branch to the southern
boundary of the county came a new order of
things. Where before there had been only a
few scattered settlers and prospectors, now
came large numbers of people of all classes
and conditions. Prospecting and mining be-
came more active; farmers and stock raisers
came and settled upon the miles of heretofore
unoccupied government and railroad lands;
railroad laborers were employed by the hun-
dreds; towns sprang up at several different
points along the line of the railroads and were
rapidly populated; all was life and activity; a
boom was on.
So great was the influx of population and
so firm was the belief of the people that the
growth was bound to be permanent, that agita-
tion for the formation of a new county was
early begim. Before we take up the story of
the several attempts to bring about the forma-
tion of a new county from the country sur-
rounding the new town of Livingston, let us
go back and review the political history of this
part of the territory of Montana.
When the first Montana legislature was in
session at Bannack during the winter months
of 1864-65, a law was passed, approved Feb-
ruary 2, 1865, dividing the territory into nine
county divisions. Among these was one named
Gallatin. Now the members of this first leg-
islature were not very well informed concern-
ing the geography of Montana (in fact, neither
was anybody else), and the bounding of these
counties was largely the result of guess work.
But least capable of being traced than any of
the political divisions was the county of Galla-
tin. With a map of the state of Montana and
a copy of the territorial session laws of 1864-
65 in front of one at this time, one is at a loss
to discover just what were the intentions of
the law makers of that day regarding the
boundaries of Gallatin county. But with pa-
tience one may arrive at something like this :
Gallatin county, as created at that time, prob-
ably included the greater part of the present
county of that name, all of the present Park
and Sweet Grass counties, and greater or less
portions of the present counties of Carbon,
Yellowstone, Fergus, Meagher and Cascade.
Since that time many changes have been made
in the boundaries of this old county, until to-
day it contains only a small portion of its origi-
nal territor}'. We shall mention only a few of
these changes — those that had direct bearing
upon the territory embraced within the bound-
aries of the present county of Park. An act
passed by the legislature of 1871-72 made the
'3-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
Yellowstone river the eastern boundary of
Gallatin county, the rest of the former county
being included in the Crow Indian reservation.
Thus, for some years after this act, that part
of Park county which is west and north of the
Yellowstone was included in Gallatin county,
while the rest was in the reservation. An act
approved February 14, 1881, provided that
that portion of the reservation which was to be
ceded according to the provisions of the treaty
of 1880 should again become a part of Galla-
tin county, and when the treaty was finally rat-
ified on April 11, 1882, all of Park county was
again in Gallatin county. In 1883 a part of
east Gallatin county was taken for the forma-
tion of Yellowstone county, but none of the
territory so taken came from the present Park
county, and when, in 1887, Park county was
finally created, it was taken wholly from Galla-
tin county.
It was in the latter part of the year 1882
that agitation was begam for the creation of a
new county from that part of Gallatin county
east of the Belt range mountains. Livingston
was then but a hamlet of log huts, but with am-
bition ; the Park branch had not yet been com-
pleted and none of the towns which are now
along that route had yet come into existence ;
Cooke and its surrounding ore deposits had
just begun to attract attention ; the other min-
ing districts of the proposed new county, with
the exception of Emigrant, had not been devel-
oped ; the fertile farming valleys had a very
meager population; the stock ranges were al-
most unpastured — and yet the people of Liv-
ingston and vicinity asked for a county of their
own. In the first issue of the first newspaper
published in Livingston and Park county
(Livingston Gazette, December 19, 1882,) we
find this request for the new county of Villard :
Considerable talk is indulged in concerning the
division of Gallatin county. As at present constituted,
it is a bulky empire and a great inconvenience for citi-
zens of this section and further down the Yellowstone
to be forced to travel to Bozeman to attend court. We
are told that Custer, Dawson and Meagher counties
will demand division during the approaching session
of the legislature ; and while at it we advise that the
legislative knife be drawn across Gallatin county and
deliver this portion from the hands of the Philistines.
In the future geography it will be known as Villard
county, with Livingston as the county seat.
The plan for the division was hastilv con-
ceived and hastily acted upon. But at the leg-
islative session which convened January 8,
1883, the divisionists came near accomplishing
their desires, the bill being defeated only by
a small majority. The opposition to the bill
was solely on the grounds of doubt as to the
permanency of the settlement of this part of
the country, then just begun.
The National Park branch of the Northern
Pacific railroad was completed on August 30,
1883, and the first through train made the trip
over the line on September i. This line, a lit-
tle less than fifty-two miles in length, extend-
ing from Livingston southward to Cinnabar,
was an important factor in the development of
Park county. New towns sprung up at dif-
ferent points along the line. Farmers no
longer hesitated about making homes in the
upper valley of the Yellowstone, and mining
men no longer delayed the work of develop-
ment of mines in the vicinity. The road as-
sured the travel of tourists to and from the
Yellowstone National Park for all time to
come through Park county. In less than five
months from the time work was begun regular
trains were running over the road. The last
rail was laid August 30, and the last spike was
driven by A. H. Bailey without ceremony.
Stations were estaglished on the line at Bris-
ben. Chicory, Dailey, Sphinx and Cinnabar,
about ten miles apart, and towns vverfe
at once started at Chicory and Cinnabar. It
had been the original intention of the railroad
company to build to the northern boundary
line of the park at Gardiner, but owing to its
inability to get control of that townsite, the
corporation stopped work at Cinnabar, three or
four miles down the river from Gardiner. It
was believed at the time that Cinnabar was to
HISTORY OF PARK COUXTV.
133
be only the temporary terminus of the road,
and that it would be completed, probably, the
next year. As a matter of fact, it was just
nineteen years later when the road was com-
pleted to Gardiner.
For some time after the building of the
main line of the Northern Pacific, trains were
run over the Bozeman pass, but in the winter
of 1883-84 was completed the Bozeman tun-
nel, through the Belt range of mountains.
Work on the approaches to the tunnel had been
commenced in the autumn of 1881, and upon
the tunnel proper in the spring of 1882. Day-
light was let through the tunnel on Saturday,
December 22, 1883; the first train went
through Saturday, January 19, 1884; and the
first regular passenger train two days later.
The tunnel when completed was 3,610 feet in
length, 17 feet wide, 21 feet high in the center,
and the mountain rose to a height of 236 feet
above the roof.
Having failed to secure the erection of a
county by the legislature of 1883, and as the
next session would not be held until 1885, the
people of Livingston and the eastern part of
Gallatin county in the spring of 1884 took the
matter of a new county direct to the congress
of the United States. Petitions, almost unani-
mously signed by the residents east of the Belt
range, were forwarded to Washington,
and were filed in the house of repre-
sentatives by Hon. Martin Maginnis, Mon-
tana's delegate, on April 14th. The
petition asked for the formation of a
county to be called Park. Congress, as was
expected by all but the most sanguine, refused
to act in the matter. It had the power, but not
the inclination, to interfere to such an extent
in the government of a territory.
Defeated in the halls of congress, the people
of eastern Gallatin county now turned their
attention to the coming session of the legisla-
ture. Upon the approach of the general elec-
tion of 1884 preparations were made to capture
the Gallatin county representation in the legis-
lature— to secure the election of men favorable
to division. Both political parties united to
accomplish their object. The east side sent
delegates to the democratic county convention
instructed to demand a majority of the legis-
lative ticket but to grant to the west side all
the nominees for county offices. This proposi-
tion was, in outward expression, assented to by
the people of Bozeman and the west side, but
when the convention met another program was
inaugurated. The west side refused to permit
any county division sentiment on the legisla-
tive ticket, and at the same time seized upon
all the nominations for county offices. At the
republican county convention other tactics were
adopted. The demands of the east side deli-
gates were readily allowed, and legislative
nominations satisfactory to the east side dele-
gates were made.
At the election in November all the demo-
cratic nominees on the legislative ticket were
elected — all hostile to the county division move-
ment. Fourteen hundred votes were cast in
those precincts which it was proposed to cut off
into a new county. The people of Livingston
declared emphatically that they had been be-
trayed by the people of Bozeman in the elec-
tion. The organ of the east siders, the Living-
ston Enterprise, thus stated the facts from an
east side view point : "The people of Bozeman,
by means of deceitful and lying telegrams and
communications with the people of the east
side, cajoled and cheated the latter into voting
for a certain county ticket, while they (the
Bozeman residents) massed themselves into a
phalanx that elected such candidates for the
legislative offices as were opposed to county
division."
One councilman and three representatives
was Gallatin county's representation in the leg-
islature at that time. Those elected were
Frank K. Armstrong, councilman ; and George
R. Nichols. John M. Robinson and Mr. Martin,
representatives. The last named died between
the time of the election and the convening of
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
the legislature, and a special election was called
to elect a successor in December. The east
side residents were determined to have repre-
sentation in the legislative halls, and, putting
party affiliations aside for the time being, they
set to work quietly to elect a man to the va-
cancy who was favorable to division. They
found such an one in H. M. Sloan, put him up
as an independent candidate, canvassed the
county and secured his election by a remarkable
plurality — almost a majority over both anti-
division candidates. As an index to the feel-
ings of the city of Livingston, in that precinct
the vote stood: Sloan, 437; Pease, 7; Eaton,2.
By the time the legislature convened in
January, 1885, the feeling between the two
sides of the county was bitter and assumed
almost the form of a sectional feud.
Thus relations between the two commun-
ities was decidedly strained when the legisla-
ture took up the proposition of forming a new
county. Conditions were complicated by the
attempt of Yellowstone county to secure a
large slice of eastern Gallatin county, and this
matter was fought out before attention was
turned to the fight for the new county.
A few days before the defeat of the above
mentioned effort Mr. Sloan introduced his bill
for the creation of Bridger county, that name
having been substituted for Park in honor of
that well known trapper and fur trader, James
Bridger. With the introduction of the bill
came two petitions, one signed by 833 citizens
of eastern Gallatin county, asking that the bill
pass ; the other with 259 signatures of residents
of the county of Gallatin, protesting against
the division of the county. The bill and the
petitions were referred to the committee on
towns and counties, of which Mr. Norton, of
Yellowstone, was chairman.
Both the east and west sides had lobbies
at work at Helena and the fight for and against
the bill waxed warm.
The house proceeded to consider the bill.
On the motion to adopt the report of the com-
mittee of the whole (to indefinitely postpone)
the report was adopted by a vote of 13 to 9.
The Bridger county bill was killed !
The fight had been a bitter one. It was
said that it cost the people of Bozeman $10,000
to defeat the bill, and it certainlj^ cost the peo-
ple of Livingston a large sum to have it beaten.
The Livingston Enterprise on March 7, 1885,
said:
"Thus the Iiill was killed. We need not
enter into any lamentations over it. We may
as wxll make a grace of a necessity and bow to
the enevitable. Perhaps, also, it is useless to
investigate the cr.uses that led to the defeat;
perhaps it is impossible to discover thein. We
have ever tried to show the merit of the Bridger
county bill and the just grounds for its pas-
sage. It possessed these qualifications to a
_ degree superior to any bill ever submitted to
the consideration of a INIontana legislature. It
was not defeated for lack of merit nor because
of opposition among the people of the proposed
county. The friends of the division of Gallatin
county, though beaten, may at least lay to their
souls the flattering unction that they fought a
good fight — that they did all in their power."
The people of the future Park county were
not spending all their time, however, in an en-
deavor to have the new county formed. Other
things occasionally occupied their attention.
The boom days of 1883 had now departed; the
unnatural stimulus caused by the employment
of the hundreds of railroad builders was with-
drawn, and the different communities settled
into the even tenor of their ways. In Living-
ston this retreat from the abnormal to the nor-
mal was felt more than in the county at large
There a town had sprung up supported in a
large measure by a floating population, and
when this was withdrawn Livingston was
found to have outgrown the surrounding coun-
try, upon which in the future it must draw its
trade. The prevailing hard times throughout
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
135
the country at large during the year 1884 also
had its effect here. By the winter of 1884-85
times were positively dull.
But conditions adjusted themselves in a
very short time. Livingston retired from its
position as a rip-roaring railroad camp into a
sedate and orderly village. New settlers came
into the country, and in 1886 prosperous times
were again at hand. The winter of 1886-87
was the most severe in the history of the
country. Owing to the deep snow, the cold
weather and the fact that preparations had not
been made for the care of stock in such an em-
ergency, there was a big loss to the stockraisers
of the county.
The people of eastern Gallatin county were
determined that the new county should be
formed at the session of the legislature which
would convene January 10, 1887, and they
went about the accomplishment of their desires
in a systematic manner. So early as July,
1886, they laid their plans. They were suc-
cessful in securing able representation at the
November election, and then began the cam-
paign in earnest for the new county.
A meeting was held at Fowlie's hall, in
Livingston, on Thursday evening, December 2,
for the purpose of considering the question and
taking , initiatory steps. E. Goughnour was
chosen chairman of the meeting and C. S. Hef-
ferlin, secretary. The questions involved in
the division issues were thoroughly discussed
by a number of gentlemen present, and it was
the opinion of all the speakers that all efforts
should be made openly and sciuarely, relying
solely upon the merits of the proposition to
bring it to a successful issue. A committee
consisting of Messrs. G. H. Carver, James
Thompson, J. H. Elder, C. S. Hefferlin, D. P.
Van Horn and M. D. Kelly was appointed to
raise funds to carry on the campaign. This
committee was empowered to select scmie one
to procure from the assessor's books at the
county seat a list of all the taxable property on
the east side of the range, that portion of Gal-
latin county tvhich it was proposed to segre-
gate. j\L D. Kelly was appointed to do this
work.
After the citizens had armed themselves
with figures from the county records, they
drew up a petition, which was printed and cir-
culated throughout the eastern part of the
county for signatures, and which was signed
by nearly every voter on the east side. This
was the petition :
The undersigned, residents of the eastern portion
of Gallatin county, Montana territory, respectfully pe-
tition the legislature of Montana, and represent-
That Gallatin county is one of the largest and
wealthiest in Montana, and is naturally divided into
an eastern and western portion by the Belt range of
mountains.
The western portion of this county consists prin-
cipally of the fertile Gallatin valley and a portion of
the Madison valley, and already has a rich resource in
the products of the soil, while not more than two-fifths
of its arable land is at present occupied and cultivated.
Bozeman, the county seat, is situated in the western
portion of the county.
The eastern portion of this county consists mainly
of the Yellowstone valley and its surroundings grazing
land and mining country. It is rich in gold, silver and
coal deposits, and contains cattle ranges of great im-
portance. It contains the well known mining localities
of Clark's Fork, Bear Gulch, Crevice Gulch, Emigrant
and the Boulder district, and is at the gateway of the
National Park, the travel into which is an important
resource to the said eastern portion.
The total assessed valuation of the real and per-
sonal property in Gallatin county for the year 18S6 was
$5,575,000; of this amount $2,118,860 was for real and
personal property in said eastern portion.
The total number of acres of Northern Pacific rail-
road land surveyed in Gallatin county is 656,425, and
of this amount 501,414 acres are in the eastern portion
of said Gallatin county. Under a law passed by Con-
gress in 1886 all this railroad land is now subject to
taxation.
The total number of taxpayers in said eastern por-
tion for the year 1886 was 1,224.
During the year 1886 Gallatin county collected
$8,769.50 in license which came from, or related to,
the eastern portion of the county.
The total amount of taxes for the year 1886, from
real and personal property, in the eastern portion was
$31,782.90. This makes a total as received from licenses
and taxes on real and personal property of $40,551.90.
Under the existing laws, the fees of the recorder,
sherifif and other county officers now form part of the
county's revenues, and the tribute the eastern portion
t36
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
annually pays to these officers in fees V'ould very ma-
terially augment the last named total.
The residents of the eastern portion of said Gallatin
county are now compelled to cross a mountain range
in going to and coming from the county seat, which
entails a great loss of time and money, and is in most
cases a burden and hardship upon them. The residents
of the eastern portion, knowing that the western por-
tion of the 'county has no interests in common with
them, and feeling they have sufficient taxable property
to enable them to derive a revenue that would carry
on a county government without increasing the burden
of taxation ; and from the foregoing showing respect-
fully petition the said legislature that the said Gallatin
county be divided along the said Belt range of moun-
tains, and out of the eastern portion aforesaid a new
county be created.
Councilman Samuel L. Holliday, of Gal-
latin county, introduced in the council on Fri-
day, January 21, 1887, the bill for an act tc
create the county of Park and for the election
of officers thereof. It was read for the first
and second times and referred to the commit-
tee on towns and counties. The next day
Councilman Edward Card well, chairman of
that committee, reported the liill, with the re-
commendation that it pass. The bill found
smooth sailing and on Wednesday, January 26,
passed the council by a vote of 1 1 to i .
The next day the bill appeared in the house
and was referred to the usual committee. Then
what little opposition there was to the bill was
put forth. On the 29th a petition was re-
ceived from citizens of the west portion of the
county, containing the names of 261 residents,
asking that the matter of the formation of the
new county \x submitted to the qualified voters
of Gallatin county. The bill remained in com-
mittee until Monday, February 14. when it
was reported back with numerous amendments.
One of these amendments provided that the bill
should not take effect for two years. These
amendments were, apparently, not satisfactory,
and on motion of Representative Frank K.
Armstrong, of Gallatin county, the bill was re-
ferred to a special committee consisting of the
members from Gallatin county.
A substitute was prepared by this commit-
tee and reported back on Friday, February 18.
The substitute was accepted and the bill passed
the house by a unanimous vote. That same
day the bill was concurred in by the council,
and on Saturday, February 19, the speaker 01
the house and the president of the council
signed the bill. Concerning the receipt of the
news in Livingston, the Enterprise, on Feb-
ruary 19th, said:
"Yesterday morning about ten o'clock the
town was thrown into a state of considerable
excitement by the receipt of a telegram an-
nouncing that the bill for the creation of Park
county had passed the house by a unanimous
vote. But very few anticipated that so sudden
and truly gratifying action would be accorded
the measure, and the news was hailed with
great delight, cheer upon cheer of gladness re-
sounding frotn every quarter of the town, and
there was as much noise and commotion on the
streets for a time as ever emanated from an
Apache scalp dance. Everybody gave ex-
pression to unbounded gladness, and there
was music in the air, so to speak. At last the
east side is about to get its just deserts by the
creation of Park county, and a prouder county
will not be in the territory."
Governor Preston H. Leslie approved the
bill February 23. The governor hesitated to
affix his signature to the bill because of the
wording of the debt clause, which he thought
to be slightly imperfect. After he had looked
up the Montana decision on the subject he be-
lieved he had found sufficient information to
warrant him in approving of the clause and
he signed the bill.
The boundary lines of the new county of
Park, as described in the act, are given in a
former chapter.
This description of the boundaries of Park
county would have but little meaning to any-
one who was not familiar with the boundary,
lines of neighboring counties and of the Crow
Indian reservation at the time they were de-
scribed. For the enlightenment of those we
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
137
shall eiuleavor to state just what territory Park
county co\-eretI at that time as described on
a present day map. \\'ithin its boundaries was
all of the present day Park county and that
portion of Sweet Grass county north of the
Yellowstone river. Also, there was in the
new county a narrow strip of Sweet Grass
county south of the Yellowstone.
The act creating Park county provided that
its provisions should be put into effect on ^lay
I, 1887, but that until August i the new county
should be attached to Gallatin county for ju-
dicial purposes. The tax levy of 1887 for Gal-
latin county was to be the tax levy for Park
county for the same year. The county seat of
the new county should be at Livingston until
the general election in Xovember, 1888, when
the voters should vote for the permanent loca-
tion of the county seat. The act named the
county officers, who were to hold office until
successors, elected at the general election of
1888, should have qualified. The new county
was to assume $35,000 of the debt of Gal-
latin county and issue interest bearing warrants
therefor in full of all demands by the old
county against the new. The amount of in-
debtedness to be assumed by the new county
was arrived at as follows : The bonded indebt-
edness of Gallatin county was $105,000, and
from this was first deducted $35,000, the value
of building improvements at the county seat.
Park county's assessed valuation was placed
at $2,000,000. or about one-third of the total
assessment of Gallatin county before division.
After deducting the value of the improvements,
the remaining bonded indebtedness ($70,000)
was divided by three, giving $23,000 as the
proportion to be assumed by Park county.
To this was added $7,000, delinquent taxes
due on the east side, and $5,000 for court ex-
penses until August I, 1887, making the total
amount to be assumed $35,000.
Park county was organized on the 2nd day
of May, 1887, when the first meeting of the
board of countv commissioners was held in the
First National Bank building. There were pres-
ent County Commissioners George H, Carver,
George M. Hatch and Benjamin F. Myers,
County Clerk E. B. Martin and County Attor-
ney John H. Elder. Mr. Carver was elected
chairman of the board. On the following day
the board executed a lease for the ground floor
and basement of the First National Bank build-
ing for county purposes. The rental was $150
per month; the owner was J. C. Vilas. On
June 8 the board met at Bozeman, in joint
meeting with the commissioners of Gallatin
county, and affected a settlement with the
mother county in accordance with the provi-
sions of the act creating Park county. War-
rants were issued on the general fund to the
amount of $35,000 for the payment of all ob-
ligations to Gallatin county.
The 1887 assessment roll of Park county
showed assessable property to the amount of
$2,205,248.
The population of the county at this time
was estimated at 4,500. Among the other
acts of the commissioners during 1887 was the
erection of a jail at Livingston at a cost of a
little over $7,000.
It will be remembered that the act creating
the county provided for the temporary loca-
tion of the county seat at Livingston and that
the voters should decide where the permanent
seat of government should l^e at the general
election in November, 1888. Livingston was
the logical location, but it was not to retain
the honor without a slight effort. A short
time before the election Mr. C. B. ]\Iendenhall,
proprietor of the Hunter's hot springs, worked
up a private boom for Springdale as a county
seat contestant. That place was then, as it has
always since remained, simply a station on the
Northern Pacific railroad, but it was only a lit-
tle ways from the hot springs, and Mr. Men-
denhall thought it would be a nice thing if he
could secure the county seat for that place.
The bulk of the population of the county was
in the vicinity of and largely west of Livings-
138
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
ton, and there was at no time serious danger
of the county seat being removed, although
Mr. Mendenhall waged a strong fight. W'hile
Big Timber did not enter the field as a candi-
date, it received several votes. The total vote
was: Livingston, 1,382; Springdale, 274, and
Big Timber, 35.
Park county, after so many years of en-
deavor to secure separate county government,
Avas no sooner firmly established than efforts
were made to take away some of its territory.
By the beginning of the year 1889 there was
quite a settlement in that part of Park county
in which the town of Red Lodge was situated,
owing to the development of coal mines there
and the building of a railroad from Billings
to Red Lodge. This latter event made the new
mining town more in touch with Billings than
it was with its county seat, Livingston, and
many desired that the "panhandle" of Park
county be annexed to Yellowstone county. A
petition, quite generally signed, was presented
to the legislature asking for such enactment.
That part of the "panhandle" east of the East
Rosebud creek was asked for, and while it was
small in area, its recently developed mines made
it highly desirable for taxation purposes.
Park county naturally fought the dismem-
berment and put forth as argument the fact
that the Park county assessment levy was only
fifteen and one-tenth mills, while that of Yel-
lowstone county was twenty-two and six-tenths
mills; also in the event of favorable action by
the leg-islature the annexed portion and Yel-
lowstone county would not be contiguous, as
a portion of the Crow reservation intervened.
The people of the territory in question were not
of one mind, and a petition of remonstrance
with 147 signers was sent to Helena to coun-
teract the favorable petitions which had been
sent in. Councilman W. Ashby Conrad, repre-
senting Yellowstone and Dawson counties, in-
troduced the bill which was defeated.
The year 1889 was a very prosperous one
for Park county, and great improvement was
made in all lines of industry. There was a
large emigration from the east that year and
Park county secured its share. The assessa-
ble property was valued at $3,008,289.
It was in the spring of that year that the
matter of building a court house was consid-
ered. Plans for a building to cost in the neigh-
borhood of $23,000 were furnished by I. J.
Galbraith, of Livingston, and accepted by the
commissioners on May 10. Then bids for
construction were asked for. At a meeting of
the board July 9, the bids were all rejected ^
and it was decided to discontinue all proceed-
ings concerning the court house until the mat-
ter should be left to a decision of the voters.
A special election was called for February 4,
1890, to vote on the question of issuing bonds
to the amount of $35,000 for the erection of a
court house. Only 623 votes were cast, show-
ing indift'erence, but a majority of 61 was re-
corded against the proposition.
The commissioners then entered into a con-
tract with C. S. Hefferlin to furnish the
county with a court room and county offices
until such time as the county might build at
an annual rental of $2,200. On August i,
1890, the county officials took up their quar-
ters in the Hefferlin block.
The federal census taken during the
month of May, 1890, revealed the fact that
Park county had a population of 6,881. The
towns in the county were listed as follows :
Livingston. 2,850; Red Lodge, 624; Cokedale,
284; Big Timber, 265.
Another attempt was made in 1891 to se-
cure a slice of Park county's territory. Dur-
ing the month of February a lobby from Red
Lodge appeared in Helena and worked for the
formation of a new county, of which Red
Lodge should be the county seat. Little en-
couragement was accorded this lobby, and the
division scheme was abandoned, only to be fol-
lowed by another effort to secure annexation to
Yellowstone county. A bill to that end was
introduced, but before it was acted upon an-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
139
other event had taken place that changed all
calculations.
We refer to the ceding of a large tract of
the Crow Indian reservation, including all that
part of the present counties of Sweet Grass and
Carbon which were not already open to settle-
ment. This treaty with the Crows had been
concluded December 8, 1S90, but was not rati-
fied by congress until JNIarch 3. 1891.
Then began a struggle between Park and
Yellowstone counties for the possession of these
lands. The legislature was in session, but
would adjourn by limitation on ilarch 5th,
two days after the ratification of the treaty.
A bill was introduced in the senate dividing
the lands between the two counties, giving al-
most all the lands to Yellowstone county, and
March 3rd — the same day that congress rati-
fied the treaty — it was passed by a vote of 10
to 4. It was taken immediately to the house
and there referred to the committee on federal
relations. That committee promptly amended
the bill by giving a greater portion to Park
county, making the dividing line run due south
from the junction of the Yellowstone river
with the west boundary line of Park county to
the Wyoming line. The amended bill was re-
ported on March 4th, and a motion that the
report be not adopted called forth a lively dis-
cussion, in which Representative Charles H.
Eaton, of Park county, took a strong stand in
favor of Park county. The motion was lost
and the bill placed on general orders. Later
in the day the bill was passed. On the same
day it went back to the senate with the house
amendment favorable to Park county. The
senate would not concur and the house was
asked to recede. The lower house would not
recede, and the bill was lost.
The failure of the bill was in the nature
of a victory for Yellowstone county, for a
previous legislature had passed an act provid-
ing for annexation to Yellowstone county of
all that portion of the Crow reservation lying
between tlie Wvomine line and the Yellow-
stone river and west of the Big Horn river that
might at some later time be segregated and
thrown open for settlement. The people of
Park county thought they had been treated
badly, and the Livingston Enterprise voiced
this sentiment when it said: "Their [Yellow-
stone county's] attempt to secure more than
an equitable division has postponed action un-
til another session of the legislature, when it
will be extremely dii^cult, if not impossible,
to secure as favorable terms as those proposed
by Park county at the last session." But Park
county was not destined to secure any of
these lands. In fact, it was soon to lose part
of what it had.
Park county continued to grow in wealth
and population. The assessed valuation in
1 89 1 was $4,992,817, and the next year it had
reached the flattering figure of $5,468,873.50.
This was over a million dollars more than
twice as mtich as the first assessment had been,
five years before.
Again in 1892 the county officers brought
before the people the question of issuing bonds
for the erection of a court house. Bonds to
the amount of $75,000 were to be issued if
the people so decided at the general election in
November, but again the electors turned down
the court house bonds. The vote was deci-
sive— 1,201 to 548 — and only three precincts
in the county returned a majority for the
bonds.
In 1893 a very determined eft'ort was made
to divide Park county and create from the east-
ern portion thereof the county of Sweet Grass.
For the proposed new county was to be taken
a large part of Park and a small part from Yel-
lowstone— a part of the Crow lands which had
two years before been ceded and attached to
Yellowstone county. The Sweet Grass county
bill also provided for attaching to Yellowstone
county a small strip of Park county land lying
east of the township line between townships
17 and 18 east. Livingston waged a fight-to-
a-finish campaign against the measure and was
140
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
successful in defeating it, although the friends
of the new county had secured the services of
the Park county members of the legislature.
As the story of this fight for the creation of
Sweet Grass county will be told in the history
of that county, we shall pass it here with this
brief mention.
The year 1893 will never be forgotten by
anyone who was a resident of Park county at
the time. The panic which gripped the country
that year was fatal to the interests of Park
county. Every bank in the county, which was
limited to three at Livingston, closed its doors.
This was followed by assignments all over the
county. Smelters, coke and coal plants closed
down, throwing hundreds of laboring men out
of work. Business was paralyzed and the
"hard times" period set in. It was several
years before Park county gained its customary
condition of prosperity.
We now come to the great American Rail-
way Union strike of 1894, in which Park
county pla3'ed an important part, largely be-
cause Livingston was an important division
point of the Northern Pacific. The start of
all the trouble that followed was a strike begun
by the employes of the Pullman company in
the spring. The American Railway Union
took up the fight, and on June 26,1894, a rail-
road strike became general all over the North-
west, the strikers refused to handle Pullman
cars and the railroads declaring their intention
to haul the same. For many days the Northern
Pacific was tied up completely, and as a result
there were hundreds of idle men in Living-
ston. The sympathies of the people of Living-
ston were largely with the strikers, although
there were some who considered the strikers
to be in the wrong. There was no rioting dur-
ing this time and only one or two attempts at
destruction of property. The only blood shed
in Park county during the strike was by the
United States troops, who were brought into
service to break the strike.
The first train held up in Livingston was
early in the morning of Wednesday, June 27th,
and thereafter for thirteen days not a train
passed through the town. That morning a
public meeting was held in Miles' hall, attended
by members of the A. R. U. and sympathisers
of the strikers. The decision was reached to
do all in the power of the union to protect the
property of the railroad company during the
strike. To this end Daniel Gillis, J. Venham
and Leonard Uhl were chosen chiefs with
authority to select such men as might be neces-
sary from among the members of the union to
guard the company's property. It was also de-
cided to notify Division Superintendent Finn
that he might select whatever men he deemed
necessary from among the membership of the
union to send to any point on his division to
watch bridges and otherwise protect the com-
pany's property. A strike committee was
selected, composed of the following men : R.
B. Kelly, T. H. Warner, Dan Short, F. J.
Woodward and R. F. Dougherty.
The Order of Railway Conductors of
Snowy Range division also held a meeting
that day and unanimously decided that no cars
would be hauled by meinbers of that order ex-
cept mail cars.
The last train over the division was a
freight, which pulled into Livingston at five
o'clock on June 27, in charge of Conductor
Campbell. It had left Billings at six o'clock in
the morning, at which time no notification of
the strike had been received at that place.
When the strike went into effect a large
number of passengers found themselves in
Livingston, caused by the tieup of passenger
trains at that point. Naturally they were very
anxious to continue their journey. On the
28th the A. R. U. decided to make an attempt
to get the passengers through to Helena, where
it was thought they might continue their jour-
ney on the Great Northern, and to confer with
the passengers and railroad officials with this
end in view. A public meeting was held at the
opera house and was attended by the strikers.
HISTORY OF PARK COUXTY.
[41
passengers and citizens of tlie town. The con-
clusion was reached that the local strikers had
no authority to permit the running of a train
that the passengers might get away, without
instructions from President Debs, of the A. R.
U., and the following message was sent to that
official by the passengers :
Livingston. Montana. June 28, 6:28 p. m. E. V.
Debs. 413 Ashland Block, Chicago, III— The under-
signed, representing passengers stranded on the North-
ern Pacific Railway, request that you use your good
ollice to enable them to reach their destination. We are
not parties to the strike, but innocent victims to cir-
cumstances unforseen by us. Public sympathy may be
gained and nothing lost to your position by clearing the
tracks of all who were en route when the strike began.
Much suffering to helpless women and children, many
of whom are invalids, will surely follow if this is not
allowed. Our misery will not aid your cause. Please
reply.— William T. Baker, Wm. H. Bell. H. J. Spies.
The plan was, if President Debs should
give his permission, to run a train to Helena
with the stranded passengers, where it was
thought they might be able to make connections
with the Great Northern. But President Debs
was firm in his determination that not a wheel
should turn if he could prevent it, as his reply
will indicate :
Chicago, 111., June 29. R. B. Kelly, Livingston —
Message from passengers' committee received. Say to
them for me that the entire responsibility for the pres-
ent condition of affairs rests with the railroad com-
panies, who pledged themselves to stand by Pullman.
The strike was ordered by unanimous vote of the con-
vention and cannot be rescinded. I would gladly do
anything within my power to relieve the suffering en-
tailed by the present embargo. — E. V. Debs.
The railroad company provided for the
stranded passengers at the Albermarle hotel,
but later, meals were served to them on the
dining cars. Those passengers who were trav-
eling on passes were cared for by the strikers'
committee, the railroad refusing to be respon-
sible for their board.
On Saturday, June 30. Sheriff Conrow was
served with a formal notice by Superintendent
Finn that the Northern Pacific would hold
Park county responsible for any damage re-
sulting from destruction of its property within
the county, and the same notice was served
on the executive officers of all the counties
along the line of the division. A similar notice
was served, on the board of county commis-
sioners, then in special session. The notice was
rather vagnae, and, as there had been up to that
time no damage to railroad property in the
county, the commissioners demanded more
specific information as to what property of the
company was liable to damage.
The mails was of course tied up, and Post-
master J. E. Swindlehurst at once made efforts
to secure temporary mail service. He received
word from Washington on the 30th that there
was no objection to a temporary service by
stage, provided the mails were taken by sworn
carriers and without expense to the govern-
ment. Mail lines were then established
throughout the county. Other lines were es-
tablished in different parts of the state along
the line of the Northern Pacific. In this way
mail was secured from Helena and other points.
It was on the 30th also that the first wheel
moved on the entire system since the tieup. At
about 5 o'clock in the afternoon engine No.
442, which had been fired up in the round
house, was run through the yards. The engine
was in charge of engineer M. L. Porter and
was fired by Pat McCarvel; on board were
Superintendent Finn and Master Mechanic ■
Brown. As it passed slowly westward through
the yards, it encountered a large force of the
strikers, who had congregated at the Main
street crossing. At this point several of the
strikers climbed on board, when they were in-
formed by Superintendent Finn that he w-as a
deputy United States marshal. Later it was
found that he had been commissioned during
the afternoon. If the strikers had had any in-
tention of stopping the engine, they abandoned
it, and the locomotive pulled out at a lively
rate for the west. The strikers' committee at
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
once telegraphed the fact of the engine's de-
parture to Bozeman, Helena and other points.
Immediately after the engine had left the
yards a conference of the A. R. U. committee
and one from the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers was held in the hall over Scheuber's
drug store^ at which the new phase of the sit-
uation was discussed. Subsequently the engi-
neers held a special meeting, heard the report
of their committee with reference to the con-
ference and after a discussion that lasted until
three o'clock Sunday morning, July ist, they
decided to refuse to respond to a call to go out
until the existing troubles were settled. Chief
Engineer Fanning sent out messages to other
lodges of the brotherhood, notifying them of
this action. In accordance with their action,
on Monday, July 2, the engineers refused to go
on duty. The same morning Train Dispatch-
ers Elliott, Flood and Reese, of the general
office in Livingston, went on strike.
Monday morning the first through mail
from the east bound express, which was tied
up in Livingston, together with all letter mail
for Butte and Helena from the west bound
train was started by handcar to Helena, in
charge of the mail clerk of train No. 2. From
Helena the through mail for the east was taken
over the Great Northern.
To minimize the danger from fire in these
troublesome times, the city council on the 2nd
authorized the acceptance of the services of
fifty men offered by the executive committee of
the A. R. U., to act in conjunction with the
Livingston fire department. Fortunately their
services were not needed.
On Independence day the engine which had
gone west on June 30 returned, and the strik-
ers were not long in learning its mission. The
engineers having gone on a strike in the mean-
time, when the engine returned Master Me-
chanic Brown was at the throttle, while Su-
perintendent Finn did the firing. These of-
ficials brought with them a large bunch of
writs issued out of the L'nited States district
court of ^Montana, directed to the striking em-
ployes, serving notice upon them to return to
their work within a reasonable time or they
would be discharged from the service of the
railroad company. These notices were issued
upon an order of Judge Knowles in response
to application of the attorneys of the company
at Helena. They were seiwed upon the em-
ployes by posting in the several department
buildings of the company the following day.
The writs, in addition to the above, provided
"that all persons and associations of persons
be forbidden and prohibited from intimidating
or interfering in any manner with all persons
who are now or who may hereafter be em-
ployed by said receivers." One of the notices
posted in the company's buildings on the 5th
read as follows :
All persons are warned against trespassing upon,
or interfering with, this property, and all other prop-
erty of the Northern Pacific Railway company^ as it
is in the possession of the United States courts, and
any interference with it by persons not in the employ
of the receivers, will be punished by fine or imprison-
ment, or both. Hiram Knowles,
Helena, Mont., July 3. 1S94. U. S. District Judge.
The same day that these notices were
posted word was received from the Northern
Pacific management to suspend from the pay
rolls of the company all men still in its em-
ploy until such time as train service might
lie resumed over the system. This order af-
fected a number of employes, who were still
working for the company in various capacities,
and increased the nimiber of idle men in
Livingston.
This move of the railroad company was
made in the morning. In the afternoon a meet-
ing of the A. R. U. was held in Populist hall,
at which a resolution was adopted to withdraw
the strikers' protection of the company's prop-
erty, and the watchmen selected from the ranks
of that organization, who had been on duty
since the strike, were relieved from further
duty.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
143
The stranded passengers became clamor-
ous for removal to Helena or some other point
where they could make connections with other
roads for their homes. Superintendent Finn
assured them that if there was no interference
he would make an effort to get the west bound
train through to Helena. But there was inter-
ference. An effort was made to pull the train
out on the afternoon of the fifth with Master
Mechanic Brown as engineer and Foreman
Mallahan as fireman. The engine was pulled
out, but its passage was blocked at the Main
street crossing, where a large crowd had con-
gregated and completely blocked the track.
The strikers agreed to let the superintendent
pull out the mail, but nothing else. Mr. Finn
replied that that was all he wanted, and the
track was cleared. But when an attempt was
made to pull out the whole train, the track was
again blocked. After several efforts to get
away with the tram had failed, the engine was
run back into the round house. Thus the first
attempt of the company to resume the opera-
tion of train sen-ice resulted in failure.
Following the withdrawal of the protection
of the company's property by the strikers, Su-
perintendent Finn made an effort Friday night,
July 6, to enlist men to be sworn in as deputies
to gaiard the property of the company. This
resulted in failure, for as soon as a man was
secured the strikers would interview him, and
he would refuse to act in any capacity for the
company.
This failure brought the superintendent
again in communication with the county gov-
ernment. On Saturday, July 7, he sent the fol-
lowing communication to the toard of county
commissioners :
the 2nd inst., I wish to inform you that minor depre-
To the honorable board of county commissioners
of Park county, Montana. Replying to your favor of
dations have been committed upon the property of the
receivers of the Northern Pacific Railroad, such as
greasing the track and disconnecting our water works
at Livingston ; breaking into our car house at Elton :
explosion of dynamite at Muir tunnel ; the intimidations
offered to those whom we undertook to employ as de-
puty sheriffs; the intimidation of those whom we un-
dertook to employ at Livingston for the purpose of
icing perishable merchandise in transit, are such as
lead us to believe that other and greater injuries are
likely to follow, and particularly at the following
points : Muir tunnel and city of Livingston, and bridge
across the Yellowstone river. The property of the
company now situated at the city of Livingston be-
longing to the Northern Pacific Railroad exceeds in
value $500,000, and we hereby request that you
furnish sufficient deputy sheriffs^ as may be necessary
from time to time, to properly guard and protect the
Muir tunnel and the property of the said company at
the city of Livingston and the bridge crossing the Yel-
lowstone river.
J. D. Finn, Superintendent.
As two of the county commissioners were
absent from Livingston when this communi-
cation was received, it was not until Monday,
July 9, that action was taken on the matter.
Then the board decided that Muir tunnel was
not within the province of Park county, as it
was apportioned to Gallatin county for taxa-
tion. The county attorney also advised the
board that the railroad property in Livingston
was subject to city control, and upon his advice
the board referred the matter to the city coun-
cil. The sheriff was, however, instructed to
guard the bridge across the Yellowstone near
Livingston and also one belonging to the
county near Big Timber. This he did, arming
the guards with Winchester rifles.
Having failed to' secure deputized watch-
men through their own efforts and having ob-
tained but little relief from the county com-
missioners, the local officials enlisted the aid
of the government troops at Fort Yellowstone,
in the National Park. On Saturday evening,
July 7, Captain Anderson, of that post, re-
ceived orders from General Schofield to take
a sufficient number of his troops to Muir tun-
nel and to guard that passage through the Belt
range mountains. He accordingly started that
evening at six o'clock with one lieutenant, i
hospital steward and 33 privates, and reached
the tunnel early Sunday morning, July 8.
On Sunday also came word to the strikers
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
tliat two trains, guarded by government troops,
had started simultaneously from St. Paul and
Tacoma at six o'clock on the evening of July
7, and that they were due to arrive in Livings-
ton on Monday, the 9th.
No train arrived until Tuesday. On that
day President Cleveland issued his proclama-
tion placing the entire Northwest under mar-
tial law, and at the same time President Debs,
of the A. R. U., was placed under arrest on a
charge of interfering with the United States
mails. But before this information was re-
ceived in Livingston the train with the troops
had arrived from St. Paul, and the most excit-
ing scene of the strike, locally, had been
enacted.
The train, running in two sections, and
manned by "scabs," arrived in Livingston on
the lOth. It was guarded by two companies
from Fort Keough and two from Fort Custer,
the two former under command of Captains
Lockwood and Crittenden, and the two latter
under command of Captain Ord and Lieuten-
ant 0"Neil. Captain Lockwood, as ranking
captain, was in supreme command. The train
was made up of mail, baggage, express, pas-
senger cars and a full complement of the boy-
cotted Pullman cars. A large crowd of strik-
ers and spectators assembled on the depot plat-
form to witness tlie arrival of the first through
train since June 27. We leave the telling of
the dramatic incidents which followed to the
pen of the editor of the Livingston Enterprise :
" * * * The two sections of the train
arrived in the lower end of the yards at 4p.m.,
where engines were changed after a delay of
half an hour, and the train, with its engines
and cars covered with 'swaddies,' whose bayo-
nets bristled in every direction, pulled up to
the passenger depot. * * * As the stop
was made at the platform the 'brave defenders
of the nation,' ashen with alarm, climbed down
in front of a crowd of 600 or 700 persons who
lined the track on either side.
"Then came the exhibition of cowardice
and brutality unequalled in the history of civ-
ilized warfare. Captain Lockwood climbed
onto the south platform, taking with him the
'royal jag" he had accumulated by frequent
trips to the Ixir of the diner. He had no sooner
alighted than, in the presence of the men, ladies
and children who had assembled to see the
'wheels again revolve,' he ordered his men to
'Drive back the G — d d — d s — of b — s ! Drive
them back!' He then crossed to the opposite
platform, still accompanied by his faithful
'jag,' and repeated this order, supplementing
it with a command to the thoroughly affrighted
and almost stampeded regulars to enforce his
order with their guns. Here the crowed was
much more dense and necessarily slower to
move, although falling back as rapidly as possi-
ble. Their movements, however, did not sat-
isfy the drunken and nervous anticipation of
Lockwood and that officer drew his sword and
made a savage thrust at the abdomen of one
of the inofifensive spectators, and afterwards
slashed Frank Toland over the head. The
blow was a murderous one, but fortunately
Toland had on a stiff straw hat which checked
the force of the blow sufficiently to save his
life, although the blade cut a gash on the
left side of his head which necessitated sev-
eral stitches by Dr. Alton in closing the gap-
ing wound. Having thus acquitted himself
in a manner that would not only disgrace the
army but would add fresh laurels to a Bowery
tough, the captain formed his company in line
along the train and sought safety behind the
muskets by retiring to the dining car to hit
the 'can' and replenish his stock of courage.
"This dastardly proceeding was reported to
Mayor Beley. who sought an interview with
Captain Lockwood to enter a protest against
the assault and assure him of the loyalty and
peaceable disposition of our city. When told
by the mayor of his official position, Captain
Lockwood replied, 'You are a d — d
mayor. This city is under my control today.'
"In the meantime a warrant charging
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
145
Lockwood with assault with a deadly weapon
was sworn out before Justice Lepley and placed
in the hands of Sheriff Conrow. Before it was
served, however, it w^as learned that the pres-
ident had proclaimed the entire west under
martial law and it was decided as futile to take
further action iii the matter in that direction,
and the train soon pulled out with Captain
Lockwood and his 'jag,' the train crew, sol-
diers and passengers.
"* * * As soon as the first section of
the train pulled out Company D, of the 22nd,
under command of Lieut. O'Neil, marched from
the depot down through the yards to the sec-
ond section of the train. Shortly after, a party
of 'scabs' came up and began washing ice for
the cars. They were hooted by the crowd and
finally one of them drew a revolver, when the
crowd closed in on them, and they started
down the track at full speed to seek protection
of the colored troops. A few minutes later
Lieutenant O'Neil, at the head of Company D,
was seen coming up the track at a double quick
march. His men had their bayonets in place
and cartridges in their gims. They were
formed along the east side of Main street, and
when the lieutenant discovered that his pres-
ence was not needed to quell any disturbance,
he ordered bayonets sheathed, guns unloaded,
and his colored 'swaddies' were marched back
down the track.
"At 6:30 the second section of the train,
which had been held at the lower end of the
yards, pulled up to the passenger depot. The
train was guarded by two colored companies
from Fort Custer under charge of Captain Ord
and Lieutenant O'Neil, and both officers
quickly demonstrated that they were entitled
to respect. Their demeanor, in striking com-
parison with that of the drunken Lockwood,
won the admiration of the crowd. When the
train stopped, Captain Ord ordered his men
down from the cars, formed a line along the
train, and in a respectful but firm manner in-
formed the spectators of his duty in guarding
the train and warned them not to pass the line
of soldiers. The only incident that marked
the stay of this section of the train was the
ridicule hurled at the 'scab' crew, and after
waiting the return of the hog 496, to assist it
over the hill, departed at 8 p. m. for the west."
The two companies of colored soldiers
from Fort Custer were left in Livingston when
the trains pulled out. They were marched
back to the yards and put in camp just west
of the shops, where they remained until Sep-
tember I. Patrols w^ere established along the
passenger depot platform and in different parts
of the company's yards.
The people of Livingston were aroused to
the highest pitch of indignation by the conduct
of Captain Lockwood, and immediately after
the assault upon Frank Toland a number of the
leading citizens met at the office of Smith
& Wilson, when the following dispatch was
formulated and sent to Senator Power at
Washington.
Livingston, Mont., July 10, 1894. Hon. Thomas C.
Power, Washington, D. C. — Today a mail train in
charge of soldiers commanded by Capt. Lockwood
stopped here. Many citizens through curiosity were at
the station. All were quiet and unarmed. The captain
without cause struck an unoffending citizen on head
with saber while standing on street, seriously wound-
ing him. The captain used vile and profane language
in presence of ladies and publicly insulted our mayor.
Our community feel greatly outraged.
Frank Henry
H. J. Miller
John T. Smith
Geo. H. Wright
L. N. Lepley
Allan R. Joy
J. R. King
J. E. SwiNDLEHURST
J. S. Thompson
In the evening a mass meeting was held at
Hefferlin's, opera house, which was packed to
overflowing by the citizens of Livingston, to
further express the indignation of the people
over the outrageous assault upon Frank To-
land and the disgraceful conduct of the army
officer. Enthusiasm was unbounded in endors-
146
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
ing the indignant protests of the speakers.
Resokitions were adopted and forwarded to
Governor Rickards, demanding that an in-
vestigation be made of the outrageous conduct.
Under the, protection of the United States
troops a few trains were sent over the road
during the few days following the incidents
above related. The strikers knew that there
could be but one outcome, but they doggedly
hung out. There were gradual desertions
from the ranks of the strikers, and on July 13
the Northern Pacific issued a bulletin, stating
that the strike was broken and offering to take
back all old employes except those who had
been instrumental in causing disturbances.
But it was not until July 19 that the strike
was formally declared ofif b}' the local union.
That day at a meeting held in Populist hall,
it was voted to declare the strike ofif so far
as this division was concerned. The motion
was carried by a vote of about four to one of
the sixty members present and voting. Mem-
bers of the union with few exceptions at once
made application for their old positions. Some
were accepted, while others were rejected.
The great strike was at an end, but the
troops which had been guarding the company' j;
property in Park county remained for several
weeks more. Those at Muir tunnel departed
August 30. while those in Livingston left on
September i.
Governor Rickards, of Montana, had taken
up the matter of the conduct of Captain Lock-
wood with the war department, and that
branch of the national government investigated
the charges, completely exonorating the of-
ficer and laying the blame for all that happened
to the citizens of Livingston. The result of
the investigation was made known through a
letter to the governor from Jos. B. Doe, as-
sistant secretary of war. That official said
that the commanding general of the depart-
ment of Dakota detailed a discreet officer to in-
vestigate the charges, and after a full consid-
eration by the major general of the army and
the war department, the conclusion was
reached that the circumstances that gave rise
to the accusation against Captain Lockwood
were no less than an insurrection against the
United States and open defiance of the national
authority. Continuing, the letter said :
"The circumstances justified and required
whatever forcible measures might be necessary
on the part of the commanding officer of the
troops to promptly suppress that insurrection.
It shows that even idle bystanders, having no
intention to take part in mob violence, did,
nevertheless, by their presence with the lawless
mob. give countenance and encouragement to
the insurrection. If the citizens sufifered
some violence at the hands of the troops be-
cause the latter could not discriminate between
innocent and guilty, it would seem that the
citizens are themselves to blame for their mis-
fortune: and it is the opinion of this depart-
ment that the action of the commanding of-
ficer, under the circumstances, was entirely
justifiable."
The first and only legal execution to take
place in Park county occurred on Friday morn-
ing. July 13, 1894, when Robert A. Anderson,
commonly known as Bob Fields, was hanged
at Livingston for the murder of Emanuel
Fleming on April 20, 1894.
Park county had been fighting, almost from
the date of its organization, against the dis-
memberment of its territor)^ With every ses-
sion of the legislature would come some plan
for the organization of a new county which
desired part of Park county's territory, and at
nearly all of the sessions an attempt would be
made to annex a part of Park county to
Yellowstone county. Each time the people of
the western part of the county would earnestly
enter the contest for the preservation of the
county. But in 1895 the inevitable came to
pass. Two new counties were formed, each
taking a portion of the older county, and Park
county was reduced to its present boundaries.
By the creation of Sweet Grass county about
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
[47
$1,100,000 of taxable property was lost, and
Carbon county took about $400,000 more.
As the story of the creation of Sweet Grass
and Carbon counties will be told in another
part we shall pass it by here.
Although the loss of territory occasioned
by the creation of these two counties was re-
gretted by the people of what was left of Park
county, it was not a serious blow. The effect
of the hard times was wearing away, and the
county was once more becoming prosperous.
Although the county had lost nearly one-half
of its territory, the value of the taxable pro-
perty it had lost was much less. The assessed
valuation in 1894 had been $4,689,126.50; in
1895 it was reduced only to $3,492,006.
Early in the spring of 1895 the county
commissioners again took up the question of
the erection of a county court house. Park
county was badly in need of such a building.
During the eight years of its existence the
county had conducted its business in rented
buildings, which were inadequate and in which
the public records were imperiled. Besides, at
this time the county had a large sum of money
on hand which would not be available to apply
on the payment of the bonded indebtedness
for many years, and for which there was no
immediate use. Accordingly, on Februai-y
28, 1895, the commissioners let the contract
for the building of a court house to H. J. Wol-
cott for $9,680, the building to be completed
before July 15th of that year.
But action was taken which prevented the
building of this structure. On Saturday,
]March 9th, in district court. Judge Frank
Henry presiding, a temporary restraining order
was granted against Mr. Wolcott and the
county commissioners, restraining them from
building the court house. This action was
taken at the request of C. S. Hefferlin, from
whom the county rented the building used for
county purposes. This action was brought on
the grounds that the act was unconstitutional,
and this section of the constitution was cited:
"Xo county shall incur any indebtedness or
liability for any single purpose to an amount
exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000)
without the approval of the majority of the
electors thereof, voting at an election to be pro-
vided by law." It was shown that the county
had let the contract for the building for $9,680,
had paid $3,200 for the building site, had paid
$700 for plans and specifications for the build-
ing, and had further agreed to pay $250 to an
architect to supervise the construction. This
would have brought the total cost up to $13,-
830, an amount in excess of that allowed by
the constitution.
The restraining order was made permanent
I\Iarch 20th. An appeal to the supreme court
was taken at once, and in a decision in the
latter part of June, the ruling of the lower court
was sustained. As a retaliatory measure an
action was then brought against the county and
Mr. Hefferlin, restraining the former from
paying to the latter the money on certain war-
rants, which had been issued to him as payment
for rent of county buildings. Tlie same sec-
tion of the constitution was cited that Mr. Hef-
ferlin had employed. It was shown that, if
these warrants were paid, the amount that
would have been paid out in rents for county
buildings would be in excess of the constitu-
tional limit of money that could be paid out
for any single purpose without the approval
of a majority of the voters. The court did not
take this view of the matter, however.
The county was not to be balked in its ef-
forts to get a court house, however. July 20th
the commissioners decided to submit to the vote
of the people the proposition to build a $25,000
structure, and named Thursday, August
15th, as the date for holding the election. It
will be remembered that on two former occa-
sions the voters had disapproved the erection
of a county building by overwhelming major-
ities. Now, however, it was all the other
way. There was hardly any opposition.
On October 5, 1895, the contract for the
148
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
erection of the Ijuilding was let to Day& Horn-
beck, of Livingston, for $18,095. The build-
ing was completed and furnished ready for oc-
cupancy in July, 1896, the total cost of build-
ing and furnishings being about $23,000. On
the last day of July the county officials moved
to the new court house.
The year 1897 witnessed the complete re-
covery from the "hard times"' period. That
year there was an unprecedented demand for
agricultural and stock raising lands. Xew set-
tlers came into the county, and during the
next few years Park county advanced as it
had not done since the boom days of 1883.
During the history of Park county there
have been scores of murders and homicides
committed, but there never was a crime which
created the excitement and aroused the indig-
nation of the people to the extent that did the
murder of Sheriff Geo. T. Young, of Living-
ston and the serious wounding of Under
Sheriff Frank Beller at the dejDot platform at
Springdale, on Friday evening, November 9,
1900, while attempting to arrest a man, whose
name was unknown, but who was wanted for
shooting a man at Logan two days before.
Sheriff Young was shot through the heart
and died instantly. Beller was shot squarely
in the chest and also received a wound in the
foot, from which injuries he recovered.
The murderer escaped, and then began one
of the most determined man hunts in the his-
tory of the west, second only to that of Harry
Tracy a few years later in Oregon and Wash-
ington. Bloodhounds were secured to track
the murderer, and posses were formed in
nearly all the towns of the country. The mur-
derer started east and was seen two miles west
of Big Timber. From there he was traced up
Boulder creek a few miles. Then he made his
way to Grey Cliff. He was seen near that place
and also at Reed's Point. From the latter
point he was traced to Red Lodge country and
later into the Hole-in-the-Wall country of Wy-
oming, where all track of him was lost. His
pursuers would catch sight of him at some
point and then he would disappear as com-
pletely as though the earth had swallowed him
up, only to reappear in a day or two at some
point thirty or forty miles distant. AVith an
endurance that seemed almost superhuman the
murderer braved the excessive cold, clad only
in summer garments, with nothing to eat ex-
cept what little he could steal from sheep
camps. The country over which he traveled
was a strange one, and he was frequently run-
ning into places where recognition immediately
followed. Then he would disappear hours be-
fore his pursuers could take the trail. For two
weeks the chase was continued by at least an
hundred men. Then it was abandoned, and no
trace of the murderer has ever been found.
The federal census of 1900 gave Park
county a population of 7,341, a slight gain over
the census of ten years before, noth withstanding
the fact that the county had lost about half its
area in the meantime. A census today would
show about twice that number. The years
1 901 and 1902 were particularly prosperous
ones, the latter being the most prosperous one,
up to that time, in the history of the county.
While there has been only one legal execu-
tion in the history of the county, a second man
had received sentence to the supreme penalty.
This was Martin Zidmair, who was sentenced
to be hanged September 4, 1903, for the mur-
der of Geo. Reider. He cheated the gallows
by hanging himself in his cell the day before
that set for his execution.
The year 1905 was a banner one for the min-
ing industries of Park county. Numerous smelt-
ers and mills were started in different parts of
the county. All the coal mines and coke plants
of the county were in operation, and gold and
silver mining took a new impetus. This activ-
ity has continued up to the present time, and
there was never a time in the whole history
of the county when times were as good as
they are at present. The total assessed valuation
of property for the year 1906 was $4,923,602.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
[49
CHAPTER
LIVIXGSTOX.
Within the county of Park there is only
one town that enjoys municipal government.
This is Livingston, the county seat, a city of
about 5,000 people, ranking well up among
the important towns of Alontana. Besides
this city, however, are many smaller, but im-
portant, villages, which depend for their ex-
istence upon the surrounding mining or agri-
cultural country. Among these are Gardiner,
Aldridge, Electric, Shields, Cooke, Fridley,
Jardine, Springdale and Clydepark, ranging
in population from a few hundred down to a
few score. Besides these might be named a
few railway stations and country postoffices,
which have not yet reached the distinction of
being called towns. There are twenty-three
postoffices in the county as follows : Aldridge,
Bruffeys, Chico, Chimney Rock, Clydepark,
Cokedale, Contact, Cooke, Electric, Fridley,
Gardiner, Hunter's Hotsprings, Jardine, Lat,
Livingston, Meyersburg, [Miner, Aluir, Pine-
creek, Rockcreek, Shields and Springdale.
This chapter will deal with the history of the
city of Livingston ; the one following with the
histories of the other towns of the county.
LIVINGSTON.
At a point on the Yellowstone river where
that mighty stream, in its long journey from
the mountains south of the Yellowstone Na-
tional Park to the Missouri river, makes the
great bend to the eastward is located the city of
Livingston, the county seat of, and most im-
portant town in, Park cormty.. Just below the
point where the river breaks through its third
and last canyon the forces of nature have
formed a broad circular basin, and upon this
is built the city, at an elevation of 4,491 feet
above sea level. The location might also be
described by saying that it is on the main line
of the Northern Pacific railroad and at the
junction of that road and the National Park
branch ; that it is fifty-nine miles north
of the National Park; that it is 1,007 "lil^s
west of St. Paul, the eastern terminus of the
Northern Pacific; and 124 miles to the east-
ward of Helena, the capital of the state.
No point in Montana possesses a location
of more natural beauty, or one that awakens
so much enthusiasm in picturesque surround-
ings, as does this place. Nothing that adds to
the charm of mountain scenery is lacking,
while supplemental to this is the more peacefiil
landscape of river, plain and woodland. In
every direction the view is bounded by lofty
mountain ranges and towering bluffs. To the
south lies the Absaroka, or Yellowstone, range
from which ]\Iount Baldy — an old time land-
mark— with its almost perpetual snow cap,
appears to tower above all others. The west-
ern horizon is formed by the more uniform and
less lofty Belt range. To the northeast is
seen a circle of rugged peaks that are covered
with snow during t^- entire year; these are
the Crazies. Northwest of the city are the
Bridger mountains. Just north of the city lim-
its rise high bluff's, from which an excellent
view of the city can be obtained.
But it is not alone the natural scenery that
charms the visitor to Livingston. Here is a
model town in many respects. The townsite is
as level as a billiard table; the streets are wide
and straight. The business section of the city
is built up almost entirely of brick, while in the
residence portion are hundreds of handsome
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
and substantial homes. Concrete walks cover
the entire city, and most of the streets are
parked. The people of Livingston take a
pride in their cit)', and the result is that they
have one of the finest looking towns in the
northwest.
As a business point Livingston ranks well
with the towns of Montana. It is the division
headquarters of the Northern Pacific railroad,
and here are located the immense shops, round-
houses and supply stores of that company. The
payroll of the Northern Pacific at this point
at the present writing is over $80,000 per
month. In addition to this large payroll are
many manufacturing establishments, employ-
ing large forces of men. Livingston is the
commercial center of a large country devoted
to mining, farming and stock raising, and all
roads lead to the county seat.
The founding of Livingston was a direct
result of the building of the Northern Pacific
railroad through this part of the country.
When the Northern Pacific railroad was
pushing its way westward through Dakota and
the Yellowstone valley the construction forces
were outfitted and maintained in the new and
comparatively unsettled country by supply
stores established by the contractors at points
where there were prospects for the founding of
permanent settlements or where railroad work
could be conveniently centralized. Wherever
these stores were located the floating popula-
tion that followed the construction force would
make a stand, and towns or camps would
spring into existence as if by magic.
On the 14th day of July, 1882, a represen-
tative of Bruns & Kurtz arrived at the settle-
ment with orders to look up a site for the store
his employers were to establish for the benefit
of the construction crew, and around which a
town would naturally spring up. Two days
later George H. Carver, later one of the lead-
ing business men of the city and for many
years a prominent figure in Park county poli-
tics, arrived on the ground. He and the rep-
resentative of the construction company pitched
a tent on the night of the i6th on the present
site of the city of Livingston — the first habita-
tion in the town. That same day there arrived
140.000 pounds of merchandise, loaded in
wagons and drawn by 140 oxen, the property
of Burns & Kurtz. The store was opened in
tents on the first day of August, and the first
business house of the town of Clark City
(named in honor of Captain William Clark)
was established.
The establishment of the "company store"
was only the beginning. It was only a short
time until a flourishing town made its appear-
ance. Within ten days the entire encampment
had moved up from Benson's Landing, and a
town sprung up along one street by the river
nearly parallel with, and conforming somewhat
to, the present Clark street. Clark City at first
was composed almost entirely of tents, but
gradually cheap frame buildings took their
place. To show what the growth of Clark
City had been during the few months of the
summer and fall of 1882, we will say that at
the November election the town polled 348
votes for delegate to congress. When the first
construction train reached this place on the
first day of December there were here the fol-
lowing business houses : Six general mer-
chandise establishments, two drug stores, two
hotels, one hardware store, two restaurants,
two watchmakers, three blacksmiths, two
wholesale liquor dealers, two meat markets and
thirty saloons. People who have had any con-
nection with early railroad building in the west
will realize that the thirty saloons of Clark
City were not out of proportion to the other
business houses when compared with other
camps of that day.
When the town of Clark City came into
existence on the bank of the Yellowstone river
that place was fully 100 miles from the end
of the railroad and practically out of communi-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
151
cation with the outside world. So it was un-
known to the citizens of Clark City that the
officials of the Northern Pacific had marked on
their maps a town at this place called Livings-
ton, in honor of Crawford Livingston, of St.
Paul, a director of the Northern Pacific cor-
poration.
It was not until the month of November,
1882, that the townsite of Livingston was sur-
veyed for the railroad company by Robert J.
Perry, and it was on December 21. of the same
year, that the plat was recorded in the office
of the clerk and recorder of Gallatin county
by T. F. Oakes, vice-president of the company.
The platting of the new townsite was the
death knell of the town of Clark City. On the
new site the town was built further to the
north, in the vicinity of the railroad track.
Here in the fall and winter of 1882 sprung up
quite a little town. Now, of course, the sites
of both cities are included within the city of
Livingston, but then there was quite an inter-
A'cning space between the two settlements.
There was never any question which was to
be the town, and the business houses of Clark
City at once began to move to Livingston.
The removal was not all accomplished in a day,
and it was late the next summer before the last
in the old town packed up their belongings and
became identified with the newer town. Al-
though the railroad company held the lots at
a high figure, they sold readily, and it was
estimated in September, 1883, that up to that
time the company had realized $200,000 from
the sale of lots. As the construction crews
moved to the west, a large part of the rough
element went with them, and the young town
settled down upon its prosperous career. It
was announced that Livingston was to become
the division point and that expensive shops
were to be located here, insuring the perma-
nency of the town. This had a wholesome ef-
fect, and in the majority of cases good, sub-
stantial buildings were erected.
On December 19, 1882, there was estab-
lished the Livingston Gazette, the city's first
newspaper. In the first issue was a directory
of the business and professional men then in
the city, which was as follows :
Hotels— Villard House, John P. Nolan; Park Ho-
tel, Fred Sparling ; Downen's Hotel.
Restaurants — Young's; The Saddle Rock; Bakery,
Christopher McGrath.
General Stores — I. Orchal & Bro., general merchan-
dise ; Geo. A. Carver & Co., general merchandise ; C. T.
Wernecke, grocery; F. A. Krieger, furniture; Wilson
& Dekay, general merchandise.
Wholesale Liquors — J. Schreiner ; J. Murray & Co.
Drug Stores— The Pioneer, Wright & Bartlett ;
Bryan & Hofflin.
Saloons — Bank Exchange ; Headquarters Saloon,
Draper & Lilly; H. Dions; Don. McArthur; Stoel's
Billiard Hall; The Exchange, S. L. Beck: Woolsey's
Side Board ; Wenstrom Bros. ; McKenzie's Saloon.
Planing Mill— Randall & Davis.
Carpenters— Myers & Schultze, A. L. Brown, Frank
Davis.
Lumber Yard — Dabney Bros.
Lawyers— J. A. Savage, William Frye.
Physicians— W. H. A. Campbell, G. W. Grant.
Theaters— The Palace Varieties, Boge & Martin;
Arcade Music Hall, Myers & Ryan.
Miscellaneous — Hofifman & Co., news depot; M.
B. O'Dell, jeweler; Edward Martin, water wagon and
draying; James Carroll, blacksmith shop and livery;
McGugin & Beaman, Livingston and Bozeman express
line; Nicholas Imo, barber shop and bath rooms; C.
A. Carson, A. G. Carson and J. W. Allen, Livingston
Gazette.
In this list were included business men in
both the old and new towns. Some may have
been omitted from the Gazette's list, but this
was practically the list of business and profes-
sional men who wintered in the town. It will
be noticed that many of the saloons which had
been here a short time before had departed,
following the advance of the construction
crews.
The year 1883 was a memorable one in the
history of Livingston. From early in the
spring until late in the fall all was activity.
People poured into the new town by the hun-
dreds and all kinds of new enterprises were
started. From a hamlet of temporary struc-
152
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
tures Livingston advanced in one year to a
well built city, with over an hundred business
houses and a population of about two thousand
people. Its growth was phenomenal ; it out-
stripped all its rivals along the line of the
Northern Pacific.
The most important factor in the growth
of Livingston during the year was the building
of the Northern Pacific shops.
The effect of this work was immediate and
lasting. No sooner had the work begun than
the town began to assume new airs. What
was left of the old town of Clark City moved
over to Livingston. All the business men came
and with them, in many instances, came the
buildings in which they had been doing busi-
ness. No longer were cheap structures put up;
now that the permanency of the city was es-
tablished, brick was the principal material used
for the business houses. The first brick build-
ing was put up in the spring of 1883 by Henry
Frank, who had been the leading clothier in
the old town. Most of the new business
houses erected that year were put up on Main
street.
A bank controlled by Stebbins, Mund &
Co., and managed by A. L. Love, cashier, was
established early in the year. This was fol-
lowed by. the First National Bank, which
opened in temporary quarters on July 17th. C.
Livingston was president; M. Fogarty, vice
president; and the directors were Messrs. Hol-
liday, Donnelly, Pease and H'alloran. Busi-
ness houses sprang up by the dozens ; the
saloons were increased in the summer to 39,
and all did a thriving business, due largely to
the large number of transient laborers in the
city.
One of the first considerations of the peo-
ple of the new city was fire protection, and the
first steps were taken to organize a company
on July loth, when 25 or 30 citizens met at
the office of Frye & Le Roy. D. F. Buchanan
presided over the meeting and Harry Heimerd-
inger was secretary. On July 17th occurred
the formal organization of a hook and ladder
company.
While all this activity in business matters
was going on educational and religious mat-
ters were not neglected. A good school was
maintained throughout the school year, al-
though handicapped by want of suitable quar-
ters, which difficulty was remedied the follow-
ing year.
The first church survice was held in the
office of Judge Seward, in the old town, on
the first Sunday in February, 1883. Rev. H.
C. Simmons, of Fargo, Dakota, Superinten-
dent of the American Home Missionary so-
ciety of the Congregational church for northern
Dakota and eastern Montana, preached the
service and there were about 30 present. In
the evening another service was held in a bag-
gage car near the freight depot, which was
attended by about 20 persons. On September
2nd, Rev. Simmons organized a Congrega-
tional church society with nine members and
the following officers: R. M. Douthitt, deacon;
Rev. W. E. Archibald, clergyman ; Mrs. F. L.
Mintie, treasurer; F. L. Mintie, G. T. Cham-
bers and G. W. Potter, trustees. A church
edifice was erected the same fall. But before
this was completed a Methodist Episcopal
church had been organized and a handsome
structure built, the first in the town, at a cost
of about $5,000. The corner stone of this edi-
fice was laid with appropriate ceremonies July
25th. Although they did not erect a building
until several years later, the members of the
Episcopal church had an organization in 1883,
and were ministered to monthly by Rev. Frank
B. Lewis, of Bozeman, the first service being
held in May.
Only one secret society was organized dur-
ing the year. This was Park Lodge No. 7,
I. O. O. F., which came into existence in May
with a membership of 12. We shall here break
into the chronological order of events long
enough to tell of the formation of all the secret
societies organized prior to 1890. These with
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
153
their dates of organization and number of
charter members Avere as follows :
Date of Qiarter
Organization Members
Park Lodge No. 7, I. O. O. F 1883 12
Farragut Post No. 7, G. A. R 1884 25
Livingston Lodge No. 32, A. F. & A. M. . . 1884 10
Knights of Labor 1884
Chapter of Masons 1885 15
Yellowstone Lodge No. 10 K. P 18S6 24
St. Bernard Commandery 1887 13
Khurum Lodge No. 4, A. & A. S. R. F. M 1888 11
Scandinavian Society 1889
Sometime during the year 1883 the Liv-
ingston Enterprise published a directory of the
city, in which were 891 names of permanent
residents.
The matter of better school facilities was
taken up early in the year 1884. An election
was held on February 23rd to decide whether
or not bonds to the amount of $7,000 should
be issued for building a school house. The
voters decided in the affirmative by a vote of
67 to 4, and in July the contract was let to
M. V. Broughton for $9,900. Before the fall
term opened Livingston was supplied with an
up-to-date and handsome school building.
The season of rapid growth and feverish
prosperity which prevailed during the year
1883 was not lasting, and was followed by
a reaction. And on August 24, 1884, the First
National Bank closed its doors, adding to the
pinch of adversity.
Notwithstanding the removal of many peo-
ple from the town, the permanent residents
did not show much of a diminution, as is evi-
denced by the fact that 657 votes were cast
in the town at the election on November 4,
1884.
Misfortune never comes singly. Follow-
ing the reaction of 1884 came a year of dis-
asters from fire. All these things coming to-
gether were enough to break the spirit of most
any community, but in Livingston they only
stirred the people to greater activity.
The first of the series of fires came on
Saturday, May 2, 1885. This was the small-
est one and resulted in the loss of only $15,000.
Covered by $7,200 insurance.
The next fire came on August 4th, bring-
ing a loss of $17,850, covered by only $3,450
insurance. Sixteen buildings were destroyed,
being those first erected in the town after the
removal from Clark City.
The most disastrous of these fires started
about 2 130 o'clock on the morning of Monday,
November 30th. An entire block on Main
street in the business center of the town was
entirely destroyed, causing an aggregate loss
of nearly $70,000, covered by about one-third
of that amount of insurance. The fire was a
stubborn one, and it looked for a time as
though the whole town was doomed. The
old fire company had gone out of business, and
there was no organization in fighting the
flames. Great excitement prevailed; large
stocks of goods were removed from the threat-
ened stores and handled with such reckless-
ness that they might better have perished in
the fire. The fire was undoubtedly the work
of an incendiary.
All three of these fires were believed to
have been of incendiaiy origin, but nothing
more than suspicion could be traced to the
guilty parties. Some of the people of Living-
ston took it upon themselves to see that incen-
diaryism ceased, and one December morning
the town was found to be chalked with the well
known sign of the vigilantes — 3-7-77. An or-
ganization had been quickly formed, who sent
out warnings to all the "tough" element of
the town, ordering them to leave by a certain
time. Many left without further urging;
others stayed. A band of masked men, armed
with rifles, waited upon those who remained,
and by persuasive argument with a rope suc-
ceeded in determining all that Livingston was
no place for them.
Other measures were adopted to prevent
disastrous damage from the fiery element. In
December money was raised by subscription
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
to buy fire fighting apparatus. There were no
water mains in the city at that time, but the
people did the best under the circumstances;
they organized a fire company, and bought
buckets, ladders, etc., with which to fight the
lurid leveler.
Just as the little city was begining to re-
vive from the setbacks of the previous fires,
fate sent another fatality, seemingly for the
purpose of destroying renewed hope and fort-
itude on the part of the citizens. This fire
occured Sunday evening, May 23, 18S6, when
damage to the amount of $37,000 was done
to buildings and stocks on Main street, w'hile
insurance -was $20,400.
These fires, all within a year's time, had the
effect of marring the beauty of the town and
for the time being of demoralizing business.
But they were not lasting disasters. After
each fire the people set about rebuilding, in
many instances much more substantial struct-
ures than those that were destroyed. This de-
termination to stay with the town was born of
a knowledge that its resources were ample.
During 1886 about $100,000 was spent in
building improvements, including the erection
of eleven brick business blocks.
The years 1887 and 1888 were prosperous
ones for Livingston — particularly the latter.
There was no boom, but a healthy growth.
During the summer of 1888 there were over
100 residences erected.
The town had now advanced to such pro-
portions that it was decided to again under-
take incorporation, and this time it was success-
fully accomplished.
Although about 350 were entitled to vote
at this election, only 86 took advantage of the
privilege, the result being 46 votes in favor of
incorporation and 40 against. The small
number of votes cast was a matter of much sur-
prise, as the question was one of great import-
ance and interest to everybody and had been
thoroughly discussed by all citizens. The En-
terprise thus explains the paradox : "The
only way that we can account for the small
ballot cast is the general feeling of indecision
on the part of the voters as to whether it
were better to incorporate or not. Many of
our most prominent business men acknowl-
edged that they were on the fence in the mat-
ter, and it is known that several who were the
most prominent in the opposition changed their
minds at the last hour and voted for it, and
vice versa."
An order declaring Livingston an incor-
porated city of the second class was made by
the county board December 3, and on the 15th
provision was made for a special election to
be held Saturday, January 26, 1889, for the
purpose of electing city officers. * The city was
divided into three wards, and judges and clerks
of the election were appointed.
Party lines were not drawn at this initial
election. A caucus was held, at which a ticket
was nominated. No other ticket was put in
the field, but several independent candidates
asked the suffrage of the people, and two of
them were elected. Four hundred and seventy-
seven votes were cost, divided among three
precincts as follows: First ward. 153; second
ward, 109; third ward, 215. Two aldermen
were elected from each ward.
The first meeting of the city council was
held on Thursday, January 31. 1889.
While 1888 had been a prosperous year
for Livingston, the next year distanced it com-
pletely. The Enterprise stated that the growth
of the town that year for permanency had been
unparalleled in the history of Montana. Over
$350,000 was expended in improvements.
Among the important events of the year was
the establishment of an electric lighting system.
The Livingston Electric Light company was
incorporated in June, with a capital stock of
$25,000, all held by Livingston men. The
company began the erection of its power house
October 15. and on December 2t, the lights
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
t55
were turned on. Eight arc lights and 150 in-
candescents was the patronage of the company
at the beginning.
At the regular annual election held April
29, 1889, all the nominees of the citizens' cau-
cus were elected. The vote of this election is
not available.
Among the other improvements of the year
1890 was the installation of a system of water
works by the Livingston Waterworks company.
Notwithstanding the marked financial de-
pression throughout the country in 1891, the
growth of Livingston was not retarded.
The campaign preceding the annual elec-
tion of April 13, 1891, was enlivened by the en-
trance of a third party "Citizens." The mem-
bers of that organization held a convention and
placed a ticket in the field, most of the nomi-
nees being those of one or the other of the old
parties. The "Citizens" movement had but
little effect upon the result. The Republicans
elected mayor, marshal, treasurer, clerk and
attorney and one alderman; the Democrats
elected two aldermen; an Independent and
Citizens nominee was elected police magistrate.
Seven hundred and forty-five votes were cast.
During the year 1893 a handsome new
school building was erected in Livingston.
The year of the panic, 1893, w^as a hard
one for Livingston, as it was for nearly every
town in the United States. It was marked by
numerous business failures and a period of
extreme hard times. The first disaster was
the failure of the Livingston National Bank,
which closed its doors July 7. This caused a
loss of upwards of $70,000 by the business men
of Livingston and cast a gloom over the whole
business life of the city. The Merchants Bank
failed July 27, and this disaster was followed
July 31 by the closing of the National Park
Bank, the last banking institution in the city
and Park county. It reopened on Septembei
25. of the same year, but the results of its
failure at the time being were disastrous. Fol-
lowing these bank failures several business
houses went into bankruptcy. The business of
the city was at a standstill, and complete re-
covery from the depression did not occur for
several years.
The month of June, 1894, was replete with
interesting events. It marked the beginning of
the great railroad strike, the story of which
we have told in the preceding chapter; the
overflowing of the Yellowstone river upon a
portion of the town, and the inundating of the
greater part of the rest of the town as a re-
sult of a cloudburst.
On Monday, June 4, the river reached a
height of eight feet, ten inches, on the gauge
board on the Main street bridge, the highest
point ever recorded. The water in many places
overflowed the banks and inundated the bot-
tom lands on both sides of the stream. Di-
rectly opposite the city the water flowed
out over McLeod's island for a distance of
several hundred yeards, but did little damage
except to wash out several small bridges on
the Island road. About twelve o'clock on the
day the water was the highest the dyke along
the north bank of the river, which had been put
in to protect property in Riverside addition,
broke at I street and flooded all that portion of
Riverside addition as far north as Lewis street.
Houses in that locality to the number of 25 or
30 were surrounded by water, which rose to a
height of two to six feet. So suddenly did the
flood burst upon the residents of that locality
that it was with difficulty that they and their
household goods were removed to places of
safety. Several boats were quickly constructed
to reach those whose houses were cut off from
wagon transportation by the deep water, and
before night all had been rescued from the in-
nundated district. The greatest damage was
the destruction of gardens, and that loss was
almost total, causing a serious hardship to
several who depended almost entirely upon this
resource as a means of livelihood. Only by
strenuous efforts was the Main street bridge
saved from going out, great cargoes of trees
iS6
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
and timbers from other bridges which had
gone out being forced down against it with
terrible force. The river remained at a high
point until the 8th, when it began to recede,
and all danger was past.
On the 5th the town was visited by a de-
structive flood, resulting from cloudbursts both
north and south of the city. Preceded by a
rain of two hours the cloudbursts came almost
simultaneously, one in the hills north of the
city and the other on the plateau across the
river. Within an almost incredibly short time
the gulches north of the city were converted
into raging torrents that poured their contents
down the hillside. The sweeping waters came
directly toward the Northern Pacific railroad,
striking it near Yellowstone street. The
track temporarily diverted the flood east-
ward along Front street and the com-
pany's right of way. The track at Yel-
lowstone street was about three feet above the
level of the street, but it offered only moment-
ary resistance to the flood, which was soon
sweeping over it and converting Park street
into a rushing stream. The water found its
way eastward along that thoroughfare, pre-
senting the appearance of a wall of moving
water. Within a few minutes it reached the
business portion of the city, filling every base-
ment and cellar as it proceeded on its way to
find an outlet into the river. At two points
where the flood washed over the track the
grade gave way and left the ties and rails with-
out support for a distance of twenty or thirty
feet. On the north side of the track another
stream, several hundred feet in width, found
its way eastward, carrying with it sidewalks
and crossings, finally reaching the Northern
Pacific shops, which were flooded to a depth of
two feet. The flood lasted half an hour, when
the water began to recede. It disappeared al-
most as rapidly as it had accumulated. The
damage to the railroad company was several
thousand dollars and that to the business
houses in the citv fullv as much. The cloud-
burst south of the city did no damage in Liv-
ingston, although it wrought havoc on some
of the nearby ranches. Debris of all kinds was
left in the streets and alleys.
For ten years after the series of fires end-
ing in May, 1886, Livingston was without a
disastrous conflagration. On January 31,
1896, the Livingston opera house and some
other property was destroyed by fire. The loss
to ]\Ir. C. S. Hefferlin, the owner of the opera
house, was $30,000, covered by $22,800 in-
surance. The losses of other parties were small.
Again in 1896 the question of the building
of a city hall was a live one. At the election
April 6 the proposition to bond the city in the
sum of $10,000 met the approval of the people
by a vote of 320 to 119. The building was
completed that year, and has ever since been
the home of the city officials.
On September 27, 1897, fire destroyed
$12,000 worth of property. There were tjiree
other small fires in the same week, all the
probable work of an incendiary.
By 1898 Livingston had entirely recovered
from the eft'ect of the hard times, and during
that year the town made its first real advance-
ment since the panic of 1893. The Northern
Pacific shops were enlarged, requiring the ser-
vices of quite a force of workmen. Among
the other improvements was the building of a
flouring mill, covering an investment of about
$14,000. and many residences. Among the
events of the year were two fires. The first of
these occurred June 27, when the dry goods
store of Lee Eisenberg was destroyed, entail-
ing a loss of alx)ut $23,000. The second fire
was on July 24, when the plant of the Livings-
ton Water Power company was destroyed, en-
tailing a loss of many thousands of dollars.
The federal census of 1900 gave Living-
ston a population of 2,778, a loss of 72 since
the census of 1890. Although the hard times
period had resulted disastrously for the town
it was not believed by the people that there
had been a loss in the ten vears, and that loose
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
157
methods had been employed in making the
census.
Great interest centered in a special election
held January 25, 1900, to decide the question
of having the city purchase the plant of the
Livingston Electric Light and Waterworks
company for $100,000. The campaign was
an exciting one and the proposition was de-
feated by a vote of 128 to 194. Another spe-
cial election that year was held for the pur-
pose of obtaining the sentiment of the people
of Park county regarding the establishment of
a county high school at Livingston. The vote
of the county was 479 in favor of the school
and 335 against. The high school was at once
established and became one of the permanent
institutions of Livingston.
The year 1901 marked the beginning of
a new era in the history of Livingston. More
money was spent in permanent improvements
that year than during any previous year of
the town's .history, not excepting the boom
year 1883. This activity was started by the
announcement of the Northern Pacific com-
pany that big improvements would be made
in its shops that year. This announcement by
the railroad officials caused a contagious build-
ing fever, and in less than a month after the
shops were an assured fact business blocks
were in course of construction in every part
of the business center of the town. This was
followed by the erection of residences, and
building operations were carried on to an ex-
tent never before witnessed in the city. The
addition to the shops resulted in the expendi-
ture of nearly $250,000, and late in the year
the railroad officials announced that the fol-
lowing year the company intended putting up
a new depot that would cost in the neighbor-
hood of $125,000 more. Among the principal
business blocks erected in 1901 was the post-
office block, erected by A. W. Miles at a cost
of many thousand dollars.
The extensive building operations of 1901
were continued the following year. The new
depot was completed at a total cost of $125,-
000, and the construction of the new shops
had the finishing touches put upon them that
year. With the completion of these began the
steady employment of about 200 additional
men. The payroll of the railroad company
alone for the year 1902 averaged $45,000
monthly. Li its issue of December 27th the
Enterprise said concerning the building opera-
tions of the year :
"Real estate values in Livingston have
reached a figure never attained before except
in the boom days of 1888-89. In Livingston
there has been a large amount of building.
Residences and business houses to the value of
at least $100,000 have been erected during the
year, and the railroad company has invested
$250,000 in buildings alone. It is not sur-
prising in view of this state of things that Liv-
ingston real estate has considerable backbone
and that rents are higher and houses scarce."
Fire again visited Livingston on Novem-
ber 5, 1903, when the business part of the city
was damaged to the amount of $25,000. On
November 29th of the same year the electric
lighting plant was destroyed, causing a loss of
$15,000.
February 13, 1904, a special election was
held in Park county for the purpose of voting
on the proposition to bond the county for
$25,000 to erect and equip a high school build-
ing at Livingston, the quarters then in use
being inadequate. The bonding proposition
carried by a vote of 417 to 159, the vote of
Livingston carrying the day, the outside pre-
cincts being almost unanimously against the
plan. The high school building was completed
in December at a total cost of about $30,000.
The most expensive fire in the city's his-
tory occurred February 29, 1904, when the
postoffice block was entirely destroyed and the
various business and professional men who
occupied rooms and offices in the building lost
all their possessions therein. The fire started
from electric light wires. The wind was blow-
158
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
ing a gale at the time of the fire, and it was
very fortunate that the greater part of the city
was not destroyed. It was only by the heroic
work of the firemen that the flames were con-
fined to the one block. The total loss was
nearly $130,000, covered by about one-half
the amount of insurance. Mr. A. W. Miles,
the owner of the block, at once commenced re-
building. The loss and insurance were $129,-
806 and $62, 1 50 respectively.
The people of Livingston had never been
satisfied with the population given them by
the federal census of 1900, and in July, 1904,
another census was taken, under the direction
of the city council. The enumerators listed
4,474 residents of the city. The result of this
census could be nothing but gratifying to the
people of Livingston. Conceding the federal
census to be correct, the city had gained in
four years 1,696 inhabitants.
The year 1904 was a prosperous one, and
there was considerable building done. Among
other things was the erection of the handsome
Carnegie library.
The election April 4, 1904, for the election
of aldermen developed into an exciting con-
test at the last moment. Two Republicans and
one Democrat were elected. The Socialists
polled a large vote but as usual were unsuccess-
ful in electing a candidate. Seven hundred
and one votes were polled, the largest vote in
years.
Livingston was again visited by a cloud-
burst flood Thursday afternoon, June 8, 1905,
the worst flood in the city's history, resulting
in the loss of thousands of dollars worth of
property. The flood left the beautiful graded
and cemented streets of Livingston a broad
expanse of filth and slime, of sand bars and
boulder piles, of forsaken water channels — a
dumping ground for debris of every descrip-
tion that found its final lodging place on va-
cant lots, in gutters and alleys, and against the
sides of business blocks.
It had rained the previous night, but by
noon of the 8th the air was sultry, and at 4 130
in the a,fternoon it was stifling. Then came
the welcome rain, followed by hail of enorm-
ous size. Probably half an hour after this had
passed away parties on Park street noticed a
moving object on the hillside west of the city,
many mistaking it for a band of sheep, and in
less time than it takes to describe it a seething,
surging mass of water and hail five feet high
swept down the gulch by the old pest house,
crossed the track at the head of Fifth street
and rushed with the swiftness of a hurricane
into the business heart of the city. From
then until darkness men worked as they
had never worked before, trying to save
the property of themselves and others
from destruction. Each minute seemed
to increase the volume of water, and had a
hundred reservoirs been tapped in as many
different directions their supplies could nop
have found more difificult avenues of escape.
With a force that was truly appaljing it swept
into the heart of the city, while its exit was as
sudden as though an unseen power had been
directing its course and timing its duration.
At five o'clock a wall of water five feet high
rushed across a flat toward the city; in less
than an hour a tiny ditch that would hardly
have answered the purpose of an irrigating
lateral was all that remained to mark its en-
trance.
The municipal election of 1905 was one of
the most hotly contested in the political history
of the city. There had been, and still was, a
fight over the granting of city franchises, and
the contest was bitter between the two leading
parties for the control of the city council. All
three parties had complete tickets in the field.
The Republicans elected mayor, police magis-
trate and two aldermen, while the Democrats
elected treasurer and one alderman. This left
the city council with four Republicans and two
Democrats. There were polled 959 votes,
which was over 200 more than had ever been
cast in the city before in a municipal election.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
159
During the last few years Livingston has
made great progress along all lines. It has
grown in population until it is today a city of
about 5,000 people. It is gradually throwing
off the ways of the country town and assuming
metropolitan airs. It has free mail delivery
and many of the other conveniences that desig-
nate the city from the town. Its concrete walks
make it the most thoroughly advertised town
in Montana in that respect. In May, 1906,
over nine miles of the walk had been laid and
the contracts were let at that time for several
miles more, covering practically the whole
town. It was alleged that on the above date
the city had more miles of cement walk than
all the other cities of Montana put together.
Another much needed improvement made dur-
ing the year 1906 was the beginning of a new
sewerage system. At a special election August
14th the voters gave their consent to the issu-
ance of $25,000 bonds for this purpose by a
vote of 69 to 62.
Livingston has six church societies as fol-
lows : IMethodist Episcopal, Congregational,
Episcopal, Catholic, Baptist and Adventist.
Its lodges and secret organizations are :
G. A. R. — Farragut Post, No. 7.
A. O. U.W.— National Park Lodge, No. 10.
B. P. O. E. — Livingston Lodge, No. 246.
B. A. Y. (Brotherhood American Yeomen)
— Tourist Homestead, No. 474.
C. O. F. (Catholic Order Foresters)— Yel-
lowstone Park Court, No. 149 1.
F. B. (Fraternal Brotherhood) — Livings-
ton Lodge.
F. O. E. — Aerie, No. 273.
I. O. O. F.— Park Lodge, No. 17.
K. O. T. M.
K. T. — Livingston Chapter Rose Croix,
No. 2. Livingston Council Kadosh, No. i.
Particular Consistory for Eastern Montana.
K. P. — Yellowstone Lodge, No. 10.
M. W. A.— Silver Tip Camp, No. 5765.
O. D. H. S. (Order der Hermann Soehne)
— IMoltke Lodge, No. 9.
Royal Highlanders — Castle Mt. Baldy.
W. O. W.- — Zephyr Camp, No. 151.
Women of Woodcraft — Cottonwood Cir-
cle, No. 197.
Livingston is a strong union town, no less
than thirteen unions having an existence.
These are as follows :
Cigarmakers International L'nion. Local
Union, No. 312.
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners of America. Local Union, No. 1085.
Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and
Paperhangers of America. Local LTnion, No.
351-
Livingston Typographical Union, No. 489.
Brotherhood Locomotive Engineers.
Order Railway Conductors.
Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen.
Brotherhood Railway Trainmen.
Switchmen's Union.
Boilermakers' and Iron Workers' Union.
International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths.
International Association of Machinists.
Brotherhood Railwav Carmen.
t6o
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV
OTHER TOWNS.
Ranking second in importance among the
towns of Park county is Gardiner, a village of
some 300 or 400 people situated in the extreme
southern part of the county on the Hne separ-
ating Park county from the Yellowstone Na-
tional Park, at an elevation of 5,286 feet above
sea level. It is the terminus of the Park branch
of the Northern Pacific railroad, 54 miles
south of Livingston. Here is located the re-
cently completed stone arch designating the
ofificial entrance to the National Park. Through
this arch and' the town of Gardiner yearly pass
thousands of tourists on their way to the land
of wonders. While the little town derives
some profit from these thousands of tourists,
its support come principally from the surround-
ing country, it being the outfitting point for
the mines of Bear and Crevice gulches. The
town is substantially built and has a number
of business houses, among the enterprises be-
ing a bank and a newspaper. In the line of pub-
lic improvements are a waterworks and electric
lighting system, Gardiner being one of the
smallest towns in the country boasting of these
modern improvements.
The town takes its name from Gardiner
river, which empties into the Yellowstone near
the town. The identity of the individual for
whom the river was named was long in doubt,
and has been definitely settled only within the
last few years. His name was Johnson Gard-
ner, and he was one of the so-called free trap-
pers who hunted over the upper Missouri and
Yellowstone countries in the first half of the
nineteenth century. Chittenden says of Gard-
ner : "There are extant articles of agreement
between him and Kenneth ^^IcKenzie, the bour-
geois in charge of the American Fur compa-
ny's post at Fort Union, relating to equipment
and furs for the year 1832. There are also
a statement of Gardner's account at Fort Un-
ion in the summer of 1832, and a bill of lad-
ing of furs shipped on the bull boat Antoine
from the 'Crossing of the Yellowstone' July 18,
of the same year." The same authority de-
clares that this is undoubtedly the same indi-
vidual for whom Gardiner river was named,
and says that the discrepancy in the spelling
has no significance. The first certain refer-
ence to both stream and name, placing the
identity of each beyond dispute, occurs in a let-
ter from Father DeSmet, the pioneer mission-
ary to Montana, dated January 20, 1852.
Gardiner came into existence in the spring of
1883. When construction of the Park branch
of the Northern Pacific began that spring it
was announced that the line would be built to
the northern boundary of the park, at a point
where the Gardiner river enters the Yellow-
stone. This was enough to set the aggressive
town builders of the time at work planning for
a town at this point, and in May a town sprang
into existence. As there was no sawn timber
available, the town consisted of tents, with the
exception of three or four log shacks. By the
first of June the town boasted of a population
only a trifle below 200, and the following busi-
ness houses were already represented : Twenty-
one saloons, six restaurants, five general mer-
chandise stores, two hardw-are stores, two fruit
stands, two barber shops, one news stand, one
billiard hall, one blacksmith shop and one milk-
man. About this time A. G. Topliff arrived
on the scene with a sawmill plant and began
ENTRANCE ARCH TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
the manufacture of lumber, so that before the
summer was over the town began to assume a
more substantial appearance.
The building- of this flourishing little town
was, of course, the result of the announcement
that it was to be the terminus of the I^'ark
branch. But before the railroad was com-
pleted complications arose which delayed the
completion of the road to Gardiner twenty
years. This was brought about by a dispute
over the ownership of the townsite.
When it was first determined to build the
Park branch Ed. Stone, representing the
Northern Pacific railway, brought the squat-
ter's claim to the land upon which the town was
afterwards built. The claim was "jumped" by a
man named Cutler, or as he was commonly
called "Buckskin Jim." The contest for thepos-
ession of the townsite was taken to the courts,
but before it could be threshed out there the
line was fast nearing completion. The road
was graded into the town, but it was rumored
that the rail laying would stop about three or
four miles from this point unless some ar-
rangement could be made for securing clear
title to the townsite. The people of the new
town felt that this would be fatal to their in-
terests, and that already the unsettled condition
of the title had been a serious detriment to the
town's prosperity. They therefore set about
in a systematic manner to luring the dispute to
a close. Meetings of the citizens were held in
July, and every endeavor was put forth to in-
duce "Buckskin Jim" to release his claim upon
the land, with the intention of presenting the
land to the railroad company.
But all efforts were in vain, and when the
last rail was laid on the road on the 30tli day
of August it was at a point which became
known as Cinnabar, and not at Gardiner. The
rumors to the effect Ihat the Northern Pacific
would not build to Gardiner unless the title
to the townsite was secured were substantiated.
It was a serious blow to the people who had
invested their money in Gardiner. Some
moved to the new town of Cinnabar, while
others remained in the hopes that the troubles
would be speedily settled and that Gardiner
would yet become the terminus. Of course
there was no advancement in the little town
after this event, but such was the faith of the
people in an ultimate success that many re-
mained and conducted their business at a loss.
These ruefully cast their eyes over the three
or four miles of expanse which separated them
from the railroad, gazed upon the columns of
smoke arising from the engines, and prayed
that some day the railroad would build to their
town. . -)
In November, 1883, it became known that
a patent to the townsite, which had been filed
upon by Mr. Stone as a desert claim, had been
granted and that "Buckskin Jim" had lost out.
As Stone was in the employ of the railroad
company at the time, it was taken for granted
that the company now became the owner and
that the railroad would be extended at an early
date. Despite the fact that Cinnabar had be-
come the terminus, that town did not grow to
the proportions expected and Gardiner really
remained the trading center for the upper
country.
In the spring of 1884 it was believed that
the longed-for extension was about to be luade.
It was believed that the railroad company now
had possession of the townsite or that the title
was ready to be turned over to it. But this
transaction did not eventuate. Disputes arose
between the railroad company and Mr. Stone,
and that gentleman did not make over the deed,
although it was currently believed in Gardi-
ner that the railroad was the real owner of the
property. Isaac D. IMcCutcheon, of Helena,
became Mr. Stone's agent, and on March 30,
1886, he platted the townsite, it being recorded
in the office of the clerk and recorder of Gal-
latin county on that date. In the fall of the
same year suit was brought in the United
States district court at Bozeman by the rail-
road company against Messrs. Stone and Mc-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
Cutcheon to obtain a decree declaring the de-
fendants to be trustees for the plaintiff in the
matter of the Gardiner townsite and asking
for an accounting by the defendants of receipts
on account of the same.
It was a long time before the title was
cleared, and the litigation was a great draw-
back to the advancement of the town. A
Gardiner correspondent writing in I\Iay, 1888,
said: "Owing to the squabble and jumpings,
which have taken place over the present Gardi-
ner townsite, we are uncertain about the title
of town lots, and almost worse than that, have
persumably for the same reason failed to have
a railroad nearer than three miles."
So the town struggled on during the
eighties, having a population of one or two
hundred people and supporting fifteen or
twenty business houses. The people found that
it was not necessary to be a railroad town.
It was at the entrance of the National Park,
and tourists were forced to pass through the
place on their way to and from the park. From
this source the town drew some revenue. Then,
during the summer seasons when there was
work being done in the park, this point became
the headquarters of the laborers. Neighbor-
ing mining camps were also outfitting from
this point. The location was a suitable one for
a town and the fact that the railroad passed it
up did not remove the town.
On Saturday, August 31, 1889, Gardiner
was as near totally destroyed by fire as any
town ever was, only eight buildings lieing left
after the fire had burned itself out. The blaze
started in the saloon of Crowell & Lewis from
some unknown cause at thirty miutes after
noon. ' When the alarm was given the fire had
gained such headway in the extremely dry lum-
ber that it soon got beyond control and swept
everything in its path. A brisk breeze was
blowing, and within an hour the entire town
was a smouldering ruin, the only exceptions
being the buildings of S. M. Fitzgerald, J. C.
McCartney, D. P. Emmons, Frank Cramer, J.
Hofer, James Parker, the school house and the
jail. Owing to the fact that insurance rates
were very high and risks difficult to place, very
little insurance was carried, and the loss, very
nearly $50,000 was total.
This distruction of the town did not dis-
hearten the people who had made their homes
there for the last six years. \\'itli the indomit-
able pluck characteristic of the west they set
about rebuilding the town, and during the re-
building times were quite lively.
During the early nineties very little oc-
curred out in the ordinary. In the summer of
1895 there was quite a boom in the little place.
Several new business houses were put up, and
numerous residences were built. Among the
other improvements was the installation of a
water works system, put in by John Spiker.
A correspondent stated that during the sum-
mer there had been more substantial improve-
ments than for any previous twelve months
since the founding of the town.
The next period of importance in the his-
tory of the town began with the year 1902, at
which time we find Gardiner a town of about
250 people. In May of that year it was defin-
itely announced that the Park branch would be
extended to Gardiner, and the next month
trains were running into the town which for
so long a time had anxiously awaited the event.
The railroad company and the townsite owners
seemed destined to have trouble. When the
road was completed a dispute arose between
the two concerns, and as a result no depot or
yards were built. These differences were set-
tled in November, and the work was at once
commenced on one of the most unique and
handsome depots anywhere in the country.
The completion of the three miles of rail-
road caused quite a boom in Gardiner. New
business houses began operations there, and
the population increased. This activity con-
tinued the following year, and during the sum-
mer buildings were going up all over town.
The special pride of the people was the new
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
t63
depot, which was completed in the spring. The
entrance arch to the park was also completed
that year, the corner stone being laid by Pres-
ident Theodore Roosevelt.
In June, 1903, Gardiner became ambitious,
and decided to incorporate as a city, but the
movement failed.
Electric is a little village on the Park
branch, 49 miles south of Livingston, situated
at an elevation of 5,185 feet above the sea
level. It is the site of the coke ovens of the
Montana Coke and Coal company, and about
400 men are employed here by that company.
There is one general store, which is operated
by the company. The village takes its name
from the mountain of the same name, which
is situated on the line between Park county
and the National Park, the highest peak in the
park or the immediate vicinity.
From the time of the founding of the vil-
lage up to the year 1904 it was known as Horr,
The name was bestowed .upon it in honor of
either Harry Horr, the discoverer of the coal
mines in the vicinity, or Major Jos. L. Horr,
who in 1884 opened up, the coal mines. The
village came into existence in 1888 as a result
of the commencement of operations there by
the Park Coal & Coke company. The coke
burning was not on as extensive a scale as it
now is, and in December, 1888, a correspon-
dent boasted of having only about 100 inhab-
itants in the camp, and among these were
twenty children. On July ist the Horr post-
office was opened with Laura A. Pinkston as
postmistress. The establishment of this of-
fice proved to be a great convenience to the
people of the little camp, who before had de-
pended upon Gardiner for their mail facilities.
The company built about fifty neat white cot-
tages for the workmen and also the necessary
warehouses and stores.
The town of Horr did not enjoy a con-
tinuous existence. Owing to troubles of one
nature or another the works of the coal and
coke company were closed part of the time,
and as the town depended entirely upon this
company, when the mines and ovens closed the
population of the town dwindled to almost
nothing. During the nineties the Alontana
Coal & Coke company became the owners of
the property. During the year 1900 quite
rapid advancement was made in the little vil-
lage owing to the activity of the company.
Mining and coke burning was carried on on
a larger scale and as a result more men were
employed. A fire on February 14, 1904, de-
stroyed the store and saloon of the Montana
Coal & Coke company, entailing a loss of
about $20,000. The change in the name of
the postofifice and town was made in the sum-
mer of 1904. There have been a number of
strikes by the employes of the company at this
point and at Aldridge, the last one occurring
during the closing days of 1906. Matters were
satisfactorily adjusted early in 1907, and the
works are again in full blast.
Two miles from Electric is the village of
Aldridge, where are located the coal mines of
the Montana Coal and Coke company. Here
is to be found a village of about 400 people,
nearly all engaged in mining coal. There are
two general stores, three saloons, a hotel, meat
market and a school house. There is daily
stage and mail to the railroad at Electric.
The town, which came into existence some
time after the establishment of Electric, or
Horr, was named after Mr. Aldridge, one of
the directors of the Montana Coal & Coke
company. The village was started in the
spring of 1896, and in 1898 a townsite was
platted by the state of Montana, per H. D.
Moore, register of the state land office, under
direction of the state board of land commis-
sioners. As both Electric and Aldridge de-
164
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
pend for their existence upon the Montana
Coal & Coke company, their histories are some-
what similar. Aldridge is the company's coal
mining town and Electric is its coke burning-
town.
COOKE.
In the southeastern part of Park county,
just outside of the Yellowstone National Park,
is the mining town of Cooke ( formerly known *
as Cooke City), the oldest existing town in the
county. As the crow flies, the camp is about
35 miles due east of Gardiner, but as the stage
between these two points goes, through the
northern part of the park, the distance is about
60 miles. The town depends entirely upon the
mines in the New World mining district and
the population varies from a few dozen to a
few hundred according to the activity of min-
ing and smelting operations. There are two
smelters here and two steam sawmills. The
business houses of the town consist of three
general stores, two hotels, two saloons, two
hvery stables and a meat market.
In a former chapter we have told of the
discovery and early history of mining in this
vicinity in the seventies, when a smelter was
erected at this point by a company of Bozeman
men and a run made in 1877. The place was
not then known as Cooke City, however. Prior
to the ratification of the Crow treaty in April,
1882, the county in which Cooke City was
located was a part of the Crow reservation,
and white men had no legal right upon those
lands. But the knowledge that the precious
metal was to be found here in abundance
caused quite a number of prospectors to come
into the Clark's Fork district, as the w'hole of
that country was then known. By 1880 there
were several score upon the ground and that
year the town came into existence.
The prospectors who were then gathered
upon the site of the present town of Cooke
were jubilant, the surface showing sufficient
to make the most skeptical go wild with the
dreams of wealth. All were in high hopes and
living in expectancy of great things for the
future. The year 1880 was an important one
in the history of the camp, for it brought about
the bonding of the Republic group of claims
to Jay Cooke, Jr., and associates, with a
promise of active operations on the claim with
untold fortunes back of the work. On the
arrival of the Jay Cooke party the hospitality
of the little company of prospectors were ex-
tended. The snow, which had been eight or
ten feet deep over the Republic group, was
shoveled away that the veins might be shown.
There were immense bodies of the argentifer-
ous ore in sight, and on the dumps were
several hundreds tons of $100 per ton ore
corded up at the entrance to the tunnels.
During the time the eastern party were in
camp a meeting of the miners was held, at
which time the name Cooke City was given
to the camp, in honor of the man who had
just in\-ested in the Republic claims. The name
was selected by a unanimous vote. Mr. Cooke
who was present at the meeting, thanked the
people for the honor and stated that he was
gratefully affected by the good will extended
to him and his party, and that his endeavors
would be for the future welfare of the camp.
The party then left with the promise to do all
in their power to have a railroad built to the
town.
Notwithstanding these events of the year
1880, there was little activity in the Clark's
Fork district until the opening of the reserva-
tion on April 11, 1882. Then miners and pros-
pectors poured into the country from all direc-
tions and the town of Cooke City began an ac-
tive growth. Aliout 135 dirt covered log
shacks were erected that summer, which was
barely enough to accommodate the people who
now called this place home. The greater part
of these left the camp for the winter, but re-
turned the following summer. In the early
part of June, 1883, a correspondent to the
Livingston Enterprise from Cooke City said
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
165
that there were then only about 75 men in the
cani]j, but that the buildings would all be oc-
cupied by their owners in about two weeks and
would have been sooner but for the deep snow,
which prevented them getting in. That there
was a large population in the camp that year
is evidenced by the fact that 227 votes were
cast there at the November election. A repre-
sentative of the Livingston Enterprise visited
the camp that year and in the issue of October
17th said of the condition of the camp at that
time :
"Cooke City, in appearance at least, is a
typical mining camp, presenting in itself and
surroundings all the rugged picturesqueness
that is associated with the description. It is
situated in a narrow gulch threaded by a swift
little mountain stream, along which lies the
street of the town with barely enough room
for the two parallels of buildings to occupy
level ground. Thence sloping up on either
side are walls of rock stored with mineral
wealth that has called the camp into existence,
and in every direction peak rises liehind peak
in an apparently maze of mountains. The
houses that comprise the town are, without ex-
ception, the dirt covered log shacks that indi-
cate the lack of building material instead of
poverty in purse and mild architectural ambi-
tion rather than indifference to comfort. * *
From being small, the present buildings are
numerous and stretch out to make a street as
long as the main street of Livingston, though
the population of the camp will not number
abo\e 200, exclusive of prospectors scattered
throughout the mountains."
In the fall of 1883 the pcojile of the camp
began to consider the matter of platting the
townsite, that title might be obtained to lots.
Under the provisions of the United States law
for the platting of a townsite upon govern-
ment land ten citizens of the town might apply
to the probate judge of the county in which
the proposed townsite was located to have the
land surveved as a townsite and sold. The
law provides for the sale of lots at ten dollars
each and limited the number that might be
purchased by any one party, the surveying and
sale of lots to be done by the probate judge.
The necessary action was taken by the citizens
of Cooke City, and early in November, S.
Deutsch, representing Probate Judge John P.
Martin, of Gallatin county, appeared on the
scene and surveyed the townsite, taking in a
little over 41 acres. While this was going on
there was indiscriminate "jumping" of town
lots, which in several cases nearly resulted in
serious trouble. The townsite as surveyed,
by Mr. Deutsch included several sites which
had been filed on by different parties for mill
sites, and the contest that arose was not set-
tled for eight years, and there was no clear
title to lots until 1891.
Before the plat was filed the cpiestion of
changing the name of the town was brought
up. A meeting was held on November 7th
for the purpose of selecting the name. Major
Geo. O. Eaton was in favor of calling it Eidel-
weiss. a German name for a flower that blos-
somed in the snow. The majority of the
miners present, however, were in favor of re-
taining the old name. They argued that Jay
Cooke was the pioneer capitalist of the camp,
and that no more fitting name than this could
be found for the town; besides the camp was
known throughout the United States as Cooke
City, and there was no good reason why con-
fusion should be courted by changing to
another name.
The townsite was recorded as Cooke,
though for many years the place retained its
former name of Cooke City, and only in recent
years has the "city" been dropped. The plat
was recorded in the office of the clerk and
recorder of Gallatin county by Probate Judge
J. P. Martin on February 8, 1884. Since that
time additions ha\-e been platted to the origi-
nal town as follows ; Vilas & Henry addition,
July 27. 1889, by Josiah C. Vilas and Frank
Henry; Republic addition, September 6, 1889,
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
by Josiah C. Vilas, Frank Henry and Edward
H. Talcott; Court addition, December 7, 1894.
The year 1884 was a prosperous one for
the httle town. Building operations were prose-
cuted vigorously during the summer, and sev-
eral new business institutions were started,
among others a bank, which began business in
the spring. The log buildings of the past gave
place to frame structures built of sawed lum-
ber. The rough and ready days were passing
away.
In 1885 the campaign for the building of
a railroad to Cooke City was begun. The dis-
trict was known to be rich in mineral ; develop-
ment work had been quite extensively carried
on; smelters had extracted the precious metal
from the ore. But the district was seriously
handicapped because of lack of railroad facil-
ities. Not only was the camp a long ways
from the nearest railroad point, but the country
was so rough that it was almost impossible to
get into and out of the place. Meetings were
held in the .fall of the year to devise means for
securing the interest of capital in the building
of a railroad. This was not hard to obtain,
and a corporation was soon formed, the object
of which was to build to the camp from Gardi-
ner. The only feasible route from that point
was through the northern part of the Yellow-
stone National Park, and congress was asked
to grant a right of way. The promoters of the
road were unsuccessful in this, and all efforts
to secure this privilege in after years resulted
in failure. Year after year, up to the early
nineties, the struggle was renewed. Every
congress during the late eighties and the early
nineties had to deal with the question of grant-
ing a right of way through a small portion of
the park for the Cooke City railroad, but that
body absolutely refused to grant such a con-
cession. The struggle was truly pitiable, Here
were a band of men, confident of the richness
of the country, struggling on year after year
to develop the mines, but working against
such odds as few mining camps have had to
contend with. The money was ready for the
building of a railroad, which would
certainly have resulted in the building of a
prosperous town, but the only means of ingress
to the town was cut off.
The effect upon Cooke City was depressing
during these years of uncertainty. Occasion-
ally when there seemed a prospect of success
the camp would take on new life. In the spring
of 1889 there was such a condition. Some
mining property changed hands and a number
of new companies were organized for the de-
velopment of mines. Town property also rose
in value, and the prosperous times that were
then prevailing over the whole country pene-
trated even to Cooke City.
The contest for the title to the townsite
was not definitely settled until in April, 1891,'
when a cash patent for the townsite was re-
ceived in the Bozeman land office in the name
of John P. Martin, who had been probate judge
when the townsite was surveyed. The title
was vested in Judge Chas. S. Hartman, as the
successor of Judge Martin, who then issued
the deeds and conducted the sale of lots for
the benefit of the Cooke school district.
During the nineties and the first few years
of the present decade there was not much activ-
ity in Cooke City or the surrounding mining
district. The camp was never deserted, how-
ever, and there was continual development of
the mines, but not on a scale the richness of
the territory warranted.
In the spring of 1905 active mining oper-
ations were resumed, and the little town again
became lively. The resumption of work on
many of the properties that had been idle for a
long time brought quite a force of men to the
camp and a recent census gave the town a pop-
ulation of 260. In the summer of 1906 the
Republic smelter started up again, and the
camp is again enjoying some of its old time
prosperity.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
[67
JARDINE.
Another of Park county's mining camps
is Jardine, situated about five miles northeast
of Gardiner, with which town it is connected
by a daily stage and mail line. A recent
census gave Jardine a population of 286. Two
gold quartz mills are located here, and the
business houses of the town consists of a gen-
eral store, hotel, barber shop and three saloons.
Jardine is one of Park county's newer
towns, dating its founding back only to the
spring of 1899. Its existence was brought
alx)ut by the operations of the Bear Gulch Min-
ing company, which was incorporated in Au-
gust, 1898. The next spring the company be-
gan mining and reducing their ores at the
camp on a large scale. Big sums of money
were spent in improvement and the new
camp gained a population of 400 or 500 al-
most at once. The place was named Jardine.
in honor of A. C. Jardine, the secretary of the
compan)'. A postoffice was established wit'.i
J. B. McCarthy as postmaster. This gentle-
man also had a general store; the other busi-
ness houses were an hotel and barl;)er shop.
Other business enterprises follov,-ed later in the
summer. A correspondent writing from the
town about the middle of October stated that
100 buildings were then in existence in the
town or in course of construction, and that the
mining company contemplated the erection of
thirty more cottages. The monthly payroll
of the company was about $20,000 during this
season. The Livingston Enterprise of Decem-
ber 30, 1899, reviewed the history of the town
during its first year of existence as follows :
"Through the brilliant management of H.
Bush and his associates, Jardine has grown in
one short year from a rude camp of huts to a
commercial center of considerable importance.
Stamp mills, stores, hotels, commodious dwell-
ings, supplied with water works, electric lights
and ail the advantages of large centers of pop-
ulation have been erected during the year. No
point in Montana, it is safe to say, has made
more rapid strides toward becoming an im-
portant mining center than has the camp at
Jardine."
Naturally the camp was not as lively in the
succeeding years as it was during the first year
of its existence, but it has always been a pros-
perous camp.
Twenty-three miles south of Livingston, on
the Park branch of the Northern Pacific rail-
road and the Yellowstone river, is the tow^n of
Fridley, or, as it is known on the railroad maps.
Emigrant station. Here, at an elevation of
4,887 feet above sea level, is the chief trad-
ing point of the Paradise valley, a town of 138
inhabitants. In the town are one general store,
hotel, lumber yard, saloon, blacksmith shop, a
school and an Episcopal church.
Emigrant station was not located on the
line of the Park branch when that road was
completed in 1883, as were most of the other
stations along that line. But in the spring of
1886 the railroad officials marked on the map
the name Emigrant station, which was at a
point two and one-half miles south of the sta-
tion called Chicory, which had failed to ma-
terialize into a town, as was expected when the
station was located. The following year the
place became generally known as Fridley, be-
ing named in honor of F. F. Fridley, and a
little town was Innlt there. It was brought
into existence because of the development of
mines in Emigrant gulch and on ^ilill creek.
Later it came to depend upon the surrounding
agricultural country.
Shields is the name of a little village in the
rich Shields valley, 25 miles north of Livings-
ton. It is on the stage line between Sedan, in
Gallatin county, and Livingston, and has daily
i68
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
mail. It takes its name from tlie river of the
same name, which was named in lionor of one
of the members of the Lewis and Clark party.
The village boasts of a general store, ho-
tel, saloon, blacksmith shop and livery stable.
CLYDEP.ARK.
Another trading point and postoffice on
the same stage line as Shields, ten miles north
of Livingston, is Clydepark. Here is a store
which supplies the wants of the people in the
neighboring farming and stockraising country.
A postoffice was established at this point in the
late eighties with John H. Harvey as postmas-
ter. In 1890 it was discontinued, but was later
reestablished. A townsite was platted at this
point April 21, 1906, by H. S. Amos.
SPRINGD.^LE.
Just within the Ijoundaries of Park county,
on the main line of the Northern Pacific rail-
road, nineteen miles northeast of Livingston,
is the postoffice. railroad station and little vil-
lage of Springdale. It is fifteen miles west cf
Big Timber and two miles southeast of Hun-
ter's Hotsprings, and is the railroad station
for the latter point, which fact is its principal
reason for being in existence. The station is
4,233 feet above sea level." It supports one
general store.
huxter's hotsprixgs.
One of the best known jwints in Montana
is Hunter's Hotsprings. the site of the famous
sanatorium. The springs and the little village
that has grown up around them are located on
the eastern boundary of the county, two miles
northwest of Springdale station. The site
is on a little plain surrounded by high moun-
tains. The springs are of hot water containing
rare medicinal qualities, and here come every
year hundreds of patients from all parts of the
country to bathe in the healing waters. A fine
sanatorium, bath houses, hotel and other build-
ings are built here for the accommodation of
the visitors.
In an earlier chapter we have told of the
discovery of these springs by Dr. A. J. Hun-
ter in 1864 and his subsequent settle-
ment at that point in the year 1870,
so we shall not deal here with this early his-
tory of the place. Suffice it to say that Dr.
Hunter believed he had found his fortune in
these hot springs of water. In 1839
he had seen the Arkansas hot springs
wth nothing but a shanty as the pio-
neer of what a few years laters became
the resort of thousands of the afflicted, and he
believed that these springs would attain like
fame. So, in February, 1870, he and his fam-
ily moved to the springs from Bozeman and
there erected a house and began the cultivatio'i
of the soil on a limited scale.
Until the near approach of the Northern
Pacific railroad in 1882 Dr. Hunter did little
except "hold down" the property. In the sum-
mer seasons his house was something of a re-
sort for the afflicted, but the Sioux Indians
were hostile the greater part of the time, and
the doctor's family had frequently to leave the
country, which fact prevented the resort from
becoming popular. In the fall of 1882 Dr.
Hunter laid the foundation for a new hotel,
and in the following year completed the
building as well as the bath houses and
other buildings. With the advent of
the railroad the springs became well known
and patronized, and their popularity has in-
creased every year since that date.
Late in the year 1885 the original locator
of the springs sold to the Montana Hot Springs
company, which had organized with a capital
stock of $150,000 and the following trustees:
Cyrus B. Mendenhall, Heber Robarts and A.
L. Love. This company made big improve-
ments in the property in 1886 and laid the
foundation for the future popularity of the
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
169
place. Among other improvements of that
year was the platting of the townsite of Men-
denhall on July 5, by the gentleman whose
name the townsite bore. No town of any im-
portance from a commercial standpoint was
ever built at Mendenhall, and the postofifice
and village has always borne the original name
of Hunter's Hotsprings. Improvements have
been made in the buildings at the springs since
these early days, and Hunter's Hotsprings are
known today throughout the length and
breadth of the United States.
The history of Cokedale is the story of a
town that was, but now is not. The site of
the town is nine miles west of Livingston, on
a spur of the Northern Pacific railroad. Here
until the spring of 1906 was the coal mining
camp of the Livingston Coke & Coal company,
a town of 200 or 300 people, the inhabitants
of which were engaged principally in coal min-
ing. The town boasted of two general stores,
five saloons and other minor business enter-
prises. With the closing of the mine and the
dismantling of the works, Cokedale went out
of existence, and only the vacant buildings now
remain of what was a prosperous mining
camp.
Cokedale came into existence in 1886,
when the Li\ingstoii Ccke & Coal ci^mipany
was organized and began the manufacture of
coke with twelve ovens in operation. This
was the first coke produced in [Montana. The
business was a profitable one. and by the year
1895, 130 ovens were in operation, and a quar-
ter million dollars was invested in the plant.
In 1887 the company built a spur to Cokedale
from a point on the Northern Pacific since
known as Coal Spur, a distance of four miles.
The first years of the camp's history were
lively ones. On June 6, 1889, the townsite was
platted by Peter O. Sandelius. WilHams" ad-
dition was platted by William H. Williams on
July 20, 1892. The postoflfice was established
in 1889 with Adam Wise postmaster. Many
substantial improvements were made by the
company, among others the enlargement of
the plant. Concerning the camp as it was at
that time the Livingston Enterprise on Decem-
ber 25, 1889, said: "Cokedale, the business
center brought into existence by the company's
works, is a thri\ing village and can boast of
two general stores, a postotifice, boarding
house, hotel, two meat markets and numerous
other business houses of less importance. Dur-
ing the past summer the company has erected
between 30 and 40 neat and commodious cot-
tages for the benefit of employes." The pop-
ulation of the town in 1890, according to the
federal census was 284.
July 31, 1895, a disastrous fire visited the
camp, destroying the company's engine house,
boiler and storage room with its contents, and
a large section of the tramway sheds. The
loss was $40,000 and was covered by only
$11,000 insurance. Because of the hard times
under which the country was laboring and,
possibly, also because of the fire, the plant was
closed down after this event, and for the first
time since the company began operations there
in 1886 the fires were withdrawn from the
coke ovens. This threw 300 or 400 men out
of employment and was the means of practi-
cally depopulating the town. The pay roll
at the time of closing down was from $15,000
to $25,000 per month.
Cokedale remained a depopulated town
until the spring of 1903, when active prepara-
tions were begun for the reopening of the mine
and the beginning of coke burning. A force
of men were employed all spring and summer
putting everything in readiness, and opera-
tions were about to be resumed that fall. But
it was not to l)e, the litigations of Augustus
Heinze affected the company operating at
Cokedale, and work was suspended. In Feb-
ruary, 1905, operations at Cokedale were re-
sumed. The coal mine was opened up and
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
the manufacture of coke was again begun, lOO
ovens being in use. Cokedale again became a
prosperous little city.
Nearly the entire business portion of the
city was wiped out by fire on the morning of
Thursday, July 6, 1905, the loss being about
$20,000, with only about $5,000 insurance.
The fire started in a residence, and within a
few minutes after the flames were discovered
they had spread to the business houses. The
Livingston fire department was sent for, but
before it arrived on the scene the town was in
ruins. The property destroyed was the gen-
eral merchandise store of Adolph Jacobs, the
building being the property of the Schlitz
Brewing company; the saloon of Antone Mle-
kush, saloon belonging to Geo. Lusine, another
saloon, the hall of the Cokedale Coal company,
one dwelling and two stables. The buildings
were immediately rebuilt.
Monday, March 12, 1906, the Cokedale
mine and coke ovens shut down, throwing
about 150 men out of work. That the shut
down was permanent was evident from the
fact that the machinery was taken from the
mine and all portable property was removed
from the. camp. This was the death knell of
Cokedale. The buildings remain to tell the
story of what the town had been, but it is
doubtful if the town will ever again be popu-
lated.
C1NN.\BAR.
On the Yellowstone branch of the North-
ern Pacific, 51 miles south of Livingston and
three miles northwest of Gardiner, is the rail-
road station of Cinnabar, until recently the ter-
minus of the Park branch railroad and for
many years one of Park county's towns. The
place takes its name from the mountain which
overlooks this point, a prominent feature of
southern Park county. The mountain was so
named from the color of its rocks, which have
been mistaken for cinnabar, although the red
color is due to iron. Cinnabar is 5,196 feet
above the level of the sea.
When work was commenced upon the Na-
tional Park branch in the spring of 1883, it
was given out that the terminus would be at
the little town of Gardiner, on the northern
boundary line of the park. It was the inten-
tion of the company to do this, and the road-
bed was graded to that point. Then came the
difficulties connected with the Gardiner town-
site and the company abandoned its original
plan to build to Gardiner. It was stated that
the road would be built to a point about three
miles from the original site selected, and,
moreover, that a town would be built at that
point. \\'hen the last rail of the Park branch
was laid on August 30 a townsite had already
been surveyed and named Cinnabar. TItjs
plat was never recorded, but lots were placed
on sale in December. The growth of Cinnabar
was not spontaneous. Although it had the
advantage of being the terminal point, the
little town of Gardiner "just across the street"
had advanced into quite a thriving little busi-
ness place, which thought that it would be a
question of only a short time when the road
would be extended and the town of Cinnabar
would go out of existence. So Gardiner con-
tinued to be the principal town of the upper
Yellowstone, and Cinnabar made slow pro-
gress. During the summer of 1884 an effort
was made to revive the drooping spirits of the
new town. Concerning this enterprise the Liv-
igiTston Enterprise on Au,gust 12th said:
"There are many rumors at Gardiner, Cin-
nabar and Mammoth Hot Springs about the
great town that is to be made of one of the
two first named hamlets — probably Cinnabar.
Overtures have been made to the people of
Gardiner to pay certain sums of money to have
upon their town conferred the advantages
that are to produce metropolitan fruit. The
weight of favor rests at present with Cinnabar,
which, according to reports, is to be resurveyed
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
(probably witb tbe object of obtaining more
front and corner lots), and it is to be endowed
with a fine depot, two or three smelters and
incidental institutions to promote its greatness.
The townsite rests under attachments to the
amount of $10,000 to $jo,ooo, but trifles like
that will probably not stand greatly in the way
of its prosperity. Just who is to start the boom
is not stated, but it is supposed to be C. T.
Hobart. To the good sense of the upper Yel-
lowstone people is due the fact that they are
not yet taking any great stock in these reports.
There will be a good town in that vicinity, but
not just yet."
The second survey of Cinnabar townsite
was made that month by Surveyor S. Deutsch
under the direction of Major Armstrong. Four
hundred and seventy acres were included with-
in the town, and the new survey made an en-
tire change in the direction of the streets and
the plan of the future town. No record of
this plat has been preserved. Notwithstand-
ing all these efforts to build a city, the town
did not make much advancement.
In the summer of 1895 another attempt
was made to bring the eyes of the world upon
this place. June 4th the Cinnabar Townsite
company was incorporated with a capital stock
of $30,000 with the following incorporators :
J. D. Finn, H. J. Hoppe and A. J. Campbell.
The objects of the company were to purchase,
improve, hold and sell real estate at and near
the town of Cinnabar, to construct a bridge
across the Yellowstone at that point, and to
put in an electric lighting plant there. A new
townsite was platted and recorded by this com-
pany June 20th. Some improvements were
accomplished by these men in the little town,
among others the building of a new depot.
The extension of the road to Gardiner in
the spring of igo2 was the death blow to the
town of Cinnabar. What business houses
there were closed up and the postoffice was
discontinued. Cinnabar now occupies a place
on the map only because of the fact that it is
a station of the Northern Pacific railroad
the Park branch.
Chico is a postoffice and small hamlet on
the east side of Yellowstone river, four and
one-half miles from Fridley and 27 miles south
of Livingston. It has a daily mail by stage to
Fridley. Chico came into existence at a very
early day, superseding the old mining town of
Yellowstone City. One mile from the Chico
postoffice is the health resort of Chico Warm
Springs, which is the property of Wm. E.
Knowles. The springs have become quite fa-
mous locally, and the place is frequented dur-
ing the summer months by many patients.
Following is the analysis of the solid con-
tents of the water, as given by Prof. F. W.
Clark, chief chemist United States General
Survev :
Solid Contents Parts in 100.000
Calcium carbonate 8.65
Magnesium carbonate 2.6g
Sodunn carbonate 2 . 74
Sodium sulphate 4-^7
Potassium chloride 83
Sodium 'chloride 58
Silicia 3.17
Total 23.53
Twenty miles up the Yellowstone Park
branch from Livingston is a station called
Chicory. Should a passenger alight there he
would find a water tank and a section house.
This is all that remains of w'hat was to have
been a great city.
Chicory dates its existence from the sum-
mer of 1883. When the Park branch was
building up the Yellowstone river that year
it was announced that there would be two
towns built on the line — one at Cinnabar and
one at Chicory. It is a strange coincidence that
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
both these towns are now merely uninhabited
stations of the railroad, while several other
places not then on the map have grown into
prosperous towns. Jas. Kreppner owned a
quarter section of land where Chicory station
now stands, and they do say that it was good
farming land, but the town laiilding craze
held the west in its grip at that time, and much
good agricultural soil was given up to the
building of towns that never materalized. I\Ir.
Kreppner sold interests in his farm to Drew
B. Allen, a well known Livingston real estate
man, and M. G. Grant, a Northern Pacific en-
gineer. These three gentlemen then proceeded
to lay out a town and place the same on the
market. The following copy of an advertise-
ment which Allen Bros., who were the agents
for the townsite, inserted in the Livingston
Enterprise of March 22, 1883, will explain the
standing of Chicory as viewed by the proprie-
tors of the townsite :
Qiicory, Gallatin county, Montana, is situated on
the Northern Pacific railroad 28 miles from Livingston
and about the same distance from the National Park.
At this point the Northern Pacific Railroad Company is
building a depot, section house, water tank, etc., and
many other substantial improvements are going on.
The town is endorsed by the railroad company, who
own a one-half interest in the same, and will do all in
their power to further its interests. The lands lying
north and south are exceedingly fertile, and west cattle
ranches are numerous; east are the celebrated Mill
creek. Emigrant gulch and Six Mile mining districts,
and in the place itself thrift, energy and intelligence are
to be found among its citizens. The Villard Mining
company's claims adjoin the town on the east. The
gold and silver bearing quartz mines in Emigrant gulch
are very rich, as are the placer mines. Coal mines
within one mile of the town are being vigorously
worked, and iron, lime and sandstone abound. Before
the town was platted lumber was on the ground for a
number of buildings, and before the town was entirely
surveyed buildings were in course of constrm:tion.
The town is young yet, and thereby affords opportuni-
ties for securing lots at low figures, and we feel con-
fident that the constant and increasing demand for the
same will advance prices from 25 to 50 per cent within
a short time. Full particulars, prices and plats will be
furnished upon application to Allen Bros.
But such flattering descriptions of the
town-to-be did not build a city, and Chicory
died before it awoke to a realization of its
birth. The failure to bring about the building
of a city at this point is only one instance of
the miscarriage of the plans of those who came
west to develop the country and at the same
time make their own fortunes.
Muir is the name of a postoffice and rail-
road station on the main line of the Northern
Pacific at the eastern entrance to Muir or Boze-
nian tunnel, twelve miles west of Livingston.
The site of this place is historic ground.
Here for countless ages before white men came
to the country the Lidians of the Columbia
river country were wont to cross the Belt
range of mountains on their bufifalo hunting
trips to the plains of eastern Montana. Later,
in 1806, Captain William Clark came over the
pass, located here, on his way to the east.
Then, when the emigration to Montana set 11
in the sixties, the pilgrims crossed the moun-
tains at this point, and the pass became known
as Bozeman pass, named in honor of the man
who piloted the first wagon train over this
route. Nearly two decades after this event it
was the site of a flourishing town known as
Muir City, one of the first of Park county
towns.
On the loth day of November. 1881, E. H.
Beckler, engineer in charge. of the locating
party on the railroad survey over Bozeman
pass, pitched his tent where the town of Muir
City was afterwards built, and near the present
site of Muir station. Mr. Becker immediately
began the erection of a shack for permanent
quarters and became the builder of the first
residence in Muir City. Work upon the ap-
proaches to the tunnel was Ijegun at that time
and the next spring the the work of digging a
hole 2.600 feet long through the mountain was
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
1/3
put under way. There was quite a large force
of men at work upon the tunnel for the next
two years, and it was but natural that a town
would spring up at this point. The town was
builded a little distance from the tunnel's
mouth and on the east side of Billman creek.
It was named Muir City in honor of James
Muir, the contractor w'ho pierced the mountain
for the tunnel. The town was supported by
the immense work which ga\'e it existence, and
until the tunnel was completed early in the year
1884 the little tunnel city was indeed a flour-
ishing one. There was nothing to support a
town at this point except the work, and when
the workmen went away the town was aban-
doned, and buildings were left vacant. A lire
on January 24, 1884, destroyed a number of
these, and some were removed to other locali-
ties. Muir is one of the highest points on the
Northern Pacific railroad, being 5,516 feet
above sea level.
OTHER PL.\CES.
Besides the places named are a number of
country postoffices in different parts of the
county. Rockcreek is a postofifice twenty-four
miles north of Livingston, which is supplieil
with a daily mail. There is also a M. E.
church at that point. Meyersburg is thirty-
four miles northwest of Livingston and is on
the stage line between Sedan and Livingston.
On the extreme northern edge of Park county,
forty-five miles northof Livingston, is the post-
office of Lat, with a tri-weekly mail from Mey-
ersburg. Ten miles east of the county seat is
the country postoffice of Bruffeys. In the
Boulder mining district, just west of the line
that separates Sweet Grass and Park counties,
is the postoffice and little mining hamlet of
Contact. This point is thirty miles southeast
of Livingston and the same distance southwest
of Big Timber, from which point it is supplied
tri-weekly with mail. Pinecreek is a postof-
fice on the east side of the Yellowstone river.
thirteen miles south of Livingston, from which
point it is supplied with mail three times a
week. A Methodist church is located at Pine-
creek. Chimneyrock is a postoffice and coal
mining camp eighteen miles southwest of Liv-
ingston. It has a daily mail and stage. Fifty
miles southwest of Livingston and Jive miles
from the railroad is the postoffice of Miner,
with a tri-weekly mail.
There are also a number of railroad sta-
tions which have not been mentioned. Brisben
is on the Park branch ten miles south of
Livingston and has an elevation of 4,716 feet
above sea level. It was established in July,
1883. A telegraph office was put in at that
time with G. T. Noblitt in charge. Trail
Creek, 4,747 feet above sea level, is a station
on the Park branch fourteen miles south of
Livingston. ' Daileys is another station on the
Park branch, thirty miles southwest of Liv-
ingston and 4,941 feet above sea level. It
was established in July, 1883. Another sta-
tion on the Park branch is Sphinx (elevation
5,103 feet), forty miles above Livingston.
Muhlerin station was located at a point forty-
five miles above Livingston on the Park branch
in the fall of 1886. Five miles west of Li\-
ingston is Coal Spur station, from which point
is built the spur to Cokedale. Nine miles west
of Livingston on the main line of the North-
ern Pacific is Hoppers station. Mission is ii
station on the main line seven miles east of
Livingston. There was formerly a postoffice
at this point. Elton is thirteen miles east of
Livingston and six miles west of Springdale.
There are other points in the county which
at one time or another arose to the dignity of
bearing a name because of being the site of
postoffices or for other reasons. Maxwell was
once the name of a Park county postoffice six-
ty-five miles from the county seat. Hoffman
postoffice was established in April, 1900, on
Trail creek, twenty miles southwest of Living-
ston and fifteen miles southeast of Bozeman.
The postoffice has been discontinued. Hicks
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
is the name of a discontinued postoffice that
was located thirty miles southeast of Living-
ton. Crevasse was a community of miners at
a point twelve miles east of Gardiner. It was
settled in 1880. Cowles is a recently discon-
tinued postoffice fifty-four miles southeast of
Livingston. Cleora postoffice was established
in July, 1 89 1, at the Potter ranch on the
Shields river divide, with W. E. Potter as
postmaster. It has been discontinued. Bryan
was once a postoffice twelve miles north of
Livingston.
CHAPTER V
POLITICAL.
Until the twenty-third day of February,
1887, when Governor Preston H. Leslie signed
the bill creating Park county, that portion of
Montana now known as Park county, together
with the greater part of the present Sweet
Grass county and a portion of what is now
Carbon county, was a part of Gallatin county.
So prior to that date the political history of
Park county was merged with that of the
mother county. Before the building of the
Northern Pacific railroad through this portion
of Montana territory late in the year 1882
there were only a few permanent residents in
that part of Gallatin county east of the Belt
range of mountains, which later became the
dividing line between Park and Gallatin coun-
ties, and those engaged principally in pros-
pecting and mining. Consequently the fu-
ture Park county had up to that time taken
no part in the political history making of Mon-
tana territory.
With the building of the railroad, however,
a big change came about. Early in 1883 the
city of Livingston came into existence and in
a few short months was a prosperous city. The
Yellowstone Park branch of the Northern Pa-
cific was built the same year and other towns
came into being. People flocked into the upper
Yellowstone valley and engaged in mining,
stock raising, farming and other pursuits.
Thereafter until Park county was erected, the
people east of the Belt range took a prominent
part in the political history of Gallatin county.
In a former chapter we have told of the sev-
eral attempts to bring about the formation of
a new county and its final accomplishment in
1887. Therefore we shall not now review this
history, but shall proceed at once to the story
of the ballots from the time Park county be-
came a separate political division early in the
year 1887.
The enabling act provided that the follow-
ing officers should serve the new county until
the officers elected at the general election in
November, 1888, should have qualified: O.
P. Templeton, sheriff, salary $2,000; F. W.
Wright, treasurer, salary, $2,000; Elsberry
Martin, clerk and recorder, salary, $2,000 ; M.
D. Kelly, probate judge, salary, $1,200; John
H. Holliday, assessor, salary, $1,800; Benja-
min F. Myers, Geo. M. Hatch and Geo. H.
Carver, county commissioners; J. H. Elder,
county attorney, fees and salary of $400 ; Net-
tie Ballinger, superintendent of schools, sal-
ary, $880; S. M. Moore, surveyor; T. K. Lee,
public administrator ; Dr. H. Robarts, coroner.
The majority of these were Republicans, but
we find amonar them at least four members of
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
175
the opposite political faith, namely, Elsberry
Martin, Benjamin F. Myers, M. D. Kelly and
J. H. Elder.
The board of county commissioners met at
Livingston May 2, 1887, and Park county be-
gan life as a separate political division. There
were se\-eral changes in the personnel of the
county officials before the election of 1888.
May 3, 1887, J. H. Elder, the county attorney,
resigned liecause he was not eligible, being at
the time receiver for a national bank and there-
fore a federal office holder. John A. Savage
was appointed by the county commissioners
on that date to the office. Mr. Savage also
resigned on October 13, 1888, when Allan R.
Joy was named and filled the unexpired term.
E. B. Martin resigned the ofiice of county clerk
and recorder January i, 1888, and David P.
Van Home served out the term. Another
change was made June 6, 1888, when Sig-
mund Deutsch was appointed county surveyor.
At the second day's session of the board of
county commissioners held on May 3, 1887,
the following minor officers w-ere appointed :
John Ellison, road supervisor for Big Tim-
ber; A. J. Kenney, road supervisor for Shields
River : Frank Beller, constable for Red Lodge
precinct : William H. Redfield, justice of the
peace for Livingston precinct to fill a vacancy
caused by the resignation of M. D. Kelly to
accept a position as a county officer; John A.
Ennis, under sheriff; Samuel Jackson, deputy
sheriff for Gardiner and Cooke.
The campaign of 1888 was the first one in
which the people of the new county took part
as a county, and there was much speculation
as to the political complexion of the new di-
vision. The conventions were held at Livings-
ton. The first one was held on Saturday, Sep-
tember 8, when the Democrats gathered to se-
lect delegates to the territorial convention at
Butte. J. H. Elder presided over this conven-
tion and O. M. Hatch was secretary. The
delegates named were B. F. Myers, J. A. Sav-
age, John Stuff, H. Bliss, W. D. Cameron,
Morris Roth, D. P. VanHorne, A. H. Delone
and Alva Mayne. The delegates, who were
also to represent Park county in the district
convention were instructed to support William
T. Field for joint councilman for the counties
of Park and Fergus. September 15 the Dem-
ocrats again met at Livingston and named a
full county ticket for the coming election. This
convention was presided over by Benjamin F.
Myers and O. M. Hatch was secretary. The
Republicans met at Livingston on September
12, when delegates to the territorial conven-
tion were selected and a county ticket named.
Major Geo. O. Eaton was president of the
convention and S. L. Wallace was secretary.
The following delegates to the territorial con-
vention were chosen : C. H. Stebbins, W. E.
Thompson, C. A. Burg, A. R. Joy and Geo.
H. Hatch. Alternates were E. Goughnour,
A. W. Miles, F. D. Pease, Geo. H. Wright
and H. O. Hickox.
For the first election the county commis-
sioners, at a meeting held on September 4,
1888, named the election precincts, polling
places and judges of election.
This initial election occurred on the sixth
day of November, 1888, and showed the
county to be Republican, that party carrying
the county for delegates to congress and joint
councilman and electing its representative. On
the county ticket, however, the Democrats
were successful in electing four officers — one
commissioner, clerk and recorder, assessor and
superintendent of schools. There were 1,744
votes cast for the head of the ticket — delegate
to congress. Following is the official vote :
Delegate to Congress — Thos. H. Carter,
rep., 1,067: Wm. A. Clark, dem., 677.
Councilman (joint with Fergus) — Geo. M.
Hatch, rep., 877; Wm. Field, dem., 838.
Representative — Geo. H. Carver, rep.,
1,126; Geo. J. Allen, dem., 573.
Commissioners — W. M. Wright, rep.,
1,040; H. J. Hoppe, rep., 1,012: H. O.
Hickox, rep., 882; B. F. Myers, dem., 884;
176
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
M. Roth, dem., 437; W. H. Lee, dem., 818.
County Attorney — Allen R. Joy, rep.,
1,204.
Sheriff— O. R. Templeton, rep., 1,252:
John Lenihan, dem.. 445.
Treasurer — F. W. Wright, rep., 1,201; J.
A. Lovely, dem., 517.
Clerk and Recorder — \V. V. Grannis, rep.,
656; D. P. VanHorne, dem., 1.059.
Assessor — O. Emmons, rep., 844; T. P.
McDonald, dem., 872.
Probate Judge — John Clifford, rep., 995;
^L D. Kelly, dem., 720.
Public Administrator— T. S. Carter, rep.,
1,155.
Coroner— Dr. W. T. Collins, rep., 1,165.
Superintendent of Schools — Miss Brunette
Ballinger, rep., 761 ; Mrs. Eva Hunter, dem..
955- ^ ^
Surveyor— S. Deutsch, rep., 1,805; H. S.
Potts, dem., 629.
County sea.t — Livingston, 1,382; Spring-
dale, 274; Big Timber, 35.
George M. Hatch, who as shown abo\e
carried Park county, was successful in the dis-
trict and was elected, serving as Park county's
first councilman. H. O. Hickox, who was only
two votes behind the successful Democratic
candidate for county commissioner, started a
contest for the office, alleging fradulent vot-
ing in the Springfield precinct, but dropped the
matter before the case came to trial. The only
change in officers before the next election oc-
curred September 5, 1889, when W. T. Collins
resigned the office of coroner and W. H. Red-
field was appointed by the county commis-
sioners.
The next election in Park county took place
on May 14, 1889, at which time delegates to
the constitutional convention were elected for
the purpose of framing a constitution for the
new state. Park county constituted one elec-
tion district and was entitled to send three dele-
gates. Under the law not more than two of
the delegates ifrom each district should be
members of the same political party. There-
fore each of the two parties placed two candi-
dates in the field. The Republicans nominated
for this honor Geo. O. Eaton and Allan R.
Joy ; the Democrats placed two of their strong-
est men in the field in the persons of B. F
Myers and W. T. Field. The Republicans
were successful in electing the odd man. The
vote was :
Geo. O. Eaton, rep., "^22; Allan R. Joy,
rep., 548; B. F. Myers, dem., 487: W." T.
Field, dem., 545.
After the constitution had been prepared a
special election was called for October i, 1889,
to ratify or reject the same, and to select state
and county officers providing the constitution
should be adopted. For the office of governor
there were 1,950 votes cast, a gain in the
county of over 200 in less than a year. For
the constitution Park county registered 584
votes, while only 30 were cast against it. The
first state election showed the county to be
strongly Republican, that party carrying the
county for congressman and the whole state
ticket by substantial majorities and electing
even,' member of the county ticket except
superintendent of schools and coroner. The
vote :
Congressman — Thos. H. Carter, rep.,
1,132; Martin Maginnis, dem.. 802.
Governor — Thos. C. Power, rep., 1,064;
Jos. K. Toole, dem., 886.
State Senator — Jas. E. Thompson, rep.,
1,033; William T. Field, dem., 878.
Representatives — Chas. H. Eaton, rep.,
1.056; Chas. H. Stebbins, rep., 978; Ozias M.
Hatch, dem.. 702; Benj. F. Myers, dem., 878.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — Frank
Henrv, rep., i,iii; ]\Ioses J. Liddell, dem.,
Clerk District Court — Orlando Emmons
rep., 935 ; James A. Bailey, dem., 931.
Commissioners — Hugo J. Hoppe, rep.,
923; Geo. T. Lamport, rep., 1,022; Wm. M.
Wright, rep., 1,031; Wm. H. Bullard, dem..
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
177
851; James Connell, dem., 781; Alva Mayne,
dem., 806.
County Attorney — Allan R. Joy, rep.,
1,035; Martin D. Kelly, dem, 857.
Clerk and Recorder — Sigmund Deutsch,
rep., 989; David P. Van Home, dem., 905.
Sheriff — Oliver P. Templeton. rep., 1,275;
Geo. W. McCauly, dem., 639.
Treasurer — F. ^\^ Wright, rep., i„20i ;
\Vm. H. Lee, dem., 692.
Assessor — John Clifford, rep., 960; Thos.
P. McDonald, dem., 943.
Public Administrator — Thos. S. Carter,
rep., 1.076; Jos. E. Swindlehurst, dem., 813.
Coroner — \Vm. A. Moore, dem., elected.
Superintendent of Schools — Mary L.
Blake, rep., 880; Eva M. Hunter, dem., 1,013.
Surveyor — Chas. Tappan, rep., 1,066;
Geo. P. Urner, dem., 781.
At the general election held November 4,
1890, the only candidates voted for in Park
county were for congressman, and as a result
a light vote was polled. The total was 1.443,
a falling off of nearly 500 since the election of
the previous year. The official vote :
Congressman — Thos. H. Carter, rep.,
829; Wm. W. Dixon, dem., 590; Andrew I.
Corbly, pro., 19; Wm. T. Field, lab., 8.
The Democrats made an excellent showing
at the 1892 election and elected nearly half of
their candidates on the county ticket. The
election was close on all offices. The Repub-
licans carried the county for president by a
plurality of 144, congressman by 92 and gov-
ernor by 135, out of a total vote of 2,396 — a
vote larger by over 400 than any before cast in
the county. The Republicans elected senator,
one representative*, two commissioners, clerk
and recorder, county attorney, public admin-
istrator, surveyor and coroner. The Demo-
crats elected one representative, clerk district
court, assessor, sheriff, treasurer, school super-
intendent and one commissioner. The official
vote :
Presidential Electors — Republican, 1,192;
Democratic, 1,048; Peoples party, 123; Pro-
hibition, 33.
Congressman — C. S. Hartman, rep.,
1,136; W. W. Dixon, dem.. 1,044; C. Ed-
wards, pp., 122; Benj. Atkins, pro., 36.
Governor — John E. Rickards, rep., 1,159;
T. E. Collins, dem., 1,024; Wm. Kennedy, pp.,
136; J. M. Waters, pro., 40.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — Frank
Henr}-, rep., 1,708.
State Senator — Geo. M. Hatch, rep.,
1,191 ; J. M. Fox, dem., 1,142.
Representatives — \\'. F. ]\Ieyer, rep., 985 ;
Paul L. A'anCleve, rep.. 1.159; J. R. Hathorn,
dem., 963; Thos. S. Ash, dem., 1,308.
Clerk District Court — Alvin P. Vinnedge,
rep., 1,058; Jas. A. Bailey, dem., 1,328.
Sheriff — Samuel Jackson, rep., 1,161;
John M. Conrow, dem., 1,245.
Clerk and Recorder — Chas. Angus, rep.,
1,419; Wm. T. Field, deiii., 942.
Treasurer — John Harvey, rep., 1,122;
Harry Dyer, dem., 1,248.
Assessor — O. E. Lamphear, rep., 1,054;
Thos. P. McDonald, dem., 1.334;
County Attornev — Hugh J. Miller, rep.,
1,585-
Superintendent of Schools — ]Mathew R.
Wilson, rep., 1,141; Josie B. Duke, dem.,
1,232.
Public Administrator — Americus A. Rich,
rep., 1,193; Jol'"'' Caldwell, dem., 1,172.
Surveyor — A. G. Alexander, rep., 1,692.
Coroner — W. L. Shawk, rep., 1,294; A.
F. Leopold, dem., 1,018.
Commissioners — Geo. T. Chambers, rep.,
1,457; John E. Gustin, rep., 1,298; H. C. Pro-
vince, rep., 925; Harvey Bliss, dem., 1,049;
Maurice Roth, dem., 1.307; Chas. Turley,
dem., 845.
Location State Capital — Anaconda, 253 J
Boulder, 5; Bozeman, 1,348; Butte, 108; Deer
Lodge, 2 ; Great Falls, 38 ; Helena, 678.
After this election a contest was promised
for the office of treasurer. Harry Dyer, dem..
178
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
was elected over his Republican rival, John
Harvey, but at the time of the election he was
not a citizen of the United States, although
he had lived here for 19 years. On November
26th, after the election, he perfected his citi-
zenship in district court, and, although steps
were taken to contest the election, he was in-
ducted into ofifice on March 6, 1893.
Before the officers elected at the November
election of 1892 had taken office there had
been two changes owing to resignations. F.
W. Wright on December 8, 1892, resigned the
office of county treasurer to accept the office
of state treasurer and W. L. P. INIcCaw was
appointed to serve until Mr. Dyer was sworn
in. On :\Iarch 6, 1893, Wm. M. Wright re-
signed as county commissioner and Maurice
Roth was appointed to fill the unexpired term.
The election of 1892 had given the Demo-
crats considerable encouragment, but their
hopes were sent glimmering when the returns
from the election of November 6, 1894, came
in. They showed the election of every Repub-
lican on the ticket. This change in the senti-
ment was due largely to the prevailing "hard
times"' and the fact that a Democrat occupied
the white house. There was a slight falling
off in the vpte from that of two years before.
The Peoples party entered the field this year
and had almost a complete ticket in the field.
Its candidates polled from 178 to 547 votes in
Park county. Fusion was effected between the
Democrats and Peoples party for the office of
clerk and recorder, but the combined strength
was not sufficient to elect their candidate. One
of the greatest contests was for the permanent
location of the state capitol, and Park county
declared its preference for Helena over Ana-
conda. The vote:
Congressman — Hal. S. Corbett. dem., 409:
Chas. S. Hartman, rep., 1,276; Benj. F. Mai-
den, pro., 21 : Robert B. Smith, pp.. 547.
Location Capital — Helena, io49'. Ana-
conda, 767.
Representatives — L. Becker, pp., 340; \V.
F. Collins, rep., 986; E. C. Day, dem., 721;
H. P. De Hart, dem., 593 ; G. F. Hudson, pp.,
274; A. R. Joy, rep., 1,275; Robt. B. Kelley,
pp., 510; W. F. Meyer, rep., 1,055; J. T.
Smhh, dem., 759.
Clerk and Recorder — Chas. Angus, rep ,
1,204; R- F- Dougherty, dem. and pp., 1,055;
Sherriff— J. M. Conrow, dem., 890; R. C.
Griffith, pp., 199; Geo. T. Young, rep., 1,222;
Treasurer— H. W. Dyer, dem., 989; A. B.
Hicks, pp., 263; S. L. Holliday, rep., i.oio.
County Attorney — Sidney Fox, dem.,
1,015: AI. D. Kelly, pp., 178; W. H. Poor-
man, rep., 1,092.
Assessor — Z. H. Daniels, rep., 917; J. H.
Martin, dem., 835; A. A. Richards, pp., 525.
Superintendent of Schools — Josie B.
Duke, dem., 942; A. McAnnelly, rep., 1,322.
Public Administrator — J. J. Berkey, rep.,
io97-
Coroner — A. F. Leopold, dem., 659; W.
L. Shawk, rep., 1,443.
Sur\-eyor — A. G. Alexander, rep., 1,648.
The memorable campaign of 1896, when
the free silver sentiment was sweeping the state
of Montana, found Park county in the throes
of an exciting contest. Since the last election
Park county had lost a large part of its terri-
tory in the formation of Sweet Grass and Car-
bon counties and the vote was consequently
greatly reduced, 1.591 being the total vote
cast. William Jennings Bryan carried the
county over \\'illiam ]^IcKinley for president
by the handsome vote of 1,252 to 328. The
fusion candidates for congressman and gov-
ernor carried the county by slightly smaller
majorities. The fusion state ticket, aside from
governor, was generally successful in the
county, although the vote was very close. A
fusion was affected between the Democrats
and Peoples parties on county officers and that
combination elected senator, two representa-
tives, two county commissioners, clerk district
court, treasurer and superintendent of schools.
The republicans elected one commissioner.
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
[79
county attorney, clerk and recorder, sheriff,
assessor, public administrator and coroner.
The vote on the county ticket was close for
nearly all the offices and the campaign was an
exciting and spectacular one. The official vote :
Presidential electors — Republican, 328;
Democratic, 1,252; Prohibition, 11.
Congressman — O. F. Goddard, rep., 265 ;
Chas. S. Hartman, dem., 1,126.
Governor — Alexander C. Botkin, rep., 5 12;
Robert B. Smith, fus., 1.029.
Judge Si.xth Judicial District — Frank
Henry, rep., 1,108.
Senator — John R. King, rep., 661 ; W. H.
Campbell, fus., 868.
Representatives — Walter F. Jellison, rep.,
719; John C. West, rep., 572; Geo. A. Bruft'ey,
fus., 836; Albert J. Campbell, fus., 728.
Clerk District Court — James A. Bailey,
fus., 844; Geo. A. ]\Iueller, rep., 685.
Commissioners — Robt. Kelly, fus., 807;
Napoleon Ebert, fus., 826; William A. Hall,
fus., 725; Louis Van Dyke, rep., 754; John E.
Gustine, rep., 717; John F. Locke, rep., 658.
County Attorney — John T. Smith, I'us.,
740; W. H. Poorman, rep., 836.
Clerk and Recorder — James N. Sample,
fus., 747; Thos. H. Smith, rep.. 768.
Sheriff — Norval J. Malin, fus., 661 ; Geo.
T. Young, rep., 943.
Treasurer — Alexander Livingston, fus.,
1,023; Samuel L. Holliday, rep., 544.
Assessor — Wilbur J. Williams, fus., 701 ;
Zadok H. Daniels, rep., 850.
Public Administrator — Edward M. Sybert,
fus., 715; James J. Berky, rep., 716.
Coroner — A. F. Leoix)ld, fus., 708; W. L.
Shawk, rep., /^2.
Superintendent of Schools — Annie ^Ic-
Dermott, fus., 792; Annie ]\IcAhelIy, rep.. 788.
Surveyor — S. H. Crookes, rep., 837.
Dr. W. H. Campbell was appointed coroner
on July 6, 1898. to fill the unexpired term.
Fourteen hunflred and twenty-two votes
were cast at the general election November 8,
1898. If anything, this election w'as more inter-
esting than the one of two years before. Four
county tickets were in the field — Republican,
Democratic, Peoples party and Silver Republi-
can. For some of the offices each of these four
parties had candidates in the field, while for
others the same candidate would be represented
on two or more tickets. The Silver Republi-
can and Peoples party candidate for congress
carried the county, while the Democratic can-
didates for the other two offices on the state
ticket went out of the county with pluralities.
The Democratic and Silver Republican candi-
dates for representatives were elected. On the
countv ticket the Republicans elected clerk and
recorder, assessor and surveyor; the Demo-
crats treasurer and public administrator; the
Silver Republicans county attorney, sheriff,
coroner and superintendent of schools. The
official vote :
Congressman — A. J. Campbell, dem.. 444;
T. S. Hogan, sil. rep. and pp.. 596 ; T. C.
Marshall, rep., 382.
Representatives — J. M. Conrow, dem. and
sil. rep., 812; T. j\[. Swindlehurst, sil. rep. and
dem., 770; G. S. Robinson, rep., 446; C. W.
Savage, rep., 293; J. J. JMartin, Jr., pp., 184;
C. H. Pennicott, pp., 116.
County Attorney — J. A. Savage, dem.,
375; H. J. ^liller, sil'. rep., 648: M. R. Wilson,
rep., 371.
Clerk and Recorder — Da\id Boerum, dem.,
386; T. H. Smith, sil. rep., 425: Chas. Angus,
rep., 468: Ralph Downing, pp., jt,.
Sheriff — F. Beller, dem., 539; Geo. T.
Young, sil. rep., 607: Wm. Gallagher, rep.,
286; James Baker, pp., 35.
Treasurer — Ale.x. Livingston, dem.,
1,089: Geo. T. Chambers, rep., 248.
Assessor — IM. M. Coleman, dem.. 395 ; W.
H. North, sil. rep., 36S: Z. H. Daniels, rep.,
4S3 ; R. D. Kennedy, pp., 169.
Public Administrator — Ed. Cameron,
dem., 440: Herman Kahle, sil. rep.. 389: C. R.
Glidden, rep., 312: Wm. Jones, pp., 109.
i8o
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
Coroner — Joseph Stanley, dem., ^2b: S.
E. Leard, sil. rep., 518; G. R. Wells, rep.,
422.
Superintendent of Schools — Anna ]Mc-
Dermott, dem., 564; Alma E. Evans, sil. rep.,
809.
Surveyor — Geo. E. Reed, dem., 473: J. F.
Sohl, sil. rep., 358; S. H. Crookes, rep., 511.
During the terms of olifice of the officials
elected at the 1898 election there were several
changes. Sheriff Young was murdered No-
vember 9, 1900, and Under Sheriff Frank
Beller was appointed to till the unexpired term.
L. H. VanDyck resigned the office of county
commissioner March 29, 1901, and Albert
Trager, who had been elected in 1900 was ap-
pointed to serve until his term of office should
begin. Commissioner R. B. Kelly resigned
July 15, 1901, and M. H. Lashorn was named
by the judge of the district court to fill the
term.
While the elections of 1896 and 1898 had
been extremely nerve racking, beyond a doubt
the most exciting election ever held in Park
county was that of Novemter 6. 1900. So
close was the vote on national issues that
there were only a few votes between the ]Mc-
Kinley and Bryan electors. In fact, if the
election of president had been left to Park
county, two presidential electors would have
cast their votes for McKinley and one for
Bryan. The Republican candidate for con-
gressman carried the county by a small plu-
ralitv, the Democratic candidate for governor
by a fair plurality, while the Republicans car-
ried the county for the rest of the state ticket
by a narrow margin. There were six tickets
in the field for county offices — Democratic, Re-
publican, Independent Democratic, Peoples
party. Labor party and Silver Republicans.
The tickets put forth by these several parties.
in many instances, contained the names of sev-
eral candidates on other tickets. In one in-
stance— H. T- Miller for county attorney — the
candidate was 'endorsed by no less than five
parties. This fusion was prevalent in all the
parties except the Republican. There were
1,886 votes cast for president at this election.
The Republicans elected their candidates for
treasurer, assessor, clerk and recorder, clerk dis-
trict court, two commissioners, coroner and
surveyor. The fusion parties elected two repre-
sentatives, sheriff, superintendent of schools,
one commissioner, public administrator and
C(junty attorney. The reason for the
mixup in political parties at this elec-
tion was due to splits in both the old
parties. The straight Republican ticket
was supported by those who were in sym-
pathy with the national administration as re-
garded the money question ; the Silver Republi-
can ticket was put in the field by those who te-
lieved in the free coinage of silver ; the regular
Democratic ticket was supported by the W. A.
Clark wing of the Democratic party; that la-
beled Independent Democratic was put up by
the Daly faction of the Democratic party; the
Peoples party still refused burial ; and the La-
bor party represented the many wage earners
of Park county. The battle of the ballots re-
sulted as follo\\ s :
Presidential Electors — Lester S. Wilson,
rep., 903; Harry C. Kessler, rep., 892; Paul
McCormick, rep., 898; William W. Morris,
dem., 900: Daniel G. 0"Shea, dem., 871;
Oliver Leiser, dem.. 882; Walter N. Holden.
soc. dem.. 59: John Frank Mahie, soc. dem.,
61; Jas. G. Hoar, soc. dem., 58; Thomas P.
Street, pro., 20: Wilder Nutting, pro., 22; J.
N. Bennett, pro. 22.
Congressman — Samuel G. Murray, rep.,
822: Caldwell Edwards, dem., 750; Cornelius
F. Kelley, ind. dem., 129; Martin J. Elliott,
soc. dem.. 56.
Governor^^avid E. Folsom, rep., 786;
Joseph K, Toole, dem., 907: Thos. S. Hogan,
ind. dem., 137; Julius F. Fox, soc. dem.. 40.
Judge Sixth District — \\'. H. Poorman.
rep., 1.022; Frank Henry, dem., ind. dem., pp..
lab., 800.
HISTORY OF PARK COUXTV.
i8j
State Senator — William E. Thompson,
rep., 760; John ^I. Conrow, dem., sil. rep.,
pp., lab., 990; Robt. B. Kelley, ind. dem.. 105.
Representatives — A. P. Stark, rep., 714;
Geo. H. Phelps, rep., 691 ; Mentor Wetzstein,
sil. rep., ind. dem., pp., 407; Robt. Orr, sil.
rep., ind. dem., 180: Benj. F. .Myers, intl. dem.,
lab., dem., 7^,2 \ Thos. M. Swindlehurst, ind.
dem.. lab., dem., 790: J. E. Ferte. pp. 28.
Treasurer — Geo. T. Chambers, rep., 638;
Geo. T. Young, sil. rep., ind. dem.. 543; Maur-
ice Roth, dem., lab., 464: John E. Gustine. pp.,
ind., 221.
Sheriff — A. S. Robertson, rep., 892;
Frank Beley dem., ind. dem., pp., lab., 983.
Assessor — Zadok H. Daniels, rep., 939;
James H. Proffitt, dem, ind. dem., pp., lab.,
882.
Clerk and Recorder — Chas. Angus, rep.,
914: James C. Robinson, dem., ind. dem., pp ,
lab., 896.
Clerk District Court — Arthur C. Davis. Jr.,
rep., 987; James A. Bailey, dem., ind. dem.,
lab.. 849: C. J. Grass, pp., 12.
Attorney — Mathew R. \\'ilson, rep., 983:
Hug-h J. Miller, dem., sil. rep., ind. dem., pp ,
lab., 968.
Superintendent of Schools — L. D. Glenn,
rep.. yzT^: Mrs. Nora CoI\-in, dem., ind. dem..
lab., I.I 1 1.
Commissioners — F. A. Krieger, rep., 804;
Al. Trager, rep., 818: Frank Gibson, rep., 776;
John F. Locke, sil. rep., ind. dem., 424: J. C.
McCartney, sil. rep., ind. dem.. 150: E. C.
Culley, sil. rep., 157: Xapoleon Ebert. dem.,
lab., 799: Samuel O. X. C. Brady, dem., lab..
619; Thos. Kane, dem., lab., 488; William
Jones, ind.. dem.. pp., 256: John Gilchrist, pp..
26.
Coroner — Dr. S. E. Leard, rep.. 1,044;
Albert V. Leopold, dem.. ind. dem., lab., 646.
Surveyor — S. H. Cniokes. rep. .1,122.
Public Administrator — W. H. Yeaton,
rep.. 781 ; Emanuel Cameron, dem., sil. rep.,
ind. dem., pp., 830.
Although Frank Henry did not carry Park
county for judge, the other counties of the dis-
trict gave him majorities and he was elected.
Compared with the three previous ones the
election of 1902 was a quiet one, and the vote
dwindled down to 1,579. Where two years
before there had been six county tickets in
the field, this year there were only the two old
parties and a part of a ticket by the Socialists.
Although not a very hard fought campaign,
the vote of the two parties was close. For the
head of the ticket — congressman — the Repub-
licans carried the county by a big majority.
Of the district and county candidates the Re-
publicans elected one representative, sheriff,
clerk and recorder, county attorney, surveyor,
coroner and public administrator, while the
Democrats elected one representative, treas-
urer, assessor and superintendent of scliools.
The Socialists polled from 137 to 227 votes.
The official vote:
Congressman — Joseph AL Dixon, rep.,
859; John M. Evans, dem.. 523; Geo. B.
Sproule. soc, 183; Martin Dee, lab., 14.
Representatives — Chas. S. Hefferlin, rep.,
685; IVL W. Pettigrew, rep., 552; Thos. M.
Swindlehurst, dem., 666; Benj. Meyers, dem.,
624; John F. Mabie, soc, 195; William Dick,
soc, 180.
Treasurer— Geo. T. Chambers, rep., 685;
Henry .McCue, dem., 818; James D. Graham,
soc, 184.
Sheriff— A. S. Robertson, rep., 825 ; Frank
Beley, dem., 702; Theo. Madden, soc, 227.
Assessor — Z. H. Daniels, rep., 746 ; Jas. H.,
Proffitt. dem., 775; Herst Beever. soc, 184.
Clerk and Recorder — Chas. Angus, rep.,
898: William Mitchell, dem., 637; AL L.
Baker, soc, 137.
County Attorney — A. P. Stark, rep.,
L055.
Superintendent of Schools — L. D. Glenn,
rep., 740; Mrs. Nora Colvin, dem., 927.
Coroner — S. E. Leard, rep., 1,059.
l82
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
Surveyor — S. H. Crookes, rep., 1,093.
Public Administrator — C. O. Krohne,
rep., 822; Emanuel D. Cameron, dem., 615.
The election of November 8, 1904, was a
Republican landslide, as was the case through-
out the whole country. The number of votes
cast was 2,366, and of these President Roose-
velt received a plurality of 825. The Repub-
licans carried the county for congressman by
nearly as large a vote, for governor by a small
plurality and for the rest of the state ticket
by a large plurality. That party elected all
the candidates on the legislative and county
ticket with the exception of treasurer, assessor
and superintendent of schools. The Socialists
polled an average vote of nearly 250. The
vote as officially canvassed :
Presidential Electors — Paul McCormick,
rep., 1,408; Arthur W. Merrifield, rep., 1,347;
Thomas Duncan, rep., 1,343; Paul A. Fusz,
dem., 583; Patrick Carney, dem., 567; Ed-
ward Cardwell, dem., ^yz; Walter N. Holden,
soc, 365; John F. Mabie, soc, 354; Jas. G.
Hoar, soc, 344; Prohibition electors, 9;
Scattering, i.
Congressman — Jos. M. Dixon, rep., 1,371;
Austin C. Gormley, dem., 692 ; John H.
Walsh, soc, 310.
Governor — William Lindsay, rep., 1,154;
Jos. K. Toole, dem., 1,020: Malcom Geo.
O'Malley, soc, 281.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — Frank
Henry, rep., 1,654.
Senator — Arthur W. Miles, rep., 1,276;
W. B. Dolenty, dem., 900; Jas. H. Lyons, soc,
255-
Representatives — L. H. Van Dyck, rep.,
1,255; W. H. Williams, rep., 1,085; Benj. F.
Myers, dem., 815; William A. Hall, dem.,
622 ; William Dick, soc, 265 ; Daniel F.
Keeler, soc^ 210.
Sheriff — Almon'S. Robertson, rep., 1,322;
Frank M. Cain, dem., 904; William H. Smith,
soc, 245.
Treasurer — Chas. N. Sargent, rep., 849;
Harry McCue, dem., 1,294; William D. New-
ton, soc, 233.
Clerk and Recorder — Chas. Angus, rep.,
1,421 ; O. H. Sandager, dem., 706; Ole S. An-
derson, soc, 245.
Clerk District Court — Arthur Davis, rep.,
1,332; Jas. E. Mallery, dem., 807; John
Beard, soc, 239.
Assessor — John Harvey, rep., 1,028; Jas.
H. Proffitt, dem., 1,150; Marshall L. Baker,
soc. 247.
County Attorney — A. P. Stark, rep.,
1,474; \Vm. D. Cameron, soc, 372.
Superintendent of Schools — Miss Mary J.
Davies, rep., 1,165; ^^^s. Nora Colvin, dem.,
1,164.
Coroner — Dan Short, rep., 1,180; H. J.
Mallory, dem., 835; John Fodness, soc, 295.
Public Administrator — C. O. Krohne, rep.,
1,225; Frank Acklemire, dem., 745; Joseph
Herman, soc, 217.
Surveyor — S. H. Crookes, rep., 1,196; H.
P. Rygaard, dem., 942.
I\Irs. Nora Colvin, who, according to the
official count, had been defeated for superin-
tendent of schools by one vote, on November
26th commenced an action in district court de-
manding a recount. The contest was heard
before Judge Henry December 20th, when a
recount was made and Mrs. Colvin declared
the winner by five votes. Upon an order of
the court Mrs. Colvin was given the office. A
change was made in the personnel of the board
of county commissioners November 11, 1905,
when Judge Henry appointed M. H. Lashorn
to fill the unexpired term of F. A. Krieger,
who had absented himself from the state for
several months.
The last election held in Park county prior
to the publication of this work was the general
election of November 6, 1906. For 'congress-
man there were cast 2,192 votes.
The Republicans. Democrats and Social-
ists had full tickets in the field. The Repub-
licans carried the county for the head of the
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY,
183
ticket by 154. The Socialist vote was about
tlie same as two years before. The RepvibH-
cans elected one representative, three commis-
sioners, treasurer, clerk and recorder, county
attorney, coroner, public administrator and
surveyor, while the Democrats elected one
representative, sheriff, assessor and school su-
perintendent. The official vote :
Congressman — Charles N. Pray, rep.,
1,051 : T. J. Walsh, dem., 897; John Hudson,
soc, 247; J. H. Calderhead, pro., i.
Representatives — H. J- Miller, rep., 1,053;
L. H. A'anDyke, rep., 904; Thos. M. Swindle-
hurst, dem., 955 ; John M. Darroch, dem.,
685 : J. F. Mabie, soc, 235 ; J. F. Rooney, soc.
255-
Commissioner (six year term) — M. H.
Lashorn, rep., 1,059; Joh" ^I- Conrow, dem.,
1,009; John Uhl, soc, 224.
Commissioner (four year term) — E. G.
Blair, rep., 1,057; Emanuel Cameron, dem.,
837; Chas. Elliott, soc, 215.
Commissioner (two year term) — Lawrence
Link, rep., 1,228: Martin Wilson, dem., 674;
Clarence Bishop, soc, 236.
Sheriff — A. S. Robertson, rep., 1.043;
Harry McCue, dem., 1,156; O. S. Anderson,
soc, 197.
Treasurer — Joseph Brooks, rep., 1,308; M.
J. Walsh, dem., 783; A. D. Peugh, soc, 211.
Clerk and Recorder — Ray H. Stevens rep.,
1,329; Walter Shaw, dem., 750; R. B. Nesbit,
soc, 224.
Assessor — Daniel Short, rep., 828; Jas. H.
Proffitt, dem., 1,266; M. L. Baker, soc, 225.
County Attorney — O. ]\L Harvey, rep.,
1,134; J. F. O'Conner. dem., 1,051 ;
Superintendent of Schools — Mary J. Da-
vies, rep., 868; Jennie B. Smith, dem., 1,308;
Mrs. Bessie ^^■illey, soc, 168.
Coroner — S. E. Leard. rep., 1,083; Jerry
Melloy, dem., 833; Emil Feyder, soc, 298.
Public Administrator — C. O. Keohne, rep.,
996; Harry ^^^ Dyer, dem., 918; J. S. Jeays,
soc, 259.
Surveyor — Charles T. Sacket, rep., 1,234;
F. W. Appleton. dem.. 780.
CHAPTER VI
DESCRIPTIVE.
Park county lies in the southern part of the
state of Montana, a little to the west of mid-
way between the eastern and western bound-
aries of the state. To the north is Meaghei
county ; its eastern boundaries are Sweet Grass
county and a small portion of Carbon county;
on the south is the Yellowstone National Park
and the state of Wyoming; on the west is the
mother county of Gallatin. The area of the
county is 2.788 square miles, and it ranks
among the smaller counties in area, there being
only nine smaller in the state.
About three-fifths of the area of the county
is suitable for agriculture and grazing; the rest
is mountainous and devoted to mining and
lumbering. Geologists tell us that most of the
mountainous area of Park county belongs to
the eozoic and silurian formations, such .-js
slate, granite, gneiss and prophyry, with the
se\'eral varieties of schistone rocks, talcose
schist and mica schist. Along the base of the
mountains is a Triassic belt of variable widths,
and succeeding this is a broad area of nearly-
horizontal creaceous beds, followed by the Ter-
1 84
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
tiary formation, which covers nearly one-third
of the county. Tlie formation is the same as
that of California, the greater part of Col-
orado and the Australian gold fields. The gen-
eral strike of the country is NNE and SSW,
with a break crossing at nearly right angles,
and nearly all the mineral so far discovered is
located in this. Concerning the action of the
glaciers in the National Park and in Park
county, Chittenden, in his "History of the
Yellowstone Park," says :
"Next in order of the great events in the
geological evolution of the park is the glacial
epoch. Its work is everywhere visible and
certainly overspread the entire region. Un-
questionably the park was covered with one
vast sheet of ice, which even the warm ground
where the hot springs are could not resist.
Perhaps the most extensive and important of
all the glaciers was the one which debouched
from the third canyon of the Yellowstone and
the lower Gardiner, into the ^■alley below. It
came from two sources — one in the Absaroka
range at the headwaters of the Lamar river,
and the other from the Gallatin range, whence
ft moved eastward and curved around to the
left over Terrace mountain, joining the main
ice stream in the Gardiner valley. The debris
borne along by these combined glaciers are
strewn everywhere throughout the north of
the park, and are particularly prominent in the
valley of the Yellowstone from the park bound-
ary north, halfway to Livingston."
In our description of the topographical
features of Park county we shall first take up
the mountains. As stated before, about two-
thirds of the county's surface is mountainous.
Along the western side of the county is the
Belt range of mountains, the crest of which
is the dividing line between Park and Gallatin
counties, and the eastern base of which is the
western boundary of the Yellowstone valley.
These mountains present an interesting study
in the various gigantic forms caused by vio-
lent upheavals in ages past. To the north of
this range are the Bridger mountains, whic;i
lie almost wholly in Gallatin county, but which
extend for some little distance into Park coun-
ty. In the northeast corner of the county are
a mass of rugged, snow covered peaks known
as the Crazies, a most curious and beautiful
range of mountains. In the southeastern part
of the county is the Absaroka range, which
covers the greater part of the county east of
the Yellowstone river. This name was bestowed
on these . mountains about the year 1885, in
honor of the immemorial home of the Crow In-
dians, Absaroka, which was in the valley of the
Big Horn river to east of the mountains. The
range was first known as the Yellowstone
mountains, and in 1873 ^^'^^ rechristened by
Major Jones, Sierra Shoshone. They are also
sometimes called the Snow or Snowy
mountains.
In the Absaroka range within the bound-
aries of Park county are the following promi-
nent mountain peaks and their elevations above
sea level : Haystack Butte, 10,997 > Emigrant
Peak, 10,960; Needle Mountain, 10,933; Pyr-
amid Mountain, 10,720; Sheep Mountain, 10,-
628; Mount Cowan, 10,600; Mineral Peak,
10,250; Chico Peak, 10,200; Sunset Peak,
10,200; Mount Delano, 10,086; Doane Moun-
tain, 8,650; Old Baldy, 8,640; Monitor Peak,
8,450. One of the best known of these moun-
tain peaks is Old Baldy, the highest in the im-
mediate vicinity of Livingston, which rears its
bald head to the southeast of the county seat
town.
While that peak has been known as Old
Baldy since there were white settlements in
the county, it was known by all the old trap-
pers and fur traders as Crow Test Peak. Ac-
cording to E. S. Topping, who has written en-
tertainingly of the early history of the Yel-
lowstone valley, the name had its origin in the
' fact that in the early days, one test of the
bravery, strength and endurance of a young
Crow warrior was his ability to climb the steep
rugged sides of that mountain and re-
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
main tliere for a time. He declared I
that he liad known young Crow bucks
to occupy a position on tlie extreme
peak of that mountain for twenty-four
hours, clothed in nothing whatever except the
circumambient air and a proud sense of vic-
tory. Thus did ambitious Crows win their 1
spurs and prove their right to enter upon the
active duties of tribal life and anticipate in
horse stealing expeditions against the Sioux,
and other feats of bravery and prowess.
To the west of the Yellowstone river and
forming a part of the Belt range is Cinnabar
mountain, one of the most prominent physical
features of southern Park county. It was so
named from the color of its rocks, which have
been taken for cinnabar, although the red color
is due to iron. There is a great red gash down
the side of the mountain, which is known as
the Devil's Slide. There is an old legend con-
cerning this, to the effect that the imps of hell
had been coasting down this mountain and had
left a red streak of blood, marking the course
from summit to base. The poet has told of it
in rhyme :
Ages ago, one could easily see,
Yellowstone valley had been on a spree;
The mountains had risen, canyons had sunk,
Old Mother Nature got terribly drunk;
The devil, as drunk as devils could be,
Slid to the bottom of Cinnaharee.
But Electric Peak, also in this vicinity,
leails all the others in height, grandeur and
character. It is 11.155 feet high and is on the
northern boundary line of the National Park.
It is a mountain of mineral, and the electrical
displav upon its peak during a thunder storm
is beautiful and appalling. On July 26, 1872,
Henrv' Gannett ascended this mountain with
surveying instruments, when he was overtaken
by an electric storm. He reported his experi-
ence as follows :
A thunder storm was approaching as we neared
the sunnnit of the mountain. I was above the others
of the party, and. when about fifty feet below the sum-
mit, the electric current began to pass through my
body. At first I felt nothing, but heard a crackling
noise, similar to a rapid discharge of sparks from a
triction machine. Immediately after, I began te feel
a tingling or pricking sensation in my head and the
end of my fingers, which, as well as the noise, in-
creased rapidly, until, when I reached the top, the
noise, which had not changed its character, was deaf-
ening, and my hair stood completely on end, while
the tingling, pricking sensation was absolutely pain-
ful. Taking off niy hat partially relieved me. I
started down again and met the others 25 or 30 feet
below the summit. They were affected similarly, but
in less degree. One of them attempted to go to the
top, but had proceeded but a few feet when he re-
ceived quite a severe shock, which felled him as if
he had stumbled. We then returned down the moun-
tain about three hundred feet, and to this point we
still heard and felt the electricity.
Park county is exceptionally well wateretl,
and it is fortunate that this is so. Nearly all
the land in the county needs to be irrigated
before it can be cultivated, and the numerous
streams in all parts of the county furnish an
abundance of water for this purpose.
The principal stream of the county is the
Yellowstone river, which enters from the
south, traverses the county in a general north-
erly direction for about 55 miles, then turns
abruptly to the east, and after a journey of
about 20 miles leaves Park county at the town
of Springdale. This mighty tributary of the
Missouri has its source in the mountains south
of the Yellowstone National Park, in which
region also are started tlie streams that form
the Snake and Colorado rix'ers, that flow into
the Pacific, and the Big Horn, which with the
Yello\\stiinc in time find their way into the
Atlantic. The Yellowstone flows through the
lake of the same name, then leaves that beauti-
ful body of water, flowing in a northerly direc-
tion for about 150 miles to the great bend at
Livingston. There it wheels to the east and
holds that course in a general sense for an
hundred miles, when it swings slowly but sure-
ly to the northeast and continues for three
hundred miles or more, finally mingling its
waters with those of the Missouri. A peculiar
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
feature of the Yellowstone is the fact that all
its tributaries of importance come from the
south side. There is not one stream of conse-
quence flowing into it from the north. From
the south come such important streams as
Clark's Fork, Big Horn, Tongue and Powder
rivers, while from the north probably the most
important is the comparatively small Shields
river.
^\'ithin the county of Park there are in the
neighborhood of 40 creeks and rivers, of suf-
ficient size and importance to bear names,
which empty into the Yellowstone. From the
east or south side come the following creeks :
Mendenhall, Greeley, Lock, Mission, Poison,
Chicken. Suce, Deep, Pogl, Pine. Barney
(formed by Cascade, George and jMcDonald),
Shorthill, Strawberry, Elbow, Neill, Emi-
grant, Six-Mile, Cedar, Bassett, Trail. From
the north or west side these creeks empty into
the Yellowstone : Ferry, Dry, Owl, Fleshmean,
Billman, Strickland, Trail, Eight-Mile, Big,
Dailey, Rock, Tom Miner, Mulhern (formed
by the Cottonwood, Dickson, Deaf Jim and
Hoppe), Beattie, Reese. Besides these creeks
are Shields river, flowing in from the north,
and Gardiner river, which enters the Yellow-
stone on the southern boundary of the county,
all of the river except the mouth being in the
National Park. In the southern part of the
county there are also a number of other tribu-
taries of the Yellowstone, which empty into
that river in the National Park, but which rise
and flow for the greater part of their length
within Park county. Among these are Ea.gle
creek. Bear Gulch creek (formed by North
Fork, Pine and Palmer creeks). Crevasse
creek and Hell Roaring creek, of which latter
steam Grizzly creek is a feeder. Two other
important streams in this part of the coun-
ty are Buffalo creek and Slough creek, which
are branches of Lamar river, wliich in turn
enters the Yellowstone within the National
Park.
Next to the Yellowstone, the most import- |
taut river of the county is Shields river, one
of its tributaries. This stream is noted be-
cause of its historical importance and because
of the rich valley through wdiich it flows. The
name was bestowed upon it by Captain Wil-
liam Clark in 1806 in honor of one of the
members of the famous Lewis and Clark ex-
pedition. But among the early trappers it was
known as Twenty-five Yard creek. Lieuten-
ant Bradley, who visited the river in 1876. said
in his journal : "Two reasons are assigned f(jr
the name : its width, which isn't 25 yards, but
much less; and the asserted fact that it rises
only 25 yards from the source of another
stream, which I can neither affirm nor deny."
Shields river, as it flows through the valley, is
increased in volume by the addition of num-
erous trilnitar)- streams, some of them of con-
siderable size, that have their sources in the
neighboring mountains, and which by corro-
sion have created little valleys throughout the
plateaus that extend from the river to the
mountain ranges. The creeks that find their way
into Shields river from the east side are Crazy,
Rock, Cottonwood. Dry. Little Lidian, Big
Indian. Horse. Daisy Dean. Elk. Porcupine.
Antelope. From the west come \\'illow, Ray,
Bangtrail, Canyon, Brackett, Looking Glass,
Flathead, Cottonwood and Potter.
In the extreme southeastern corner of the
county are a number of more or less important
streams. One fork of Clark's Fork takes its
rise there and is fed by Tidewater, which is
wholly within Park county. Soda Butte creek
also rises here and flows thence into the Park.
It is fed by the Republic and Miller creeks.
Along the boundary line between Park
and Sweet Grass counties flows Boulder river,
which empties into the Yellowstone at the town
of Big Timber. The greater part of this river
is in Sweet Grass county, but in several places
it makes a dip into Park county. The West
Boulder river, one its principal tributaries,
rises in and flows for the greater part of its
length in Park county. Its branches arc
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
187
Davis and Grouse creeks. The western tribu-
taries of the Boulder river, which are ahnost
wholly in Park county, are the following
creeks : Cowan, Froze-to-Death, Falls, Great
Falls, Chippie, Four-Mile, War Eagle, Copper
and Sheep. From the east two creeks enter
the river within the boundaries of Park county.
They are Up and Down creek and Basin creek.
The principal industries of Park county are
mining, agriculture and stock raising, and it is
hard to tell which should be placed first. It
was the minerals of the county that first led
to its settlement. For some years this was the
only industry of the county. Then, when the
railroad was built, settlers rushed in and be-
gan raising stock and tilling the soil, and all
three industries have been carried en ever
since.
The mining products of the county are
principally coal, gold and silver. Among the
other minerals of the county, but which have
not yet been extensively developed, are copper,
lead, iron, platinum, tin, bismuth, zinc and cin-
nabar. The coal mines are found in the foot-
hills of the Belt mountains, on the west side
of the Yellowstone river. The precious metals
are found in the Bear Gulch district, in the
vicinity of Jardine, in the Xew \\'orl(l mining
district about Cooke, and in the Boulder dis-
trict on the east side of the county. Concern-
ing the mining of .gold and silver in Park
county a writer a few years ago said :
But little of the hidden wealth stored up ages ago
in these mountain^ ha^ been discovered, while it is
nevertheless a fact that Park county has been pros-
pected only in a superficial way. Whole districts, ag-
gregating an enormous area, and filled with the great-
est possibilities have been unvisited by those of prac-
tical knowledge in quest of hidden mineral deposits.
It is no exaggeration to say that if the practiced eye,
aided by a knowledge of metalliferous formations
searches among the mountains for a day it is certain
to find locations that will justify work and explora-
tion. This is as true of the old districts as it is of
those but seldom visited. As an example the district
of Bear Gulch bad been prospected to a certain ex-
tent for more than thirty years, when a common land-
slide in the spring of 1898 revealed to the naked eye
one of the richest lodes of gold bearing ore in the
state. The Boulder district has been worked for its
placer diggings for many years, when during the sum-
mer of 1899 E. H. Cowles, an expert placer miner, had
used his hydraulic works so thoroughly that on reach-
ing bed rock, the leads of many rich veins of gold
bearing quartz were revealed to him. The Emigrant
district was until recent years only worked for its rich
placer gold; but great [h .s-ibilitii ^ await the develop-
ment of the recent ili>ii i\ > nil (luartz leads in the
Great Eastern, St. Julien and the North Star.
The smelting of the ores in Park county has only
been in operation in the New World mining district.
This district is only in its infancy; but fabulous pos-
sibilities for her future are often given as the judg-
ment of prominent mining experts.
Gold to the value of many thousand dollars is ob-
tained annually by the Bear Gulch Mining and Mill-
ing company.
Gold, fine ounces, .^.487,814— $71,065.93.
Placer mining to some extent has always attended
the discovery of gold. It has been extracted from the
gravel, either liy the old process of panning, or the
more expensive methods of dredging and hydraulics.
About one-half million dollars have been realized from
the partly discovered placer districts of Emigrant
gulch, while the Boulder district and Bear and Crev-
asse gulches by their past year's output bear evidence of
many millions of dollars in undeveloped dust and
nuggets.
While it is true that in this district silver usually
accompanies griM in shuk- i|iiantities at least, of the few
discoverii- that hir.r linii made in silver leads, the de-
crease in It- niarkctaliK- price has caused su'ch proposi-
tions to remain idle lor the lime being. The production
of silver in Park county for 1898 was about 60.34 fine
ounces, with a coming value of $78.01. Some of the
assays made of silver in the New World mining district
yield 150 ounces per ton and are now lying dormant.
The Status of gold and silver mining in
Park county at the present time is told in the
annual report of William Walsh, state mine in-
spector. The report was made early in 1907
and covers the preceding year. The report
says :
The mining of precious metals in Park county dur-
ing the past year has made quite satisfactory progress.
The chief mineral district of the county is at Jardine,
formerly called Bear Gulch, where the Kimherly Gold
Mining company has its njurating property and plant,
and there are also many pr.ispects in the vicinity that
are especially promising. It is unquestionably a fact
that there is a large mineral area in this county in
which there are great bodies of gold ore that only
await the investment of money in development and
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
mills, to produce fortunes in return for comparatively
small investments. This area is over 20 miles square
and will compare favorably with any gold .district in
the range. A characteristic of the district is that val-
ues constantly increase with depth. The field is not
even prospected, there being as good claims to be dis-
covered as those now located.
The following is the production of metals for
1906:
Gold, fine ounces, 3,487814— $71,065.93.
Silver, fine ounces, 1,268.74 — $1,640.39.
The Kimberly Gold Mines : This group consists
of fifteen claims located at Jardine. The property has
been thoroughly developed by tunnels running in
length froiu 250 to 900 feet, the aggregate lineal feet
of the workings being over 16,000, and the exploration
is steadily pushed ahead, placing immense reserves of
ore ahead of the drifting and upraising have been con-
structed during the present year. The veins in the
upper workings lie flat, and the ore occurs in large
chambers. The country formation is schist and shale,
and the strike of the veins is east and west. The
ore value is in gold. The output of the mine is treated
in a forty-stamp mill and cyanide plant, and this ca-
pacity is to be increased one-third, the mine now being
in shape to produce 700 tons of ore per day. The plant
is operated by electricity. The company has done a
great deal of surface exploring and in this work dis-
covered shelite ore in such quantity that a mill is be-
ing erected for its treatment. There are 80 men em-
ployed in the mines and mills. The mills are well
ventilated and provided with proper protection. The
property is owned and operated by the Kimberly Gold
Mining company, Mr. H. H. Ryan being the superin-
tendent, and Mr. W. G. McQuillan the foreman.
The Crevasse and Helena Chief Mines! These
mines are located four miles east of Jardine and are
owned by Mr. W. G. Conrad. There are three
claims in the group, and they are operated under the
supervision of Mr. J. G. Fletcher, who is employing
thirty men. The mine is developed with a 1,200 foot
tunnel that exposes large bodies of ore. During the
present year 800 feet of work has been accomplished,
and upraises made to the surface that afford exits
and good ventilation. The veins are w-ell defined fis-
sures with a dip to the southeast at an angle of 45 de-
grees and run in width from three to six feet. The ore
is an iron oxide and carries gold as its chief value.
The country formation is gneiss, shale and granite, with
the latter as the 'hanging wall of the veins. A 20-stamp
mill is located near the workings and is treating from
600 to 700 tons of ore per month. It is intended to en-
large the mill to forty stamps and equip it with the most
improved value-saving machinery.
The Buffalo-Montana Mining Company : This
is an old property, located at Cooke, and is sixty-
five miles east of Gardiner, the entrance point, to the
Yellowstone National Park. The mine has been idle
for years, but now the old workings are being retim-
bered and put in shape for the extraction of ore, and
new departments is in active progress, over 300 feet
of exploration having been accomplished since the re-
sumption of the work the past summer. The company
smelter, that has been idle for something like twenty
years, has been repaired and put to work treating 50
tons of ore per day taken from the old dumps. The
resurrection of this property, and the starting of the
smelter which is to be remodeled and made thoroughly
modern in the near future, marks a new era in the min-
ing history of Cooke. The company is employing lOO
men. Mr. Chas. Eaton is the superintendent and Mr.
N. P. Trendennick is the foreman.
The mining of coal is one of tlie important
industries of Park county and one of tlie old-
est. The principal coal mine is at Aldridge,
where about four hundred men are employed.
and about as many more engaged in coke
burning. Until recently the mine at Cokedale
was in active operation. In other portions of
the country coal has been mined on a limited
scale.
Rich deposits of copper have been discov-
ered in the Boulder and Six-Mile districts, but
lack of capital has prevented development
Copper occurs as a by-product in the output of
gold and silver.
Iron ore is also found in the Boulder, Six-
Mile. Emigrant, New World and Sheepeater
districts. The ore has only been utilized in the
fluxing of the more Aaluable metals, with
which it is found as a by-product.
Farming has become one of the most im-
portant, if not the most important, industries
of Park county. In the early history of the
county this was not considered an agricultural
country, and very little effort was made to till
the soil. But in recent }ears there has been a
marked change in the industrial pursuits of
the county, and diversified farming has estab-
lished itself as a sure means of livlihood. The
former large numbers of cattle and sheep,
grazing at will on the vast pastures, have been
cut up into smaller bands, and it has been
found a more profitable way of engaging in
the stock raising business. Now the stock
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY
C89
raiser also engages in farming, and the results
are beneficial to the farmer and the community
as a whole.
The farming lands of Park county are
most all located in the valleys of the Yellow-
stone and Shields rivers and their tributaries.
The soil is what is termed semi-arid, as it is
in nearly all parts of Montana. Only occasion-
ally could crops be raised without irrigation,
and no one thinks of trying it, because the lay
of the land is such that irrigation is easy to
bring about. Perennial streams flow down
from the snow capped peaks surrounding the
valleys, and the construction of irrigating
ditches is a work of onl}' comparatively small
labor. The streams are numerous in the agri-
cultural lands; their currents are swift. When
once the ditches are made the settler can bid
defiance to the exigencies of the season. The
system of irrigation here is the most perfect
in the world, combining light expense, an
abundance of water, and a constant descent.
It is acknowledged by all that there are two
portions of the county that excel the other
places. These are Shields valley and Para-
dise valley, the latter a portion of the upper
Yellowstone. For productiveness, uniformity
of climate, fertility of soil and wonderful nat-
ural resources these valleys have no compeer
in Montana.
Paradise valley, lying between the lower
and middle canyons of the Yellowstone, is so
called from the evidences of prosperity and
pleasing picture of contentment on every hand.
A single instance is yet to be recorded of a
traveler through the valley failing to express
admiration for its wonderful beauty. The sub-
lime in nature is expressed by the awe inspir-
ing scenery of the upper Yellowstone more
fully to the onlooker than ever brush or pen
portrayed it. Flanking the valley on the east
the tall serrated peaks of the snowy range rear
their heads, cleaving the low lying clouds like
a wedge, an impassable barrier, and seeming
to guard the seclusion of the valley like huge
sentinels, grim and vigilant. To the west
stretch the rounded heights of the Belt moun-
tains, less imposing than those to the east, but
not less interesting from a geological point of
view. These ranges, after running parallel
north and south for thirty-five miles, gradually
trend toward each other, until they almost
meet, forming the lower and middle canyons
of the Yellowstone, and enclosing the valley,
that lies in an oval shaped basin. The valley
is thirty-five miles in length and from two to
eleven in width.
The general topography of the valley is
level. The alluvial deposits along the river
form the bottom lands proper. These are
flanked on each side by a bench rising about
40 feet high, which slopes gently upward until
it merges into the steep ascent of the moun-
tains. Here and there an isolated butte rises
upward from the bench lands. This bench land
is ribbed every few miles with strips of timber
that follow the course of the Yellowstone's
tributaries as they rush down from their moun-
tain sources, creating by erosion little valleys
that intersect the bench lands at right angles
with the general course of the valley. These
streams furnish, throughout the summer,
abundant quantities of water for the purpose
of irrigation. Rising as they do in the snow
fields of the surrounding mountains, they are
steadily fed by the melting snows through the
months of June, July and August, the time
when plenty of water for growing crops is
most needed. The topography of Paradise
valley also renders irrigation an easy matter.
Shields river valley, with its many trib-
utary valleys, occupies nearly the entire north-
ern portion of the county. The river empties
into the Yellowstone at a point about eight
miles northeast of Livingston, and from this
point northwest for a distance of about 50
miles extends the \-alley, one of the richest in
Montana. The valley has an average width,
including the bench lands of twenty mile'?,
making a- total area of 640,000 acres. The
190
HISTORY OF PARK COUNTY.
Crazy mountains, one of the loftiest and most
inaccessible in Montana, border the valley on
the north and east with an apparently impas-
sible front, while it is enclosed on the west by
the less rugged Bridger mountains. The river
valley proper, bordered by the bench lands,
will average a width of one mile. It is very
fertile and is much less liable to early frosts
than anv other locality in the state east of the
Rocky mountains. The soil is a rich alluvial
deposit, making it the finest kind of hay and
grain producing land.
The plateaus, whicii flank the bottom lands
following the course of the river, extend in a
gradual incline backward into the mountains.
The soil has an average depth of three feet
and is underlaid by substratums of argillac-
eous matter, thus retaining the moisture near
the surface of the ground, and rendering irri-
gation in parts unnecessary. These bench lands
extending toward the Crazies are a paradise
for the growth of winter wheat, as the moun-
tain snows lie here throughout the winter, af-
fording entire protection to grain sown in the
autumn, allowing it to mature in the early
summer before the need of artificially supplied
moisture is felt. The bench lands on the other
side, extending to the Bridger mountains, can-
not be surpassed as stock ranges, exceeding
any other locality in the state for the advant-
ages furnished in this branch of agriculture.
The sides of the mountains of Park county
are covered with dense growths of timber,
affording material for lumber and fuel.
Pine, fir and cedar, abound in all parts of the
countv.
MONTANA HAYING SCENE
PART III
SWEET GRASS COUNTY
CHAPTER I
BEFORE COUNTY ORGANIZATION— 1743 TO 1894.
The county of Sweet Grass came into exist-
ence as a political division of the great state
of Montana early in the year 1895. The
county derived its name from Sweet Grass
river, or creek, which flows from the eastern
slope of the Crazy mountains to the Yellow-
stone river, and to the late Judge William G.
Strong belongs the honor of naming the coun-
ty. The creek received its name from the
abundance of vernal grass which grows in its
valley. The grass which grows here gives
forth a peculiar, sweet odor, somewhat like
that of vanilla ; hence the naming of the
stream.
The date of the advent of the first white
men to most of the counties of Montana is
1805 and 1806, when Lewis and Clark crossed
the state on their way to and from the Pacific
ocean, and it was some years after that event
before other counties were visited by members
of the Caucasian race. But Sweet Grass and
a few other counties may justly lay claim to a
date over a half century earlier than this.
In the year 1741 M. de la Verandrye, a
French Canadian, accompanied by some Cath-
olic priests and about fifty men, set out from
Quebec, Canada, for the headwaters of the
Missouri river, with the intention of proceed-
ing to the Pacific ocean. His course in what
is now Sweet Grass county appears in the first
chapter of this book.
On the 1 6th day of July, 1806, Captain
Clark and party, traveling on horseback on the
north bank of the Yellowstone, passed a little
stream, up which a distance of two miles they
could have found the now famous Hunter's
hot springs had they gone out of their way
that distance. Immediately after crossing this
stream they entered what is now known as
Sweet Grass county, within the confines of
which they were destined to remain six days.
Details of this are found in a former chapter.
It was not long after the return of the
Lewis and Clark party to civilization before
the fur traders and trappers came to the Yel-
lowstone valley. These hardy pioneers pene-
trated all parts of the valley on their hunting
and trapping expeditions, and the many
streams of the present Sweet Grass county
were thoroughly covered. No forts or trading
posts were established this far up the river,
hc}wever, the nearest being at the mouth of the
Big Horn river. For many years these were
the only people to visit the Yellowstone valley.
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY,
and the records of their operations are very
meager. It was not until the discovery of gold
in Montana in the early sixties that the coun-
try became known to any considerable extent.
By a treaty signed September 17, 1851, all
that part of the present state of Montana south
of the Musselshell river, west of Powder river
and east of Shields river and the upper Yel-
lowstone was included in the Crow reserva-
tion, and in this tract, of course, was included
all of the present Sweet Grass county. This
was the condition until 1882, when all of the
present Sweet Grass county north of the Yel-
lowstone river and a small portion of that on
the south side was opened to settlement by
treaty. In March, 1891, congress ratified an-
other treaty, which threw open to settlement
all that part of Sweet Grass county that had
been up to that time in the reservation. These
treaties will be treated more fully in their
chronological order.
In the latter part of July, 1864, John
Bozeman piloted the first train of immigrants
through this section. He was closely followed
by another train under the leadership of James
Bridger, that famous trapper and scout. This
party camped one night in August at the
mouth of a creek, which since that day has
been known as Bridger creek. The Bozeman
and Bridger parties were followed by others
the same year, and thereafter for several years
there was considerable travel through the fu-
ture Sweet Grass county. Many parties on
their return to the states built boats at Emi-
grant gulch (in the present Park county) and
at other points on the upper river and made
the trip down the Yellowstone. These en-
countered many dangers from the Indians and
the treacherous river.
The second peace treaty with the Crows,
concluded at Fort Laramie, Dakota, on May
7. 1868, was an important item in the history
of Sweet Grass county because of the facts that
over one-half of the county as it appears on the
map today was taken out of the Crow reserva-
tion. The new treaty provided that the In-
dian reservation should include that territory
in Montana that was south and east of the
Yellowstone ri^•er and west of the 107th de-
gree of longitude, which degree of longitude
runs through the center of the present day
county of Rosebud. Under this treaty all that
part of the present Sweet Grass county north
of the Yellowstone was removed from the res-
ervation. A provision of this treaty was as
follows :
The United States agrees at its own proper expense,
to construct on the south side of the Yellowstone, near
Otter creek, a warehouse or storeroom for the use of
the agent in storing goods belonging to the Indians,
to cost not exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars ; an
agency building for the residence of the agent, to cost
not exceeding three thousand dollars ; a residence for
the physician, not to cost exceeding three thousand
dollars ; and five other buildings, for a carpenter,
farmer, blacksmith, miller and engineer, each to cost
not exceeding two thousand dollars ; also a school
house or mission building, so soon as a sufficient num-
ber of children can be induced by the agent to attend
school, which shall not cost exceeding twenty-five
hundred dollars.
The United States agrees further to cause to be
erected on said reservation, near the other buildings
h»:rein authorized, a good steam circular saw. with a
grist mill and shingle mill attached, the same to cost
not exceeding eight thousand dollars.
In July, 1868, Captain LeMott, in charge
of the troops at Fort Ellis, proceeded to Lit-
tle Timber creek, in the present Sweet Grass
county, and there distributed the first annuities
ever received by the Crow Indians. This was
in accordance with the provisions of the treaty
just completed. Soon after this Major Camp,
oif the LInited States army, was appointed
Crow agent and he at once began the con-
struction of agency buildings on Mission
creek, in the present Park county. Why these
buildings were not put up near Otter creek,
as was provided in the treaty, is not known.
In 1871 the control of these Indians passed
from the war department to the interior de-
partment, and Major Pease was made agent,
the first civilian to hold the ofifice. In Febru-
I
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY,
193
ary, 1875, came orders to remove the agency
from Mission creek to the Stillwater. Agent
Clapp was then in command, and by the first
of April the agency buildings on Mission
creek were deserted and the agency was estab-
lished some distance up the Stillwater, near
the mouth of the Little Rosebud, and on the
Carbon county side of the river.
During the fall of 1871 the first attempt to |
survey a line for a railroad was made in the [
Yellowstone valley. Mr. Muhlenberg, a
Northern Pacific engineer, accompanied by a j
small military escort from Fort Ellis, started
from Bozeman and ran his lines easterly to a
point near the mouth of Pryor creek, there
being forced to abandon further work on ac-
count of a heavy fall of snow. During the
next two years the line was completed through
the Yellowstone valley.
The honor of being the first settler on
Sweet Grass county soil belongs to Horatio N.
Gage, who settled at the mouth of Duck creek,
about six miles below Dr. Hunter's hot springs,
in 1873. In the latter part of July, 1874, a
war party of Sioux, which had attacked many
, places on the upper Yellowstone, came to the
Gage home, killed four head of cattle, but did
not attack the house. Several times the Gage
family was obliged to seek protection from the
hostile Indians at Dr. Hunter's home. Up to
Februarv, 1875, when arrangements were
made for the remo\-al of the agency to the
Stillwater, the Gage ranch was the lowest of
the habitated places on the Yellowstone. At
that time Horace Countryman and Hugo
Hoppe moved to the mouth of the Stillwater,
and their places became the outposts of civili-
zation. When the stage line was established
between ]\Iiles City and Bozeman the Gage
ranch became one of the stage stations, and
here were enacted some of the exciting inci-
dents in this new country. On this ranch Gage
raised the first alfalfa that was ever reaped in
Sweet Grass county. In April, 1882, the
Gages sold two or three tons of alfalfa to
13
soldiers who were passing through the coun-
try. What was once the site of this old stage
station is now one of the largest and best
alfalfa fields in Sweet Grass county, from
which are cut some 2,000 towns of hay a year.
On this ranch was located the first irrigating
ditch of the countv. It was constructed in
1876.
Almost simultaneously with the advent of
Mr. Gage in 1873 came two brothers. Al and
Waborn Harrison, who drove in a band of cat-
tle and horses and located on lower Sweet
Grass creek. There they engaged in stock-
raising, and there they have made their homes
ever since.
The year 1875 bn^ught forth more stirring
e\'ents within the boundaries of the present
Sweet Grass county, among which was the
killing of Sam Shively by the treacherous sav-
ages. That year Major Pease, wnth quite a
large party, had gone down the Yellowstone
from Benson's Landing (about three miles
east of the present city of Livingston) to the
mouth of the Big- Horn river, where it was
his intention to establish a trading post. It
was quite an undertaking, and Major Pease,
accompanied by a few companions, started out
from the Big Horn camp with the intention of
going east to interest capital in the enterprise.
Owing to the hostility of the Indians the enter-
prise had to be abandoned before long, and
Fort Pease abandoned.
The first settlement made in Sweet Grass
county, excepting the Gage ranch and the Har-
risons' home, already referred to, was made
near the mouth of Sweet Grass creek in the
year 1877. The men who settled here that
year were W. R. Bramble, Fred Bartels, and
W. L. Shanks. It may be of interest to note
that all of these gentlemen are alive today
David Riffle settled on Big Timber creek the
same year. So far as we are able to learn these
were the only permanent settlers in Sweet
Grass county that year. These gentlemen had,
practically, the whole of the Yellowstone val-
194
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUXTY.
ley to choose from, and tlieir choice of loca-
tion was a wise one. as has been proven since
that time.
The number of settlers on Sweet Grass
creek was increased in 1878 by the arrival of
W. A. Harrison. Mr. Davis and Alex. Ferte.
The first water right from the Sweet Grass
was taken that year by W. A. Harrison. The
same year, through the efforts of W. L.
Shanks, a voting precinct (of Gallatin county)
was organized in this colony, and at the elec-
tion that fall eight votes were cast. The name
of the voting precinct and the postofifice, when
that was established, was Sweet Grass.
David Riffle, who had settled on Big Tim-
ber creek the year before, took out an irrigat-
ing ditch in 1878, the first from that stream.
In 1880 he raised 3,700 bushels of oats and
four acres of potatoes.
Sometime in the fall of 1878 Thomas Kent,
who, as stated before had traveled over the
whole of the Yellowstone valley, settled at
the mouth of Bridger creek, at which place he
has ever since made his home.
About the time the settlers were building
homes on the lower Sweet Grass Coleman
Puett selected a site for a home on the upper
Sweet Grass, on land that all but joins the
present site of the town of Melville.
During the late seventies there had been
settlement in all parts of the Yellowstone val-
ley and supplies were brought in to these sel-
lers over the stage line between Miles
City and Bozeman. Along this line in the
present county of Sweet Grass were established
a number of stage stations and postofifices that
became very well known points. One of the
stations was the Gage place on Duck creek;
another was the Big Timber postofifice, store
and stage station, on Big Timber creek, just
across the Yellowstone from the present site
of Big Timber ; the Bramble road house, at the
Sweet Grass crossing, was another; while on
the old government trail leading from the
Sweet Grass across the divide to White Beaver
basin was Canyon station, where there was a
saloon kept by John Brady and a boarding
house operated by Mrs. Nostrum.
Among the settlers of the late seventies
was Sim Roberts, who settled at a point above
the present town of Melville. Roberts was a
conspicuous figure in the early history of Sweet
Grass county, as he has been in its later history.
He was known as a "killer," and became no-
torious as a suspected "cattle rustler." He was
in court many times to answer to different
crimes, bvtt was never convicted.
Closely following Roberts came John and
George Cook, who established the first large
cattle and horse ranch in the future county.
The settlement on the lower Sweet Grass
was added to in 1879 by the arrival of Henry
Fletcher. John Hoff and Benjamin Hoyseth,
who took up claims.
Concerning an event of the year 1879 Mr.
E. S. Topping, in his "Chronicles of the Yel-
lowstone." has written:
On the upper river two old-timers, though young
men, who had had some narrow escapes from Indian
bullets and arrows, gave up their lives to the Yellow-
stone this summer of 1879; one in doing his duty, and
the other in that higher dutv of helping a comrade in
distress.
On the l8th of July Tommy Thompson, Steve
Gage and some others were driving a small herd of
Nelson Story's cattle across the Yellowstone near the
mouth of Sweet Grass creek. The cattle were forced
into the river at last, and the two men started to swim
their horses after them. Gage was riding a broncho,
or untamed horse, so Thompson went ahead that it
might follow his. When nearly across Thompson
looked behind and saw that Gage's horse was acting
badly, so, turning, he swam back. As he came near
to young Gage, the latter was thrown from his horse,
and in trying to pick him up Thompson was also torn
from his horse, and both were swept away and
drowned. The bodies were found but a short distance
below and were taken up the river. Thompson had
been a great favorite with Mr. Story, and the body was
brought to Bozeman, and a neat monument now stands
over his resting place, Steve Gage was buried by the
side of his father, who had died the year before at the
ranch on Duck creek, which ranch was the lowest
on the river from 1873 to 1875.
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
195
Closely following the arrival of Puett and
Cook brothers to the upper Sweet Grass came
the "22" outfit, a large cattle company owned
by two men named Flowery and Lowry, who
located on land adjoining the original Cook
Bros.' claim. Sim RoJjerts was for a consid-
erable time foreman for this company, and he
was followed by Sam Garvin.
The years 1880 and 1881 brought quite a
number of settlers to difterent parts of the
county. On November 7, 1880, A'easy, Mc-
Donnell & Fitzpatrick brought the first band
of sheep to the country which is now Sweet
Grass county and winteretl them on the Riffle
ranch.
It was in 1881 that the first school in
Sweet Grass county was organized ; it was lo-
cated on the lower Sweet Grass. A school
house was built in the fall of the year, and
Miss Lizzie Evans was the first teacher. \V.
A. Harrison. W. R. Bramble and E. T. Ewing
were the trustees. Being the only school in
the country which is now included in Park and
Sweet Grass counties, it was attended by chil-
dren from a large scope of country. There
was attendance from Big Timber creek and
from Duck creek. When a school was organ-
ized in the town of Big Timber in 1884 only
three or four children of school age were left
in the pioneer district and it was discontinued
to be resumed again, however,, in 1889.
The year 1882 was an eventful one in the
history of Sweet Grass county, for it brought
about the ceding of the Crow lands located
west of the Boulder and the completion of the
Northern Pacific railroad (late in the year)
through that part of Gallatin county which is
now Sweet Grass.
This treaty was made with the Crows June
12, 1880, but was not ratified by congress until
April II, 1882, and, consequently, the ceded
lands were not thrown open to settlement until
that date. The treaty provided for the sale to
the United States of lands formerly in the
Crow reservation as follows :
Beginning in the mid-channel of the Yellowstone
river at a point opposite the mouth of Boulder creek ;
thence up the middle of the channel of said river to
the point where it crosses the southern boundary of
Montana territory, being the 45th degree of north lat-
itude : thence east along said parallel of latitude to
a point where said parallel crosses Qark's Fork;
thence north to a point six miles south of the first
standard parallel, being on the township line between
townships six and seven south ; thence west on said
township line to the one hundred and tenth meridian
of longitude; thence north along said meridian to a
point east or west of the source of the eastern branch
of Boulder creek to the place of beginning.
Immediately after the opening of this strip
of land came W. F. McLeod, in whose honor
was named the McLeod postoffice, driving be-
fore him a herd of 125 cattle and 200 horses,
which he brought from his former home in
Oregon. He is recognized as the first perma-
nent homesteader in the Boulder valley. Mr.
Jarrett took up his home on Wright creek,
where he was the first to prove that apples
could be successfully grown in this part of
the territory.
With the completion of the railroad late
in the year 1882 came a new order of things;
the pioneer days were gone forever. The set-
tlers that came in after that date rode on the
cars, and the prairie scooner went out of com-
mission. The old stage stations that had
done duty for so long along the route from
Miles City to Bozeman were replaced by
towns. Dornix, later replaced by Big Timber,
came into existence and became the center of
population ©f the surrounding country. Con-
cerning the passing of one of the old stage sta-
tions and an important event in the ccxinty"s
histor}' the Yellowstone Leader in Feljruary,
1902, said:
In 18S3 — the year made famous by the building
of the Northern Pacific and the extinction of the buf-
falo— a half dozen ranchers held possession of the en-
tire valley of the lower Sweet Grass. These men were
W. A. Harrison, Fred Bartels. John Hoff. A. L. Har-
rison, Ben Hoyseth and W. Ewing.
At the Sweet Grass cros.sing, where the home of
Henry Bartels is now located, W. R. Bramble was
,96
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
keeping a road house at that time, and some three or
four miles further east, on the old governinent trail
leading from the Sweet Grass across the divide to
White Beaver basin, was another road house known
as Canyon Station. At this place one John Brady,
who was supiposed to be a bad man from Texas, kept
saloon, while the boarding department of the hostelry
was in charge of a somewhat notorious Mrs. Nostrum,
whose husband was at that time engaged in getting
out ties for the new railroad. The place bore an un-
savory reputation, due in part to the fact that Brady
and Nostrum had provided their establishment with a
mysterious underground tunnel leading from the saloon
to a root house some fifty feet distant. Ostensibly
this tunnel was to be used for protection against In-
dians, but it was generally rumored that there were
other purposes.
Just twenty years ago this spring the roundup was
vamped one week near the mouth of Sourdough creek,
a small tributary of the Sweet Grass, a dozen miles
above the Bramble place. Sam Garvin, who has be-
come prominent in more recent affairs, was captain
of the roundup, and among 20 or 25 men in camp
were several who are now well known in this vicinity.
They were Ed. Cardwell, W. L. Shanks, Thos. Mc-
Donald, H. C. Pound, Olaf Lafverson. Chas. Prutting,
Alf Downing, Walter Story, H. Lowry, John Cook,
Gus. Sidle, E. S. Tutt, Pat Patterson and others.
Late Saturday afternoon a half dozen men, in-
cluding Sam Garvin, E. S. Tutt. Bill Miner, R.
Potter, Chas. Wickam and Pat Patterson, left the
camp and rode away in the direction of the Yellow-
stone, returning early the following morning.
The same night a little incident occurred at Can-
yon Station, which was not only destined to wipe that
particular name from the map of Gallatin county,
but also to rechristen the place with the name of "Dead
Man's Gulch." a most suggestive title which if has
borrie to this day. When the shooting ceased and the
thick mantle of sulphureous powder smoke had lifted,
the interior of the Brady saloon looked as if it had
been attacked by the (commando) of Boer riflemen,
while the lifeless body of the proprietor lay bleeding
on the floor.
Aside from those implicated, Nostrum was the
only person who witnessed the shooting. According
to his story. Mrs. Nostrum had already retired to her
room adjoining the saloon and he and Brady were
about to retire when a man entered and asked for a
drink. While Nostrum was serving the thirsty cus-
tomer, four masked men entered the room. The
leader immediately pulled his six-shooter and fired on
Brady. The latter threw up his left arm just in time
to intercept the bullet, which penetrated the arm above
and below the elbow and then passed entirely through
his body, .severing the spinal cord and landing its vic-
tim on the floor in a lifeless heap.
Then followed a wild fusillade, perforating floor, |
ceiling and walls in every direction. As soon as the
shooting had ceased and the shooters departed, Nos-
trum started in search of A. L. Harrison, who was
then deputy sheriff of Gallatin county. During the
night the two men carefully prepared the body of
Brady for the "planting," and as soon as daylight
came Harrison hit the trail in search of the murderers.
At the round-up camp he confronted Garvin and his
companions with the information that he had come to
place them under arrest for the killing of Brady, but
m turn those gentlemen informed the officer that he
might avoid trouble by taking the back track, which
he proceeded immediately to do.
Returning to Canyon Station, Harrison assisted
Nostrum in burying the remains of Brady, whose
grave, which lies on a knoll about a hundred yards
south of the present road, is still marked by a little
mound of grass covered earth, enclosed by a rough
picket fence.
Soon after the' sliooting the buildings were tern
down and hauled away ; several of the shooters are
dead, some are in prison and others are scattered ;
Nostrum and the w'oman are long since gone and they
are so nearly forgotten that it is now impossible to
ascertain their first name. But in his "narrow house,"
John Brady is still waiting for the grand jury at Bozc-
man to name the man who sent the big chunk of lead
crashing through his unworthy hide.
The settlers in Wright valley built a sch(X)l-
house in 1884. As there were no funds avail-
able for the ])in'p()se of building the school
house, the settlers turned out and donated the
work. Logs were hauled from the Orazy
mountains with which to put up the building.
A dance was given at the Jarrett ranch, from
which was cleared $175, and the building was
put up free from debt. Miss Agnes Cosgriff.
now Mrs. J. B. ]\Iendenhall, was the first
teacher. Among the scholars who attended
the first school are Mrs. Richard Budd, Mrs.
T. R. Lanphear. Mrs. J. H. Ammerman,
James A\'oods, J. W. Fryer and R. S. Jarrett.
In 1885 the first irrigating ditch of much
importance in the Boulder valley was taken out
by Chas. Kimberling and Geo. W. Baker, who
reaped such bountiful returns therefrom that
the theme of its success acted as a stimulus in
bringing forth scores i.if settlers, which re-
sulted in the establishment of McLeod post-
office in 1887.
I
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
197
The 1887 session of the Montana legisla-
ture passed an act creating the county of Park
out of the eastern portion of Gallatin. Be-
fore the passage of this act the greater part of
the future Sweet Grass county had been a
part of Gallatin county; now it became a part
of Park county. This inchided the greater
part of its area, but small portions of what we
now know as Sweet Grass county were taken
from Yellowstone and Aleagher counties in the
formation of the county whose history we are
writing.
P)y an agreement between the Crow In-
dians and the United States concluded Decem-
ber 8. 1890, and approved by congress March
3. 1 89 1, the Crows agreed t(.i sell to Jhe gov-
ernment all that part of their reservation west
of a line described as follows:
Beginning in the niid-ehannel of the Yellowstone
river, at a point which is the northwest comer of sec-
tion number thirty-six, township number two north,
of range twenty-seven east, of the principal meridian
of Montana ; thence running in a southwesterly di-
rection, following the top of the natural divide be-
tween the w-aters flowing into the Yellowstone and
Clark's Fork rivers on the west and those flowing into
Pryor creek and West Pryor creek on the east, to
the base of West Pryor mountain: tlipncc due south
and up the north slope of ^.n.i I'lMir ninuntain on
a true meridian line to a point lilt, .n nnli^ due north
from the established line belwccn .Mnni.ma and Wy-
oming: thence in a due easterly cnur-i- on a parallel
nf latitude to a point wliore it mtcr^icls the mid-
channel of the Big Horn river: thence folUnving up the
mid-channel of said river to a point where it crosses
the Montana and Wyoming state line.
P.v this act all of the territory within the
j)resent county of Sweet Grass was removed
from Indian territor\-. The executive procla-
mation opening this land to immediate settle-
ment was signed by President Benjamin Har-
risou on Saturday afternoon, October 15, 1892.
I'Tom this land there had been made about
320 Indian allotments, but the land thus se-
lected was in the main low, Ijrusby land, and
not the best Ijy any means. The proclamation
throwing open the lands had been awaited
anxiously for a long time, and when it came
people flocked in in large numbers. That part
of the lands lying in Sweet Grass county had
been occupied for many years by two men,
Thos. Kane and "Dutch Gus," for grazing
ground without molestation from the Indians
or the goxernment. Now settlers flocked in
and these two men were obliged to divide their
territory with others. The opening of these
lands meant much to the people of eastern
Montana. They were both agricultural and
mineral. To show the nature of this land, it
is said that in 1893 Harrison brothers trailed
500 head of cattle from Big Timber to Trout
creek by grazing them down the Yellowstone
and up Bridger creek, through grass that cat-
tle could hide in and without seeing a fence
on the trip.
The year 1892 was a pnjsperous one for
the people of the future Sweet Grass county.
The sheep and wool business was good; there
was great activity in the Boulder mines; and
everybody was prosperous.
We now approach the first attempt of the
citizens of the eastern part of Park county to
bring aix)ut the creation of Sweet Grass coun-
ty by the legislature of 1893. At that session
Park county was represented in the senate by
George M. Hatch and in the house by Paul
VanCleve and Thos. S. Ash. The two former
were residents of the east side of the county
and lent their assistance to the cause of the
proposed new county — for which they received
the highest encomiums at home and the bitter-
est denunciation in the west side of the county.
The bill to create Sweet Grass county was
to have come up before the senate on the aft-
ernoon of February 15, Init on motion of Mr.
Hatch it was replaced on the general file. The
next dav, on motion of Senator William L.
Steele, of Lewis and Clark county, the bill was
put on final passage and defeated by a vote
of seven to nine.
The feelings of the people of Livingston
and Big Timber over the result are best told
198
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
by the newspapers of tlie two towns. On
February 18 the Livingston Enterprise said:
The joyful news was received in this city Thurs-
day (February 16) afternoon that poUtical perfidy had
met its just reward and, notwithstanding the base de-
sertion of Senator Hatch and Representative Van-
Cleve, Park county's best interests had been sub-
served by the defeat in the senate of the bill creating
Sweet Grass county. As has been clearly pointed out
in these columns, the bill was not a meritorious one
and was demanded only in the interests of Big Tim-
ber town lot boomers and aspiring politicians. For
this reason it met with the determined opposition of
three-fourths of the voters of Park county outside of
the city of Livingston.
In this city the feeling was bitter against the
county's representatives who shamefully betrayed the
trust reposed in them, and a corresponding feeling of
relief and joy followed the announcement that they
had been foiled by the indefatigable labors of Livings-
ton's citizens, who went to the capital at the outset
and abated no effort until the result was attained. The
news was heralded throughout the city and responded
to by a pyrotechnic display that, though brilliant and
noisy, but faintly indicated the pleasure of all loyal
residents of this section of the county.
Tlie Big Timber Pioneer told another
story. March 9 it said :
While we did not get Sweet Grass county, the re-
sult of the efforts have been good, and there is no
doubt but that the county will be formed at the next
session of the legislature. Senator Hatch and Rep-
resentative VanCleve arrived borne Friday night.
They were met at the train by a large and enthusiastic
crowd of citizens, who, to show their appreciation of
the valuable services rendered them by their repre-
sentatives, had prepared a number of bon-fires, w'hich,
by the aid of skyrockets and Roman candles, lighted up
the town and produced an effect altogether grand.
Thus ended the first campaign for the
formation of Sweet Grass county. Closely
following this event came the panic of 1893
with all its dire calamities. The only bank-
ing institutions of the county closed its doors;
operations in the mines ceased; business was at
a standstill; people could not meet their obli-
gations, and disaster followed. Follow ing the
panic came the period of hard times, which
held the country in its grip for several years.
From the effect of this Sweet Grass county
did not recover until the late nineties. But
during this time the county of Sweet Grais
came into existence as one of the political di-
visions of the state of Montana.
CHAPTER
AFTER COUNTY ORGANIZATION— 1895 TO 1907.
Immediately after the defeat of the bill
for the creation of Sweet Grass county in the
1893 legislature, the people of Big Timber
and the surrounding country began their prep-
arations for the campaign before the next leg-
islature. Not a stone was left unturned, nor
a point neglected that might aid in the ulti-
mate success of the venture. Senator George
]M. Hatch, who had led the fighting for the
bill in 1893, was a holdover senator, and would
represent Park county in the upper house of
Montana's legislature. The east siders there-
fore turned their attention to the choosing of
favorable men for the lower house, and they
were even more successful that they had ex-
pected to be. Their work was very clever, as
the following explanation of the manner they
took to secure representation by the Big Tim-
ber Pioneer of February 28, 1895, will testify:
The history of the late political campaign is fa-
miliar to all or nearly all. It began with a show of
great strife between factions in Big Timber to elect
a delegation to the republican county convention. The
strife might have been real on one side, be that as it
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY,
199
may, but the proper delegation went to the convention.
The convention from beginning to end was run in
the interests of the divisionists. Joy, Meyer and
Collins were noaninated for the legislature, and then
the attention of every prominent republican in the
state was called to the campaign in Park county.
Livingston fell into the trap and knifed the ticket,
•while the people of the proposed Sweet Grass county
elected it, thus giving them prestige and a solid rep-
resentation in both branches of the legislature, while
Livingston stood in a pretty bad political light and.
from a division standpoint, with no representation
whatever.
On Thursday, November 8 — just as sonn
as the result of the election was made known —
there was organized in Big Timber tlie Sweet
Grass County clu1), the primary object of
which organization was the formation of
Sweet Grass county. It was patent to e\-ery-
body that a determined effort was to be made
to secure the division of Park county. The
ofScers chosen were H. O. Kellogg, president :
E. C. Hale, secretary ; Harvey Bliss and J. A.
Hall, vice-presidents. These officers also com-
posed the executive committee.
The club called a convention to meet at
Big Timber on December 22 for the purpose
of drafting the Sweet Grass county bill, pre-
paring a petition for circulation among the
voters of the east side, selecting ofificers for
the proposed new county, and perfecting ar-
rangements for the campaign. The convention
was called to order in Busha & Bailey's hall
by President Kellogg of the Sweet Grass
County club. A. C. Logan, of Hunter's Hot
Springs, was selected chairman of the conven-
tion, and E. O. Clark, of McLeod, was chosen
secretary. The primaries for the selection of
delegates to this conventidu had been held in
the different precincts of the proposed new
county on December 15.
The con\-ention was very harmonious and
adopted the following resolutions without di-
vision :
Whereas. The people of the proposed county of
Sweet Grass, have for several years paid taxes to the
county of Park, largely cut of proportion to the amount
■ benefits received, either in the way of roads, pro-
tection for person or property or county bridges, and
Whereas, The established county of Park is be-
coming involved financially from year to year, and
the expenditures for the years 1893 and 1894 exceed
the revenue by $100,000, and
Whereas, The rapid accumulation of debt is
largely due to tlie mileage paid witnesses for attend-
ance at the district court and is being rapidly aug-
mented by the increased population, the propensity for
crime developed by the general financial depression,
and
V\'hereas. We. the citizens of the proposed new
county of Sweet Grass, believe that by making a
county of smaller area, the necessary mileage to be
paid witnesses would he very naturally reduced, the
road expenses would either be reduced by making bet-
ter roads for the same money, or less money for the
same roads, justice would be more easily and cheaply
obtained by the tax payer, and the prosperity of the
whole Ixidy of citizens would be increased, and
Whereas. Tlie tnxalile wealth of the proposed new-
county of Sweet Grass amounts in round numbers to
two millions of dollars, and the number of voters reg-
istered at the last election is 500, the citizens are in-
telligent, progressive and fairly prosperous, and do not
believe in taxation without representation : then be it
Resolved. That we, the representatives of the peo-
ple of the proposed county of Sweet Grass, do hereby
reaffirm our belief that by the creation of said county
we and our children would be largely benefitted in re-
duced taxation, better means of communication by
interior roads, better schools and a more upright ad-
ministration of county affairs, owing largely to our
better acquaintance one with another, and be it
further
Resolved. That we urge upon our representatives
in the legislature of the state of Montana, to do all in
their power lawfully to have the bill entitled. "A bill
for the creation of the county of Sweet Grass," en-
acted into a law. That we hereby express our confi-
dence in the ability of our representatives and hereby
ratify all that our representatives may do or cause to -be
done in the premises.
Resolved, That in the work done by the Sweet
Grass County club they have been actuated by motives
looking alone to the successful passage of the bill
creating said county. and we view with favor the reso-
lution passed by them disclaiming any claiin on any
office in the bill.
Resolved, That in order to raise a fund to be le-
gitimately used in the creation of Sweet Grass countj',
that each candidate accepting the nomination from the
convention be required to contribute a sum equal to ten
per cent of the compensation he would receive in his
despective office as salary for the first year's service,
and that the said sum is payable on or before Janu-
uary I, iSgs.
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY
Resolved, That a county central committee con-
sisting of one member from each precinct to be selected
by each respective delegation shall have power to fill
all vacancies, appoint committees, and exercise a gen-
eral supervision over afifairs connected with the creation
of the new county.
Kesolved, That the county central committee
choose from its members an executive committee to
whom shall be paid the money collected from assess-
ments and candidates, and who shall pay said money
out on orders duly signed and countersigned by the
chairman and secretary of said committee.
Resolved, That in view of the adoption of a reso-
lution at the precincts outside of Big Timber at a
caucus held on the morning of Deceml)er 22, not to
entertain nominations for office of residents of Big
Timber, this convention instructs its presiding officer
not to present the name or names of any qualified
elector of Big Timber, whose name may be mentioned
by a member of the convention, to the convention for
action.
Resolved, That should we for any cause fail to se-
cure Sweet Grass county at the fourth session of the
legislature, we maintain our organization and, regard-
less of politics, renew the fight at the election to be
held in November, 1896.
Altliougli the town of Big Timber was
eliminated as a factor in furnishing candi-
dates for ofificers for the proposed new county,
tliere was no deartli of canchihUes, and tiiere
were contests for nearly all the offices. After
much ballotting, the following were nained as
the officers for the new county who should he
named in the bill which would be presented to
the legislature : Treasurer, E. O. Clark, Mc-
Leod: sheriiif, Jake L. DeHart, East Boulder;
assessor, W. A. Harrison, Howie; clerk and
recorder. G. F. Hudson, Indejiendence; clerk
of the district court, C. X. Skillnian, McLeod ;
county attorney, Sydney Fox, Livingston; su-
perintendent of schools, L. C. Olmstead,
Blake's; coroner, W. G. Strong. Melville; pub-
lic administrator, R. B. Dunham, Big Tim-
ber; county commissioners, J. W. Bailey,
Blake's; A. C. Logan, Hunter's Hot Springs;
W. P. Franklin, Melville.
J. A. Hall was elected chairman of the
county central committee, and the f<'>llowing
gentlemen were selected for the other mem-
bers of the committee : Geo. M. Hatch. Big
Timber ; W. P. Franklin, Melville ; \V. F. Mc-
Leod, McLeod; J. \V. Bailey. Blake's; W. C.
McCall, Grey Cliff ; J. N. Kelley, Duck Creek;
G. F. Hudson, Independence; S. Jarrett,
Wright Creek; S. B. Roberts, White Beaver;
J. Lyon, Cpper Stillwater; W. L. Shanks,
Howie. On the evening of the 22nd the com-
mittee met and selected the following execu-
tive committee: J. A. Hall, chairman; Geo.
M. Hatch, secretary; G. F. Hudson, J. W.
Bailey and W. P. Franklin.
Thus organized, the friends of the pro-
posed new county set to work. A petition was
circulated, and the number of signers obtained
was beyond the highest expectations of the en-
thusiasts. Out of five hundred registered vot-
ers in the proposed limits of the new county,
457 signatures were obtained. Only five who
had been approached with the petition refused
to sign. It was estimated that the new county
would have a population of 1.500 people and
would start out with an assessed valuation of
$2,000,000.
On Monday evening, January 7, a meeting
was held at the office of Savage & Day to take
action with reference to an organization in
opposition to the dismemberment of the
county of Park. The meeting indicated a
unanimous sentiment of the people of Livings-
ton against the creation of Sweet Grass county
and a determination to make a strong effort
to defeat any legislation of that nature.
The bill for the creation of Sweet Grass
county ^\as introduced in the house January
14 by Representative William T. Collins, no-
tice of intention to introduce having been given
January 9.
At the convention A. C. I^gan, W. P.
Franklin and J. \\'. Bailey had been named
as county commissioners, and their names
were incorporated in the bill. The first two
named were Democrats, but as the legislature
was Republican, it did not see fit to start the
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
new county off with a Democratic administra-
tion, so the name of P. O. Fallang was sub-
stituted for that of Mr. Franklin.
On Tuesday, February 19, the bill was
considered in committee of tlie whole house.
The discussion was long and interesting. By
a vote of 31 to 17 the bill was favorably re-
ported. Then the committee rose, the house
resumed, and the report of the committee of
the whole was adopted.
At the evening session, the bill having been
engrossed, was read the third time and passed
by a vote of 34 to 16.
The bill was now safely through the house,
but it still had to run the gauntlet of the senate.
It was reported in that body February 20,
where it was read first and second times, and
then referred to the committee on towns, coun-
ties and highways.
Upon final vote the bill was carried by a
vote of II to 7, and so far as the legislature
■was concerned Sweet Grass county was an as-
sured fact.
This is the way the Big Timber Pioneer re-
]X)rted the receipt of the news in an extra on
March 2 :
Yesterday there were several in Big Timber who
were decidedly blue. They were blue over the delay.
Not blue because they doubted the ultimate success of
right and justice, for we believe that every man,
woman and child, with a few exceptions, in the new
county of Sweet Gra.=s had belief that the senate would
accede to their just demands. This morning the gen-
eral feeling., was brighter and at ten o'clock, when J.-
\V. BaHfv received the following message, a mighty
shout rent the air: "Carbon final passage today. Our
bill before the committee of the whole. We have got
them." Everybody yelled, hats flew in the air and a
most general feeling of gladness prevailed.
."Xt three o'clock this afternoon the news came
over the wire that Carbon county had passed the
sena.e by a safe majority and that a motion to re-
consider had been lost. The news also came that
the senate was at that lime considering Sweet Grass
county. At 3 145 came the news, "Sweet Grass passed
by a vote O'f it to 7." Then how the people yelled!
At the hour of going to press, 5 p. m.. anvils are
being fired, flags are flying and everybody is happy.
This is but a forerunner of the grand ratification meet-
nig which
will be gh
ill be held later and of which ample notice
The bill was signed by Governor Rickards
at 10:45 ^- "1- "11 Tuesday, March 5, in the
presence of State Senator Geo. M. Hatch and
wife and little daughter Judy, Mrs. O. M.
Hatch and Captain A, C. Logan. By the pro-
visions of the bill the county of Sweet Grass
came into an official existence on that date.
A monster demonstration occurred on
March 9, upon the arrival of the train fro'ii
the west bearing Senator Hatch, Captain A.
C. Logan, C. T. Busha and J. A. Hall, the
men who were largely responsible for the
forming of the county. The last three named
had been the lobby for the Ijill. Nearly the
whole town of Big Timber turned out to meet
them. Anvils were fired and cheer upon cheer
rent the air. Banners harl been prepared and
stretched across the streets. They bore in-
scriptions, "7 to II," '■^^'elc(lme." "Sweet
Grass County," etc.
The campaign had lieen a bitter one. Wa-
gers had been freely offered and as freely taken
between the people of the two sections of Park
county over the result, and quite a sum of
money changed hands.
Sweet Grass county was created with the
same liounflaries it now has and was taken
from Park. \'ellowst()ne and Meagher coun-
ties, the first named .giving up by far the larg-
est share. The boundaries are given in a
former chapter.
The act provided that Big Timber should
be the county seat of the new county, until
after the general election of November. 1896,
at which election the permanent county seat
should be selected by tiie voters. Sweet Grass
county was to be attached to, and form a part
of, the sixth judicial district. The act also
provided for the distribution of the indebted-
ness of the three counties from which the new
county had been formed and for the amount
of this that Sweet (irass coinitv sluiuld as-
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
surne ; the indebtedness to be reckoned at the
close of business on the first day of March,
1895. These several indebtednesses were to be
adjusted by having the county commissioners
meet with the county boards of the other coun-
ties as follows : Park county. March 1 1 ; Yel-
lowstone county, March 18; ?ileagher county,
April I. The amount then determined to be
due the old counties was to be settled by issu-
ing warrants.
The political machinery of the new county
of Sweet Grass was put in motion on Satur-
day, the 9th day of March. 1895, when County
Commissioners J. W. Bailey, A. C. Logan and
P. O. Fallang held an informal meeting at the
law office of A. G. Hatch. At this initial
meeting there were also present County Clerk
and Recorder G. F. Hudson and County At-
torney Sydney Fox. There were no official
proceedings at this meeting, but arrangements
were made for a special meeting to be held
March 15. The county officers established
temporary offices in the Medley building on
McLeod street.
.A.t the special meeting of the board, held
on the 15th at the office of A. G. Hatch, J.
W. Bailey was elected chairman_of tlie board.
Constables and justices of the peace were ap-
pointed for the different precincts. On the
following day the county was di\ided into
three townships, Stillwater, Melville and Big
Timber. The commissioners rented' from Mr.
Hatch a building for the use of the county of-
ficers. On the 23rd a room was rented from
W. L. Shanks for a court room at a rental of
$50 per term of court.
The matter of the adjustment of the in-
debtedness that Sweet Grass county was to
assume was early taken up. in accordance with
the provisions of the bill. In order to give a
clear understanding of the adjustments with
the several counties, we shall here reproduce
the section of the bill relating to the settlement.
That the indebtedness of the three respective
counties out of whose territory the said county of
Sweet Grass is hereby created as the same sliafi exist
at the close of business on the first day of Marcli, iiSgs.
shall be apportioned respectively between each of said
three counties and the said county of Sweet Grass by
deducting from the then existing debt of each of said
three first named counties respectively all monies be-
longing to each county, or in the possession or under
the control of each respective -county treasurer ; the
excess of value hetween the value of county buildings,
bridges, real estate or other county property that will
remain in and belong to each of said first three named
counties after the creation of Sweet Grass oounty. and
the value of county buildings, bridges, real estate and
other property, if any, that may remain in and be-
come a part of Sweet Grass county, if the greater
value belong to one of said three first named counties
respectively shall be deducted from— but if the greater
value shall belong to Sweet Grass county, shall be
added to— said indebtedness. Said values to be esti-
mated by the cost of such buildings, bridges and real
estate, as shown by the county books, depreciation at
354 per cent per annum from date of construction on
all buildings and bridges to govern such estimate of
value, and the actual value of all other property as
the same may exist on the first day of March. 1895. and
the respective remainder as to each of said first named
counties shall constitute the net debt of each for the
purpose of division, and shall be divided between each
of said three respective counties and said county of
Sweet Grass, in proportion as the taxable property of
that portion of each of said respective counties, em-
braced in the said county of Sweet Grass bears to
the entire taxable property of each county respectively
^taking as a standard therefor the assessment of
each county respectively for the year 1894 — provided
that each respective county treasurer of the said three
first named counties respectively, shall at the time of
the said adjustment of debt make out and transfer to
the county commissioner of Sweet Grass county lists
of all uncollected taxes and delinquent tax payers;
that no delinquent taxes due any of the said old
counties respectively shall be considered in said ad-
justment, but the same shall be collected by the county
treasurer of each county respectively, and when col-
lected, the pro rata share there estimated upon the
basis of adjustment aforesaid, shall be turiled over
from time to time to the treasurer of Sweet Grass
county.
The Sweet Grass and Park county boards
of ccunty commissioners held a joint session
at Livingston March 1 1 and 1 2 to eft'ect a
settlement, and the adjustment made was mu-
tually satisfactory. From the assessment
books of Park county for the year 1894 it was
found that the total valuation of all property in
the new county that hafl been taken from
Park county was $1,005,111, or 21.38 per cent
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
203
of the total assessed valuation of the whole
of Park county before the division. The
total indebtedness of Park county on
March i, 1895, was $210,520. Sweet
Grass's' 21.38 per cent of this amount was
$45,009.28. Deducting the value of county
property still left in Park county ($2,334.38),
there was left the sum of $42,774.90 as the in-
debtedness to be assumed by Sweet Grass
county.
Settlement was made with Yellowstone
county at a joint meeting- of the Ixiards at
Billings on March 18. It was agreed that
Sweet Grass county should assume $6,857.32
of the indebtedness of Yellowstone county in
addition to $750 for property and bridges and
$52.68 as the new county's proportion of war-
rants outstanding, making the total indel^ted-
ness acquired from Yellowstone county $7,660.
On the first of April Commissioners Bailey
and Logan met with the Meagher county com-
missioners at \\'hite Sulphur Springs, at
which time a satisfactory settlement was made.
It was found that the assessed \-aluation of
that part of the old county that was cut ofif for
Sweet Grass county amounted to $216,000.
For this territorv Sweet Grass county assumed
$7,508.77 of the deljt of tlie old cnunty.
This made a total of $57,943.67 assumed
by the young county as a heritage. Warrants
for these amounts were drawn on Friday, June
7, 1895.
The county's first assessment — that of
1895 — showed the assessed valuation of the
county to he $1,743,541, as equalized by the
state board. F(jll<jwing was the result of the
assessment as taken by the county assessor :
Real estate and improvements $526,113
City and town lots and improvements 169,474
Telegraph lines 13.000
Telephone lines i.450
Irrigating ditches 9-^31
Depots, etc 6,125
Personal property 650,950
Total $1,376,943
To the above figures should be added
$123,361, the assessed value of railroad lands
in the county.
In 1896 Park county brought suit against
Sweet Grass county for the collection of $i,-
009.96, interest on the $42,774.90 for which
the young county had given its warrant. In
August of that year Judge b>ank Henry de-
cided in favor of Sweet Grass county. Park
county appealed, and in April, 1897, the su-
preme court handed down a decision reversing
the lower court, and Sweet Grass county had
that additional sum to pay.
The assessment of 1896 showed a total
assessed valuation of $1.978,295 — quite an in-
crease over the year before. According to the
figures of this assessment there were in the
county the following live stock : 249,295 sheep,
1,211 work horses, 1,405 range horses, 7,851
stock cattle, 651 cows, 518 hogs.
Under the provisions of the enabling act
Big Timber was to be the county seat of the
county until after the general election of No-
vember, 1896, at which time the electors
should select the jjermanent county seat. As
Big Timber was the only town of any size in
the county at the time there was no opposition
to that place at the election, although a few
votes were cast for a number of other places.
Big Timber received 321 votes, Melville 25,
and the other \-otes were scattered among the
different localities in the county.
The new county gained slowly Init steadily
in assessed valuations during the late nineties.
The assessment for 1898 was $2,277,734.60,
and on September 6th of that year the county
commissioners raised the county to the seventh
class.
According to the federal census of 1900
the population was 3,086. At that time there
were only three counties in the state with
smaller population — Broadwater, Meagher,
and Dawson.
Wdien S\\eet Grass count v came into ex-
204
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
istence the country on the upper Boulder river
had not been surveyed, and, therefore, the lo-
cation of the boundary line between the new
county and Park county in that vicinity was
uncertain. It was generally supposed, how-
ever, that tlie line as defined in the act followed
somewhere near the watershed on the west side
of the Boulder, but the survey which followed
located the line along the stream lx)ttom, some-
times on one side of the river and sometimes
on the other. This was a very unsatisfactory
condition and worked a hardship on the mine
owners and others in the upper Boulder coun-
ty. The wagon road to the Boulder camp neces-
sarily followed the meanderings of the stream
and was in both counties, the greater portion of
the road on the southern end being in Park
county. Much dufficulty was encountered in
keeping the road in fit condition, and it was the
general belief that if the road was thrown
wholly in one county or the other the commis-
sioners of that county would see that it was im-
]ir(i\-ed and kept in such condition as the neces-
sities of the mining camp warranted. As it was,
it was hard to determine just what portions of
the road were in the respective counties and
just where each county officer should perform
work. The mix-up resulted in poor roads in
that section.
To'rernedy this defect, and at the same
time to secure a slice of territory, the people
of Park county interested themselves in the
fnrmation of a bill to be presented to the legis-
lature of 1901, asking that the boundary line
in that vicinity be changed so as to follow the
crest of the mountain range that lies on the
east side of the Boulder. At first there was
no objection from the people of Sweet Grass
county who considered that the measure was a
meritorous one. But when the bill made its ap-
pearance and it was found that (|uite a gener-
ous slice of territory went with the road there
Mas strenuous objections made by the people
of Sweet Grass countv. .\ mass meetins: was
held at Big Timber, and the following set of
resolutions was adopted and sent to the legis-
lature :
To J. N. Kelly, senator, and Robert Brownlce. repre-
sentative, Helena, Montana :
We, the citizens of Sweet Grass county, Montana,
in mass meeting assembled, do protest against any
change in our boundary line as at present constituted
between Park and Sweet Grass counties for the pur-
pose of correcting wagon roads.
We can see no necessity for such change. The
fact of a wagon road laying along the line partly in
one county and partly in another does not afford more
e.xcuse for change than does a bridge mutually owned
by two counties across a boundary stream of water.
The county commissioners of the respective coun-
ties can readily adjust between the counties the ex-
pense of maintaining such a road, as they do of
bridges in many counties.
We further hold that the natural and only outlet
for the entire Boulder country is Sweet Grass county,
and that any change in the boundary of the county
should be to the west of the main Boulder river,
thereby throwing the main Boulder in Sweet Grass
county.
We request that you use every effort to defeat
any bill that may he introduced that would take from
us any part of our county or of said Boulder river.
Dated February 16, 1901.
Through the efYorts of Sweet Grass coun-
ty's representati\es the bill was killerl. The
matter of straightning the line between the two
counties was taken up at the next session of
the legislature, and this time by the Sweet
Grass county memljers, who asked that the line
be placed to the west of the Boulder. Rep-
resentative Brownlee introduced the bill in the
house, and the committee to which it was re-
ferred reported it favorably. Later, however,
it was recommitted to the committee in order
to give the Park county representatives an
opportunity to be heard on the question. By
the terms of a conference between the Park
and Sweet Grass county representatives Mr.
Brownlee witlidrew his bill in consideration of
the fact that all parties to the conference
should agree to assist in killing all county di-
vision bills at that session. So the matter has
rested, and the original boundary lines of
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY
Sweet Grass count)- have never been disturbed.
Tliere has been ver}' rapid progress in
v.-ealth and prosperity during the last few
years. The assessed vakiatirm was $2,913,653
for 1905. while in 1906 it had advanced to $3,-
262,932. That year the total nuniljer of acres
as,sessed, other than town lots, was 592,197, at
an assessed valuation of $1,371,917. Town
property was assessed at $230,953 ; personal
property at $1,611,646; and the railroads as
equalized by the county commissioners and the
state board, $914,366. The total amount of
taxes to have been collected for the year 1906
was $90,794.77, or about $30 for each man.
woman and child in the county. Of this sum
the treasurer's books showed that only $880 re-
mained delinquent, making Sweet Grass coun-
ty in the banner list of the state.
Early in the year 1907 Sweet Grass county
was called upon to make a fight for the pres-
ervation of its territory. This was caused by
an efifort to create the county of Roosevelt out
of portions of Yellowstone, Sweet Grass and
Carbon counties. The bill ft;)r the creation of
this county was introduced by Senator Annin,
of Columbus, Yellowstone county, February
13. In the bill Columbus was named as the
county seat, and it was provided that the new
county should be attached to the sixtli judicial
district.
A generous slice of this new county was
to have come from Sweet Grass county ( 508,-
800 acres), e.xtending along the whole eastern
side of the county.
Sweet (irass county people naturally
fought the dismemberment. A mass meeting
was held at the court house in Big Timbe.
Saturday e\ening, February 9, to discuss the
matter and to organize to fight the bill. There
were present people from all parts of the coun-
ty. A. G. Hatch called the meeting to order
and E. O. Clark was elected chairman. The
question was discussed in all its details, and
the sentiment was unanimous that the bill
should be defeated. Two committees were
appointed — one to circulate petitions and ob-
tain statistics, and the other to solicit funds to
carry on the campaign.
A lobby against the bill was sent to Helena.
February 19 there was a hearing before the
senate committee on towns and counties and
arguments were heard from both sides of the
question. Later the committee Ireporteil
against the bill, but Senator Annin was suc-
cessful in getting the bill printed. That was
the last heard of the bill, and on March 8 the
legislature adjourned without taking further
action.
CHAPTER III
POLITICAL.
One of the arguments put forth by the
people of the east side of Park county when
the matter of the formation of the new county
of Sweet Grass was being discussed was that
they were being taxed without having repre-
sentation in the government of the county. The
point seems to have been well taken, for we
find that when the new county was finally
created in March, 1895, although the parent
county had given up fifty per cent of its area
and thirty per cent of its taxable wealth
to the new county, not a single office
holder of Park county was legislated out
of office by reason of his place of residence;
there was not a single Park county ofifice holder
in the east half of the county. Yellowstone
2o6
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
Lounty, on tlie other liaiul, although it gave
of its territory only about three per cent to the
new county, lost one of its comniissionerj,
whose home was within the boundaries of this
three per cent segregation.
The first officers of Sweet Grass county
were selected prior to the formation of the
county in a mass convention, attended by all
citizens regardless of party politics. The
names of the men so selected were embodied
in the enabling act, and with the exception of
one change they became the first officers of the
new county. These officers were mentioned in
the preceding chapter.
Xow the constitution of the state of !Mon-
tana provides for the filling of vacancies in the
board of county commissioners by appointment
by the judge of the district court and of other
officers by appointment by the county commis-
sioners, so after the bill had become a law, the
question was raised as to the constitutionaHty
of that part of the act that named the county
officers. The matter was taken up to Attorney
General Haskell, who held that this section of
the constitution applied to the officers of new
counties where no provision had been made
for their selection by election. To remedy this
alleged defect. Judge Henry, on Monday,
March ii, appointed to the offices of county
commissioners the men \\-ho had been named in
the bill. The county commissioners in turn
appointed to the other county offices the men
who had been selected and named in the act
creating the county. Thus everything was
arranged to the liking of the lawyers, and the
men above named served until their successors,
elected in November, 1896, had qualified.
The first political convention held in Sweet
Grass county convened at Big Timber May
9, 1896, when the Republicans selected dele-
gates to the state convention at Butte to select
delegates to the national convention which
nominated William McKinley for the presi-
dency. The Sweet Grass county delegates
chosen were J. E. Barbour, R. B. Briggs, J.
X. Kelly and C. T. Busha, with Walter Ait-
ken and M. W. Hatch delegates at large.
The Democrats met at Big Timber June 13
and chose deligates to the Butte state con-
vention, which in turn named Montana's dele-
gates to the national convention that nomi-
nated William Jennings Bryan to the presi-
dency. The delegates chosen were Harvey
Bliss, Jake L. DeHart, W. A. Harrison and
Sydney Fox.
The Republican nominating convention
was held at Big Timber September 5. J. X.
Kelly was chosen chairman of the convention ;
P. L. \'anCleve was temporary secretary, and
E. ^1. Hall was permanent secretary. There
were contests for nearly all the offices. The
convention declaredrin favor of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver, in direct opposi-
tion to the Republican national platform.
Delegates chosen to the state convention,
which nominated the state ticket, were as fol-
lows : R. B. Briggs, C. T. Busha, R. M. Fry.
Chas. McDonnell, W. E. Youmans and P. L.
\'anCleve.
There was a bad split in the Republican
party over the question of silver, and some of
the members of that party in Sweet Grass
county determined to put a separate ticket in
the field. Some of the leaders of that faction
gave notice of the bolt as follows :
Those Republicans who favor the free and unlim-
ited coinage of silver by the United States, without
waiting the consent of any other nation on earth, and
who are refused representation on the ticket recently
presented to the electors of Sweet Grass county by
the gold-bug element of Sweet Grass county, are re-
quested to meet on Saturday, the 12th day of Sep-
tember, 1896, at ten o'clock a. m., at the office of O.
M. Lanphear, Esq., in the town of Big Timber, for
the purpose of considering the advisability of putting
a silver Republican ticket in the field.
Henry Nicholson,
John M. Dodge,
A. G. Hatch,
L. F. DOUTHETT,
William M. iRvaNE.
Sidney Sanner,
Committee.
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
207
The silver Republicans met on the 12th and
decided to nominate a joint ticket with the
Democrats.
The Democratic nominating convention
met in Big Timber on the same da}-. A. C.
Logan was made chairman and W. A. Moore
secretary of the temporary organization, and
a committee was named to confer with the
silver Republicans with the object of accom-
plishing fusion. In the permanent organiza-
tion Harvey Bliss was made chairman and W.
A. Moore secretary. The conference commit-
tee reported that the silver Republicans would
unite with the Democrats and work for the
interest of the whole ticket if the new party
were given the naming of the officers for
representative, clerk and recorder, clerk of the
district court, one county commissioner and
superintendent of schools. The Democrats
acceded to these demands, and proceeded to
the nomination of the other officers. The
ticket was named without many contests. The
convention declared for free silver.
For the first election the county commis-
sioners, on September 8, created the following
election precincts, named the polling places and
judges of election:
Big Timber — Buslia & Bailey's hall. T. T.
Prather, C. T. Busha, T. K. Lee, X. Budd, S.
-A. Perrine.
Grace Park — Logan's ranch. A. C.
Logan, Chas. Meigs. E. C. Baxter.
Szeaiii/^ Creek — Swamp Creek school
house. A. Anderson, John B. ^Morris, W. E.
Youmans.
M cLeo J— UcLeod school house. G. B.
Loasby, Frank McLeod, George Muncaster.
Gillette — Toolhurst's ranch. Branson De-
Hart, Jas. Reed, John K. Davis.
Boulder — Perkins' ranch. \Vm. Perkins,
Adam Troutman, Jake IMiller.
Upper Stilkcatcr — Jeff Balenger's ranch,
\\'. H. Hibbert, W. H. Balenger, G. D.
Pretton.
Loieer Stillzcater — \\'. E. Anderson's
ranch. W. E. Anderson, Thos. Flanagan, Ed.
Buck.
Merrill— Mathew Miller's ranch. Olof
Lavorsen, F. A. Austen, Jacob Kroft.
Reeds Point — ^^Reeds Point school house.
A. T. Irwin, Jos. Lay, P. L. Hicks.
Grey Cliff — Grey Cliff school house. W.
L. Shanks, J. M. Wadsworth, Richard
Cosgriff.
Sweet Grass — School house. B. L. Ryan,
Eric Solbcrg, I'rcd I'.artels.
Mehille — Melville hotel. Kerschel Frank-
lin, C. P. Thompson, John R}e.
Fish Creek — R. Andrews' ranch. Robt.
McClatchie, J. C. Farrington, Robert Andrews.
A III erica II Fork — Parberry's ranch. A. E.
Hopkins, Joe Shutz, Ed. Vesey.
Jarrett — Jarrett school house. C. W.
W'estfall, Spencer Jarrett, John Fryer.
The campaign preceding the election of
November 3, 1896, was an exciting one, ow-
ing to the excitement over the free silver ques-
tion and the breaking up, to a greater or less
extent, of party lines. The free silver advo-
cates carried the count}' for Mr. Bryan for
president by a plurality of six votes out of a
total of about six hundred. The Republican
candidate for congressman carried the county
by 12 votes, wdiile the Republican candidate
for governor had a plurality of 116. On the
countv ticket where there were contests the
fusionists elected their candidates for senator,
one commissioner, county attorney, sheriff,
assessor and superintendent of schools ; the Re-
publicans elected representative, clerk of the
district court, two commissioners, clerk and
recorder and treasurer. Following was the
official vote :
Presidential electors — Democratic, 298 ;
Republican, 292; Prohibitionist, i.
Congressman — rChas. S. Hartman, sil.
rep., 261 ; O. F. Goddard, rep., 273.
Governor — Robt. B. Smith, dem. and sil.
2o8
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
rep., 2^2; Alexander C. Botkin, rep., 348.
Senator — William J. Hannah, dem. and
sil. rep., 317; C. T. Busha, rep., 2j'/.
Representative — John M. Dodge, dem. and
sil. rep., 226; J. N. Kelly^, rep., 316.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — Frank
Henry, rep. and sil. rep., 491.
Clerk District Court — Sydney Sanner,
dem. and sil. rep., 211; C. N. Skillman, rep.,
369-
County Commissioners — Thomas Flana-
gan, dem. and sil. rep., 357 ; Henry Nicholson,
dem. and sil. rep., 276; William Nelson, dem.
and sil. rep., 217; J. W. Bailey, rep., 366;
Matthew :\Iiller, rep., 216; R. J. McConnell,
rep., 303-
County Attorney — Sidney Fox, dem. and
sil. rep., 389; E. M. Hall, rep., 209.
Clerk and Recorder — Geo. F. Hudson,
dem. and sil. rep., 292; J. H. Moore, rep., 304.
Sheriff — Jake L. De Hart, dem. and sil.
rep., 342; B. F. Lamb, rep., 272.
Treasurer — Thomas K. Lee, dem. and sil.
rep., 291 ; E. O. Clark, rep., 311.
Assessor — W'aborn A. Harrison, dem. and
sil. rep., 307; B. O. Forsythe, rep., 283; Fred
Tritinger, 10.
Public Administrator — E. C. Hale, rep.,
376; Lige Fowler, i.
Coroner — Harvey Bliss, 2 ; Phil Crossing,
I ; Geo. Muncaster, 4; Thos. K. Tolhurst, i.
Superintendent of Schools — Bessie H.
Marieless, dem. and sil. rep., 372; L. C, 01m-
stead, rep., 213.
Surveyor — D. J. Walvoord, rep., 324; Sol.
Craft, i; John F. Simmons, i.
Fusion between the Democrats and Silver
Republicans was attempted again in 1898, but
was not accomplished, and all three parties had
tickets in the field. Some candidates of the
Democrats and Republicans were endorsed
by the Silver Republican party, but there was
no fusion, in the general acceptance of the
term. The Republicans were generally suc-
cessful, electing the whole ticket, with the ex-
ception of the nominees for treasurer and sur-
veyor. There were 620 ballots cast at this
election, about the same as at the preceding
election. Following was the official vote;
Congressman Thomas C. Marshall, rep.,
324; Albert J. Campbell, dem., 189; Thos. S.
Hogan, sil. rep. and pp., 51.
Representative — W. W. Beasley, rep.,
317; W. P. Franklin, dem. 196; L. F. Dou-
thett, sil. rep.. 79.
Sheriff' — A. T. Kellogg, rep. and sil. rep.,
310; J. L. De Hart, dem. 293.
Treasurer — A. Whitney, rep., 288 ; A. E.
Snook, sil. rep. and dem., 307.
Clerk and Recorder — John H. Moore, rep.
and sil. rep., 498; Peter Wormser, i.
County Attorney — E. M. Hall, rep., 342;
Sidney Sanner, dem., 155; A. G. Hatch, sil.
rep., 90.
Assessor — C. O. Hathaway, rep., 289;
John Prutting, ileni., 99; O. M. Lanphear, sil.
rep., 184.
Superintendent of Schools — Eva L. Dana,
rep. and sil. rep., 342 ; Mary Frawley, dem.,
254-
Surveyor — D. J. Walvoor, rep. and sil.
rep., 253; Solomon J. Craft, dem., 313.
Coroner — Albert Stubblefield, dem., 12;
Scattering, 10.
Public Administrator — A. G. Yule, rep.,
358.
J. W. Bailey, w^ho had been elected county
commissioner in 1896, resigned the office July
16, 1900, and Judge Henry appointed New-
ton Budd to fill the unexpired term. Mr. Budd
resigned the following spring and J. A. Hall
was appointed to the place. W. J. Hannah
was also appointed to fill a vacancy as county
commissioner in September, 1901, and served
a short time.
The election of November 6, 1900, was a
hotly contested affair, resulting in a victory for
the Republicans. The Silver Republicans ele-
ment did not put a ticket in the field this year,
and the contest was fought out between the
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
209
Democrats and Republicans. Four years be-
fore Mr. Bryan had carried the county; now
Rlr. McKinley had a big majority, as did the
other Repubhcan candidates for state offices.
The Democrats carried the county for their can-
didate for district judge and elected the clerk
of the district court antl superintendent of
schools. There was a gain of 154 votes in the
number cast — 774 being the total vote. Fol-
lowing is the result of the 1900 election as of-
ficially canvassed by the board of county com-
missioners :
Presidential Electors — Republican 460;
Democratic, 287; Prohibitionist, i.
Congressman — S. G. Murray, rep., 447;
Cardwell Edwards, dem.. lab. and pp., 276;
C. F. Kelly, ind. dem., 8; .Martin J. Elliott,
soc. dem., o.
Governor — D. E. Folsom, rep., 435 ; J. K.
Toole, dem., pp. and lab., 305 ; T. S. Hogan,
ind. dem., 12; J. F. Fox, soc. dem., i.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — W. H.
Poorman, rep., 361 ; Frank Henry, dem., ind.
dem., lab. and pp., 393.
Senator — J. N. Kelly, rep., 452; W. J.
Hannah, dem., 304.
Representative — Jake L. De Hart, dem.,
345; Robert Brownlee. rep., 418: W. W. Beas-
ley, ind., 8.
Sheriff — Oscar Fallang, rep., 390; Thos.
K. Lee, dem., 384.
Clerk and Recorder — J. H. Moore, rep.,
409; M. S. Bryant, dem., 362.
Clerk District Court— B. F. Mjelde, dem.,
387; C. N. Skillman, rep., 370.
Treasurer — \V. A. Harrison, dem., 298:
J. W. Geiger, rep., 460.
County Attorney — A. G. Hatch, dem..
358; E. M. Hall, rep., 400.
Surveyer — D. J. Walvoord. rep., 493; S.J.
Craft, dem., 13.
Superintendent of Schools — Stellah Wal-
ker, dem., 402; Edith Marieless, rep., 361.
County Commissioners — Francis Irwin,
rep., 379; O. B. Nevin, rep., 456; R. J. Mc-
Connell, rep., 454; Harvey Bliss, dem., 358;
Peter ^Michaels, dem., 351; C. P. Thompson,
dem., 231.
Assessor — C. O. Hathaway, rep., 528;
Albert Haak, dem., 230.
Public Administrator — A. G. Yule, rep.,.
The general election of November 4, 1902,.
resulted in a complete victory for the Repub-
licans, that party electing every candidate on
its ticket. This was the first election in the
county at which the dominant party had car-
ried the ticket from topi to bottom. There was
a falling off of the vote, the highest number of
votes cast for any one office being 631. Never
in the political history of the county had there
been so many "split" tickets. The offivcial
vote :
Congressman — J. M. Dixon, rep., 376;
John M. Evans, dem., 200; Geo. B. Sproule,
soc, 5; Martin Dee, lab. and pp., 7.
Representatives — Robert Brownlee, rep.,
393 ; E. H. Cowles, dem., 224.
Sheriff' — O. A. Fallang, rep., 435 ; Geo.
M. Briner, dem., 196.
Treasurer — J. W. Geiger, rep., 389; Chas.
A. Bailey, dem., 239.
Clerk and Recorder — Harry Allen, rep.,
319; J. W. Cochran, dem., 311.
Assessor — Ralph Jarrett, rep., 340; Pros-
per Tessier, dem., 283.
County Attorney — E. M. Hall, rep., 316;
A. G. Hatch, dem., 309.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. S. G.
Webster, rep., 353: Rose Maupin, dem., 276.
Surveyor — D. J. Walvoord, rep., 366; S.
J. Craft, dem., 239.
Senator J. N. Kelly resigned in the spring
of 1903 to accept the office of receiver of the
Bozeman land office, and on April 30th Gov-
ernor Toole issued a proclamation calling for
a special election in Sweet Grass county to
elect a successor. May i6th was the date set
for the election. The Republicans nominated
J. W. Bailey and the Democrats W. P. Frank-
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
lin. The vote was : J. W. Bailey, 272 ; W. P.
Franklin, 100.
B. F. Mjelde resigned the office of clerk
of the district court in the summer of 1903
and on August 5th of that year the county
commissioners appointed Harvey C. Pound to
fill the unexpired term.
Seven hundred and eighty-six votes were
cast at the general presidential election
November 8, 1904, the largest number that
had ever before been cast in the county. Again
were the Republicans successful in electing
every candidate on the county ticket. Theo-
dore Roosevelt carried the county for president
over Judge Alton B. Parker by a vote of 538
to 174, and the Republican candidates on the
state ticket carried the county by nearly as
large a vote. Following is the vote at this
election :
Presidential Electors — Republican, 538 ;
Democratic and Labor, 1 74 ; Peoples party, i ;
Socialist, 48; Socialist Labor, o; Prohibition, 2.
Congressman — Jos. M. Dixon, rep., 533 ;
Austin C. Gormley, dem., lab. and pp., 185;
John H. Walch, soc, 43.
Governor — William Lindsay, rep., 477;
Jos. K. Toole dem., ,lab. and pp., 261 ; ^Lilcom
G. O'Malley, soc, 40.
Judge Sixth Judicial District — Frank
Henry, rep., 605.
Senator— Chas. McDonnell, rep., 420; W.
L. Martin, dem., 325; W. J. Knapp, soc, 35.
Representative — Benjamin O. Forsythe
rep.. 434: Herman Utermohle, dem., 296.
Thomas B. Breedlove, soc, 36.
Treasurer— Dick Budd, rep., 618; M. N.
Olmstead, soc, 49.
Sheriff— Oscar A. Fallang, rep., 473;
Henry Schrader, dem., 248; Frank Schaefer,
soc, 65.
Clerk and Recorder— Harry C. Allen, rep.,
566; A. E. Walker, dem., 188.
Assessor— Ralph S. Jarrett, rep., 516;
Geo. Munroe. dem., 227; J. :M. Dunbar, soc,
32-
County Attorney — John E. Barbour, rep.,
434; H. A. Hatch, dem., 316.
Surveyor — Derk J. Walvoord, rep., 532.
Superintendent of Schools — Alice Web-
ster, rep., 452; Mattie Smoot, dem., 314.
Clerk District Court — Harvey C. Pound,
rep., 443; John H. Ammerman, dem., 286;
L. C. Bade, soc, 34.
Under the new law the nominations for
county offices were made at a primary election
held September 4, 1906. The result of the
Republican election was as follows :
Representative — Robert Brownlee, 311; B.
O. Forsythe, 284.
Sheriff— O. A. Fallang, 292 ; H. M. Lamb,
260.
Treasurer — Dick Budd, 587.
Clerk and Recorder — H. C. Allen, 499;
F. O. Maerdian, 131.
Assessor — Ralph Jarrett, 259; J. W.
Davis, 248; E. L. Patterson, 122.
County Attorney — J. E. Barbour, 331 ; J
T. Vaughan, 305.
Superintendent of Schools — Alary R.
Deegan, 383 ; May Baxter Vestal, 243.
Surveyor — D. J. Walvoord, 567.
County Commissioner (two year term) —
H. O. Kellogg, 294; Jos. Kern, 214; B. O.
Hollopeter, 97.
County Commissioner (four year term) —
John Rye, 522.
County Commissioner (six year term) —
Geo. Loasby, 447.
The Democrats, believing that there was
very little hope for any ticket they might name
and not desiring to go through the expense of
two campaignis for one election, did not attend
the primary election in any numbers. There
were a few votes cast, however, for nominees
on the Democratic ticket, many of them being
for Republicans. The result of this election,
as canvassed by the board of county commis-
sioners was as follows: Representative,
Robt. Brownlee; treasurer, Dick Budd; clerk
and recorder, H. C. Allen; assessor, R. S. Jar-
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
rett; county attorney, John T. Vaug-han; su-
perintendent of schools, M. B. Vestal; sur-
veyor, D. J. Walvoord ; commissioner (two
year term), Theo. Olson; commissioner (four
year term), Jos. Lay; commissioner (six year
term), Henry Nicholson. There were ties on
the vote cast for some of the offices and these
were decided bj' lot by the board. For the of-
fice of representative Robt. Browmlee and Geo.
W. Baker received the same number of votes,
and the former was declared the nominee by
the board. For county commissioner, two
year term, Theo. T. Olson and Jos. Kern were
tied, and the former was selected by lot. Some
of the candidates named by the Democrats re-
signed and others were named by the central
committee.
When the general election was held in No-
vember there was opposition to the Republi-
can ticket only for four offices — representative,
county attorney and two commissioners. The
result was a falling off in the vote, only 586
votes being cast. The Republican ticket was
elected without a break, although the result
was close on one of the commissioners. Fol-
lowing was the official vote :
Congressman — Chas. N. Pray, rep., 403;
Thos. J. Walsh, dem. and lab., 152 ; John Hud-
son, soc, 22 ; J. H. Calderhead, pp., o.
Representative — Robert Brownlee, rep.,
407; Geo. W. Baker, dem., 154.
Sheriff— O. A. Fallang, rep., 498.
Treasurer — Dick Budd, rep. and dem.,
528.
Clerk and Recorder — Harry C. Allen, rep.
and dem., 534.
Assessor — Ralph S. Jarrett, rep. and dem.,
SSI-
County Attorney — John E. Barbour, rep.,
309 ; A. G. Hatch, dem., 277.
Superintendent of Schools — Mary R.
Deegan, rep., 467.
Surveyor — Derk J. Walvoord, rep. and
dem., 487.
County Commissioner (two year term) —
H. O. Kellogg, rep., 301; Theo. T. Olson,
dem., 243.
County Commissioner (four year term)^
John Rye, rep., 425.
County Commissioner (six year term) —
Geo. A. Loasby, rep., 281 ; Henry Nicholson.
dem., 277.
Coroner — IMulkern, rep., 44.
CHAPTER IV
DESCRIPTIVE.
Sweet Grass county, Montana, is located
in the south central part of the state, its south-
ern boundary being only about ten miles from
the Wyoming line. It is about eighty miles
in length from north to south — and its great-
est width is a little less than fifty miles.
On the north lies Meagher county ; to the east
is Yellowstone county; Carbon county is on
the southeast, separated by the Stillwater
river ; Park county bounds Sweet Grass on the
south and west.
The area of Sweet Grass county is 2,887
square miles, and the altitude ranges from
4,000 to 11,000 feet above the sea level. Of
this area a rough estimate would place about
one-half in the class designated as valley and
bench lands; the remainder consists of moun-
tain ranges and forests. Of' the latter 570
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
square miles are included in the Yellowstone
forest reserve and 90 square miles in the
Crazy mountain reserve. There are, perhaps,
five or six hundred square miles of the area
of Sweet Grass county that can be irrigated,
while the rest is grazing land. While there
is that much that can be used for irrigated
farm purposes, less than one-tenth of that
amount of land is under water today. The
remaining acres are still waiting for the ap-
plication of work and water to make them pro-
ductive and profitable to their owners.
Within the county of Sweet Grass are
rugged mountains and sheltered valleys, many
rivers and creeks, deep canyons, great forests,
a land of sunshine and shadow and peaceful
homes. The summers are cool and delightful,
and the winters are exceedingly mild and com-
paratively free from severe storms. The air
is pure and invigorating; the scenery grand.
Here are opportunities for those who are seek-
ing homes in one of the best countries in these
United States. And Sweet Grass county has
a population of about 3,500 people!
In the northwestern part of the county is
the Crazy range of mountains with their per-
petual snow covered peaks, from which rise
the streams that flow into the Yellowstone
from the north. There are many high peaks
in these mountains within the borders of Sweet
Grass county. Among these are Crazy Peak
on the western boundary line of the county,
raising its snow covered head to an elevation
of 11,194 feet above the sea level; Fairview
Peak, also on the western boundary line ; Cin-
namon Peak in the extreme northwestern cor-
ner ; and Porcupine Butte, in the northwestern
part of the county, which has an elevation of
6,970 feet. In the southern part of the county
are the Absaroka range of mountains, not less
lofty and awe-inspiring than the Crazies.
Mount Douglas is the highest mountain peak
of this range in Sweet Grass county ; its eleva-
tion is 11,300 feet.
Sweet Grass is one of the best watered
counties in ^Montana. The Yellowstone river,
flowing from west to east, divides the county
into two nearly equal parts. Flowing into the
Yellowstone from both the north and south
sides are no less than fifteen or twenty import-
ant creeks, which, with their tributaries, form
a perfect network over the county, furnishing
the elixir of life to vegetation in erevry por-
tion thereof.
On the south the county is hemmed in by
spurs of the Rocky mountains, from whose
snow-capped summits come many important
tributaries of the Yellowstone. The farthest
west of these is Wright creek, in the valley of
which some of the earliest settlers took up
residences. A little to the east of Wright creek
is Prather creek. Then comes the Big Boulder
river, or creek, one of the most important
streams of the county. Its principal tributaries
are the West Boulder, East Boulder and Bahel
creek. Some sixty miles from the point wdiere
this stream flows into the Yellowstone at the
town of Big Timber a little spring bubbles out
of the ground, and this is the commencement
of the Boulder river. This is in the extreme
southern part of the county, away up in the
mountains which cover the whole of that part
of the county. The journey from that point
to the mouth is an ever shifting panorama of
beauty. Surrounding the upper valley are the
giant peaks standing guard over the untold
mineral wealth buried there ; down in the lower
valley are the happy homes and highly de-
veloped ranches of the men and women who
have builded.
The power that could be generated along
this stream is incomprehensible, and were it
properly harnessed to modern machinery it
would produce sufficient electricity to run
many mills and factories, besides furnishing
light and heat for a large city — and that with-
out in the least interfering with either present
or prospective diversion of water for irriga-
tion purposes.
Twentv-eight miles above the mouth of
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY
213
Boulder river are the Natural bridge and the
Natural bridge falls, where the waters of the
river fall a distance of about one hundred feet.
The Natural bridge is a limestone formation
over the river at the head of the falls, it having
been carved out by the action of the water.
At the ordinary stage of the river the water
goes under this bridge, but in high water the
river flows over the bridge.
Continuing east from the Boulder we find
these other streams coming into the Yellow-
stone from the south : Upper Deer, Lower
Deer, Bridger, Work, Hump, Whistle, Section
House Gulch, Countryman, which is formed
by North Fork, South Fork and numerous
other creeks, and then the Stillwater river,
which forms the southeastern boundary of the
county.
Flowing into the Stillwater from the Sweet
Grass county side are the following creeks :
Buck, Jackson, Cow, Spring, Trout, Bad Can-
yon, West Fork of the Stillwater and others.
Equally well watered is the northern half
of the county. From the perpetual snow fields
among the lofty peaks of the Crazy moun-
tains come down numerous babbling creeks,
traversing the whole of 'the northern part of
the county and furnishing abundance of water
during- the irrigating season. Farthest to the
west is the historic Duck creek, upon the banks
of which located the first white settler of
Sweet Grass county. There are three principal
forks to • this creek. Next to Duck creek is
the Little Timber, with east and west forks and
other tributaries. White Tail creek lies to the
east of this.
The next stream of importance is Big
Timber creek, which rises in the Crazy moun-
tains just outside of Sweet Grass county,
flows in a southeasterly direction, and empties
into the Yellowstone opposite the town of Big
Timber. Its principal tributaries are Swamp
creek. South Fork, De\il creek, Amtong creek
and Hailstone creek. Otter creek empties into
the Yellowstone a short distance east of Big
Timber, and with its branches drains a large
territory. Its most important branches are
Ten-Mile creek, Wheeler creek and the North
and South Forks.
One of the most important streams flow-
ing into the Yellowstone from the north is
Sweet Grass ri\'er, or creek, which has its
source in the Crazies §t a point twenty-five
miles north and west of Big Timber, flows in
a southeasterly direction, forming almost a
half circle, and debouches into the Yellowstone
at a point about twelve miles east of the
mouth of the Big Timber. Its tributaries are
the East Fork, Cayuse creek and Scofield
creek. To the east of this river is White
Beaver creek,, which has a large tributary in the
West Fork.
The Musselshell river touches the county
on the northeast corner, and the extreme north-
ern and northeastern part of the county is
drained by creeks which flow into that river.
One of these is Big Elk creek, which flows
across the extreme northwestern corner. Lebo
creek and American Fork are two important
streams which drain the northern part of the
county and empty into the Musselshell. Other
important creeks in the northern and north-
eastern part of the county flowing into the
Musselshell are Fish creek with numerous trib-
utaries, Mud creek and Big Coulee creek.
Now let us consider the relation these num-
erous streams bear to the prosperity of Sweet
Grass county. Anyone at all conversant with
the nature of the soil of the arid west and the
scarcity of rainfall realizes the value of moun-
tain streams. While the plainsman regards
the mountains as representing so much waste
land, the western farmer knows that they are
the very fountain head of his wealth and
prosperity. These mountains conserve the
water supply until the heat of the long
summer days melt the snow, which has
been held in storage in the higher ranges, at
a time when it is needed by the farmer to
moisten his crops. While there is some "dry
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
land farming" carried on in Sweet Grass coun-
ty, it is the exception rather than tlie rule.
The principal crops of the dry farms are winter
wheat and rye.
Because of the splendid distribution of
water and the ease with which this water can
be diverted from the streams, owing to the
natural slope of the land, hundreds of canals
now tap the sources of supply and carry the
water to every portion of the numerous val-
leys. As a result many thousands of acres of
arid land, which in days gone by were consid-
ered worthless, have been reclaimed from their
desert state and now produce crops of grain
and grasses that are unsurpassed in quality and
quantity anywhere on earth.
The farming lands of Sweet Grass county
are, of course, in the valleys of the streams,
and nearly all of these valleys are highly pro-
ductive. It shall be our purpose now to de-
scribe some of the most important of these
agricultural areas.
The Yellowstone valley extends across the
county from west to east, and its length in
Sweet Grass county is about fifty-five miles;
its average width about two miles. There are
many fine farms in the valley.
The Boulder river valley is one of the best
known and most prosperous in the county, and
has been described as the "Garden Spot of
Sweet Grass County." In fertility of soil and
scenic grandeur it is unsurpassed. From the
mouth of the stream at Big Timber for a dis-
tance of thirty miles up the stream it is all
taken up with ranches,' and many hundreds
of acres are under cultivation. Including the
bottom and bench lands, the valley is about
five miles wide. Of the Boulder valley a writer
in the Big Timber Pioneer of December 13,
1906, said:
* * * No transformation could be more bewil-
dering than that ■v\''hich has taken place in Boulder
valley within the past ten years— and alfalfa is its name.
Oats and wheat are among the most profitable
crops grown on the Boulder. The yields are enormous,
and the market very satisfactory. The hog industry
has not yet assumed large proportions, but it is re-
garded as holding bright prospects for the future.
Whilst the cattle industry has been the most im-
portant on the Boulder, the big sheep feeder has
early recognized the superior fattening qualities of
alfalfa.
As in all parts of the county the Boulder
valley is watered by irrigation, and it contains
numerous private irrigating ditches.
The valley of the Sweet Grass was the first
part of the county that received settlers, and
it is one of the richest parts. Near the foot
of the Crazy mountains, where tlie stream
heads, the valley is in the form of a large basin,
in which are many thousand acres of rich
farming lands. Following down the stream
the valley narrows, yet many ranches are scat-
tered along it, all using the Sweet Grass water
in the cultivation of the adjacent lands. About
eight miles from the mouth of the creek the
valley widens again, and here are many thou-
sand acres more of good land. Of the many
private ditches in this valley there is one of
special importance. This is 19 miles long and
carries 1,000 inches of water. It was com-
pleted October 15th, 1903, for O. B. Nevin.
Three thousand acres of land were covered
at a cost of $4,000. The water is taken from
the creek at a point about two miles north of
the town of Melville.
To the west of the Sweet Grass valley are
a number of valleys which are very productive
and thickly settled. These are the valleys of
the Big Timber, Otter and Swamp creeks, all
of which have their source in the Crazy moun-
tains. The Big Timber valley is about six-
teen miles long and the average width about
a mile and one-half; the south fork of the Big
Timber is five miles long and one mile wide;
Swamp creek is ten miles long and about one
mile wide. These valleys are watered by
canals taken from the streams and run paral-
lel with the creeks.
Another one of the important valleys of the
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
215
county is the Stillwater, lying along the south-
eastern border. This valley is 65 miles long,
and on the Sweet Grass county side there are
about forty ranches in the valley. This was
in the Crow reservation until 1892, since
which time it has been settled. Leaving the
Y'ellowstone at Columbus you can pass up the
Stillwater and see mile after mile of land in
alfalfa, oats, wheat and other cereals in the
valley proper, while back in the hills are graz-
ing lands of unsurpassed luxuriance. If you
go up the river far enough you will come to
what is known as the lower canyon, far famed
for its beauty and grandeur, with its midnight
gulch, its natural bridge, its bee-hive rock, its
ramparts and battlements, and its buttes. Then
comes the far famed Stillwater basin, with its
coal, copper, nickel and other precious metals.
One of the best and cheapest water pro-
perties in the state of Montana is that operated
by the Dry Creek Canal company, a co-opera-
tive irrigating concern which has its canal
south of the Boulder river. The canal is eight
miles long, carries 2,500 inches of water and
supplies 3,200 acres of land, comprising sep-
arate ranches. The greater part of the stock
was issued in exchange for labor performed
by members of the company and beneficiaries
of the canal, and the expense for water is
limited by the cost of maintenance, which is
merely nominal. There are no flumes, the
ditch being cut through solid ground. This
ditch was put in by a settlement of Mormons.
In the northern part of the county are
other agricultural communities, on American
Fork and other streams.
Many of the ranches of Sweet Grass
county contain from 25,000 to 30,000 acres,
but these are gradually being divided
into smaller ranches. Except on dry land
farms, where summer fallowing is necessary
and only one-half of the farm can be cropped
every year, 160 acres is plenty large enough
for any farmer to cultivate as a farm should
be cultivated.
Within the last five years ranch property
has fully doubled in value. Ranches that
could have been purchased for $3,000 five
years ago cannot be bought for less than $6,-
000, while lands that were barren wastes and
considered worthless at that time are now pro-
ducing splendid yields. The rapid decrease
of the public range compels the stockmen to
depend more on the production of his ranch
to feed his stock. As the result the ranchman
is paying more attention to the intensified
farming of his land by adopting more ap-
proved methods, thus increasing the produc-
tivity of the soil. This, in connection with
an increasing demand for tillable land, ac-
counts for the rapid increase in valuation.
Lands improved and unimproved sell from $10
to $50 per acre. Agriculture is only in the in-
fancy of its development in Sweet Grass
county, and the opportunities and natural ad-
vantages here are unsurpassed in the west. It
is estimated that there were 6,500 acres more
land under cultivation in 1906 than there were
in 1905.
Formerly the public range was depended
upon almost entirely to provide feed for stock,
but under the new order of things an acre of
land will produce sufficient food to keep ten
times as much stock as it did before.
On properly irrigated ranches wheat yields
from forty-five to sixty-five bushels per acre,
oats from sixty to one hundred and five bush-
els, barley from seventy-five to one hundred
bushels, potatoes from two hundred to four
hundred bushels, alfalfa from three to six tons,
timothy from two to three tons, and other pro-
ducts in like quantities.
Although for a long time it was supposed
that fruit could not be raised in this climate,
Sweet Grass county is now producing fine ap-
ples and plums, while the smaller fruits — ber-
ries, currants, strawberries, etc. — grow every-
where.
One of the leading industries of the county
is stock raising, although it is not carried on
2l6
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
as it was in the early days before the ranges
were taken up for ranches. Nowhere in Mon-
tana are the natural advantages more favor-
able for stock raising than in Sweet Grass
•county. Blessed with a most generous supply
of water, a very essential commodity for grow-
ing forage crops and for the winter feeding of
stock, and sheltered by the mountain peaks
from the cold winds and severe storms. Sweet
Grass is indeed a paradise for the stockman.
Among the stock, sheep easily lead. In fact,
for years Sweet Grass county had the reputa-
tion of being the greatest sheep raising county
in the state. During the winter of 1906-07 fully
350,000 sheep were fed on the ranches of the
county. Of this number, about 110,000 were
•owned by sheep men of other places, who rec-
ognize the superior quality of Sweet Grass
county alfalfa.
This is also a great cattle country. During
the year 1906 there were shipped from Big
Timber 355 cars of cattle, which went to the
eastern markets.
Another industry that is fast coming to the
front is the raising of hogs. Those who have
tried the experiment ha\"e found it very profit-
able. The hogs are fed on alfalfa during the
summer and then fed on grain about two
months. During the winter of 1906-07 A. L.
Bray shipped, from Big Timber, five or six
cars of hogs to Seattle and Billings.
A writer in the Big Timber Pioneer of De-
cember 13, 1906, tells of mineral resources
of tlie county as follows :
In the matter of mineral resources few states and
Tiot every nation can claim the variety or amount found
and utilized in Sweet Grass county.
Gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, coal, lime and
sandstone, all have been mined and sold from this
county.
Gold to the amount of about $200,000 has been ex-
tracted from rock and gravel in the Boulder river
district. Silver in combination with lead — galena —
has been shipped in car load lots to be smelted, and
profitable returns received.
The Boulder river district is continuous from Big
Timber southward for a distance of sixty miles, the
valuable metals being found in the part beyond thirty
miles from Big Timber. Through the canyon, the
rocks, corroded by water and ice to a depth of hundreds
of feet, show metal bearing seams continuously, so
that even those that run may see.
Every mile of the thirty miles of canyon has
located claims, some being worked, many held be-
cause of lack of money to do more ; the owner sure of
its value confidently looks forward to the time when
the Boulder will come to its own and its worth be
appreciated.
Hundreds of mining claims, showing now only a
little hole in the ground and a little pile of ore near
by, were at one time valued in the thousands of dol-
lars, and at such valuation many were sold. Now
they can be secured by anyone taking the trouble to
claim them.
Commencing at Big Timber and continuing south-
ward directly great beds of sandstone are seen, all
of a uniform gray color, but for building or shaping,
this stone is as good as can be found in Montana.
Beyond the upper sandstone, the Larmine beds
outcrop, and in it are several layers of coal, thick enough
to warrant mining and from which a considerable
quantity of coal has already been mined. These
layers, though but at most four feet thick, supply
coal superior to anything found in the west, so much
better that, though costing fifty per cent more, it is yet
economical for fuel. As a substitute for imported
soft coal, which is yet considered a necessity for the
working of iron, it has been proven to be equally
good.
Beyond the sandstone beds lime rock shows, not
in seams, not in beds, but mountains of it, and in
comparison with other lime rocks none can be su-
perior to it. Kilns for producing lime suitable for
building purposes have been in operation for years.
Beyond the lime area for thirty miles the rocks
are seamed with quartz bearing iron, copper, silver,
lead and gold. Iron ore of good quality and high
percentage shows in such quantities that if but a small
part of it could be so placed that transportation would
cost but little, such as is possible in the Great Lake
region, a million dollars would be a small estimate
of its value ; located as it is, it is valueless. It will not
always be so.
Recently the statement was made that under very
favorable conditions one per cent copper ores could
be worked with a small profit — there are half mile
areas in Sweet Grass county in which the ordinary
country rock contains more than that, and rock with
percentages as high as five per cent can be found as
easily as boulders in Big Timber.
There is an area of over twenty square miles in
the Boulder district where copper bearing quartz can
be found outcropping in any half mile square. With
a few exceptions the percentage is not high — eight
per cent or less. Occasionally, how^ever. it is found
up to forty per cent. Leads on which development
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
217
work has been done in every case have exceeded ex-
pectations when depth was obtained. One with a depth
of something over two hundred feet gives assay with
over twenty per cent copper with forty dollars of gold
per ton. This ore, though very rich, is so located
that it could be taken only at great expense from the
mine, an expense so great that the possibility has
not been considered.
Another copper lead, having a width of over
thirty feet and extending over three miles, is now be-
ing developed with extensive operations in view. Six
men are at work at the present time on this lead,
and the results shown are reported as being most sat-
isfactory.
The Crazy mountains, twenty miles north of Big
Timber, have never been prospected by persons com-
petent to give an opinion of any value.
Some ranchmen, however, resting a few moments
while following a deer on one of the .mountains,
noticed that the rock they were sitting on was un-
usual in appearance, and taking some with them, learned
from others that the rock was galena — almost pure
lead with silver. Where found the rock was nearly a
foot and a half thick and extended as far as examined.
Development work later confirmed the value of the
lead, but difficulty in getting the ore down the moun-
tain and transporting to railway with lack of capital,
by which these could be overcome, necessitated the
temporary closing of the mine. Work will be com-
menced in the spring as soon as conditions allow. Car-
load shipments from this mine give smelter returns
of sixty per cent lead and about twenty ounces of
silver per ton.
That there are enormous bodies of lead in these
mountains is proven beyond a doubt by the presence
of galena crystals in the gravelly soil eight miles from
the mountain along Big Timber creek. The amount
of galena in this soil is almost enough to make it
profitable washing for that alone.
While there has not been much activity in
mining operations in Sweet Grass county for
many years, during the early nineties there was
more interest taken in mining operations on
the Boulder than in any other industry. The
Boulder district is partly in Sweet Grass
county and in Park county; but as the
town of Big Timber was the principal
outfitting point for the camp during
the days of activity. They are properly consid-
ered as belonging to this county. Of the his-
tory of this district prior to the panic, which
suspended all operations, Mr. H. C. Freeinan
wrote in 1895 •
According to the best information obtainable gold
was first discovered on Baboon mountain in 1864 by
those pioneer prospectors, John Allen and Barney
Hughes. This district was then within the territory
of the Crow Indians and continued so until by treaty
the western part, including this district, was ceded to
the United States, and by proclamation of President
Harrison it was formally opened to the public. In 1891,
1892 and 1893, up to the period in the summer when
the panic struck Montana, it was the scene of great
activity. During this time, also, the available agri-
cultural lands in the valley of Boulder creek were taken
up for homesteads.
A large number of mining claims were located, and
the rush of prospectors and miners into the district
started the town of Independence, about three miles
above the head of Boulder creek, in 1893. After the
usual preliminary work incident to a mining camp in
an isolated district, far from supplies and roads, supplies
and machinery were gotten in from Big Timber, and
systematic work was begun. As four cents per pound
was the rate for transportation for supplies and machin-
ery from Big Timber, a portion of their labor was natur-
ally directed to opening and improving a road. Prog-
ress enough was made to reduce freights to three cents
a pound, and this was reduced to one and one-half
cents a pound in the autumn of 1894.
The first stamp mill taken in, other than a pros-
pecting mill; was that of the Hidden Treasure Com-
pany— a ten-stamp mill— and located on Basin creek,
on the west side of Baboon mountain, the mine being
nearly a mile distant on the south slope of the same
mountain. The next mill was taken in by the Inde-
pendence company and was located on Boulder creek,
just a]<n\e the tnwnsite of Independence. This was a
throe-. tamp Kendall mill, (.stmialed to be equal to an
ordinary ten-stamp mill. In the next year this com-
pany added a ten-stamp mill of the ordinary style.
.\bout the same time the Daisy organized as the Treas-
ure State Mining company, put in a ten-stamp mill on
their property on the south slope of Baboon mountain,
adjoining the mine of the Hidden Treasure company,
and the Poorman company brought in a Crawford mill
and put it on its property, three-fourths of a mile south
of the Treasure State and Poorman mines, to furnish
the power for the mills and light for mills and mines.
In August. 1893, another ten-stamp mill was
brought in by the King Solomon company and located
about a mile southeast of the Poorman. Some lesser
outfits for prospecting and light work had also been
brought in. which are not necessary to mention in de-
tail. At this time, when the camp was booming and
alive with hope and expectation, the panic struck Mon-
tana. Some of the banks went under, and ve'ry soon
the necessary money supply to keep the mining opera-
tion afloat until self sustaining, was cut off, and only
one developed to a condition to be self-sustaining, had
funds tied up in suspended banks. Very soon all opera-
tions were brought to a standstill.
CHAPTER V
BIG TIMBER AND OTHER PLACES.
There is only one town in Sweet Grass
county that has arisen to the importance of
having municipal government; this is Big
Timber, the county seat, and a town of about
i,ooo population. Next to the county seat
town comes Melville, a little village in the
Sweet Grass valley. These two are the prin-
cipal towns, but there are a few other settle-
ments in teh county that should be considered
in this chapter. There are at present nine
postoffices in the county as follows : Big Tim-
ber, Melville, Nye, Howie, McLeod, Grey-
clifif, Reed, Merrill and Busteed.
BIG TIMBER.
Big Timber is situated on the main line of
the Northern Pacific railroad, a little to the
west of the geographical center of the county.
The town is builded on a high bench or plateau
a short distance above the confluence of
the Boulder with that river . The bench
upon which the town is built is 4,090
feet above sea level, d The location is a
sightly one and commands a good view of the
surrounding country. To the north one can
look over twenty or thirty miles of ridgy green
uplands to the superb Alpine range of the
Crazy mountains. To the south one can look
across a vast billowy expense of pasture and
farming lands to the Snowy or Absaroka
range, whose enormous bulk reaches away into
Wyoming, lifting their masses of granite and
snow 10,000 feet to the blue heavens. The
landscape is unique and beautiful in whatever
direction the eye is turned.
Nature has paved the whole townsite with
boulders and gravel. In fact, this particular
locality appears to have been one of nature's
chief dumping grounds for drift in the glacial
age. Bed rock is fifty feet below the surface,
and down to that depth the soil is full of
boulders of all sizes, shapes and formations.
Undoubtedly, during the glacial period these
were carried down from the mountains from
the south. On the principal thoroughfares of
the town these boulders have been cleared
away, but once out of the main streets they are
the first thing to attract the notice of the
stranger. Big Timber has sometimes been
termed the "Cobblestone City" because of
these boulders.
Big Timber is the natural business center
of a large scope of country, and draws its
of a large scope of country, and draws its trade
from great distances. Livingston, the nearest
town on the west, is 35 miles away, while
the nearest town on the east is Columbus, at
a greater distance. Most of the business houses
of the city are built of building stone, quarried
a few miles from town, and give the little town
a handsome appearance. To see Big Timber
at its best, one should visit it during the sum-
mer months, the wool hauling period. Then
the wool teams come in for fifty miles or more
— from up the Boulder, the Sweet Grass, the
Big Timber and from the flanks of the
Crazies. Two, and sometimes three, wagons
are fastened together, drawn by six or eight or
ten horses.
The name of the town is a misnomer and
conveys a wrong impression, as there is no
natural timber on the townsite or near it and
never was. The town was named after the
old Big Timber stage station at the mouth of
Big Timber creek, and there in the early days^^
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
219.
were found some of the largest trees in the
whole Yellowstone valley.
Big Timber came into existence on its pres-
ent location in the year 1883, but before that
date there had been setlements near this spot,
accompanied by efiforts to found a town, and
we shall consider these before taking- up the
history of the town proper.
Back in the late seventies, after the In-
dians in this part of the country had been sub-
dued and white people were beginning to make
their homes in the Yellowstone valley, but be-
fore the railroad was built, there was estab-
lished a stage and mail route between the
towns of Bozeman and Miles City. This stage
road passed along the north bank of the Yel-
lowstone river, and along the line w^ere num-
erous stage stations, where horses could be ex-
changed and where passengers and drivers
might secure refreshments. One of these sta-
tions was located on the north side of the river,
just below the mouth of Big Timber creek, and
was known as the Big Timber road house ;
this was the first Big Timber. J. F. Marley
conducted the station, and there was also a
saloon owned by another party. Later other
enterprises were started there. A toll ferry
was put on the river by Keiger brothers; a
store was started by R. B. Dunham ; Big Tim-
ber postoffice was established with Mr. Dun-
ham as the first postmaster. This station on
the north side of the river reiuained in exist-
ence until the railroad was built through this
part of the territory in 1882, when the stage
line went out of existence, and with it the sta-
tion of Big Timber, which was moved across
the ri\-er and formed the nucleus of a new
town.
This brings us up to the founding of
Dornix, which was in turn to be abandoned
for the starting of the town of Big Timber
on its present location. In the summer of
1882 the Northern Pacific railroad was built
through this part of the country, and a bridge
construction camp was located on the south
side of the Yellowstone, just west of Boulder
creek and nearly opposite the mouth of Big
Timber creek. Here the men who were em-
ploved in building the bridge across the
Boulder were camped. Most of the laborers
were Irishmen, and they christened the camp
Dornix, which, though appropriate for the
camp, did not preserve the euphony so char-
acteristic of the names o'f western towns, and
was not destined to live. Harvey Bliss, for
many years afterward a prominent citizen of
Sweet Grass county, was one of the contractors
and built the approaches of the railroad bridge
across the Boulder.
The railroad company put in a spur down
to the river at the point and named the station
Dornix. The depot consisted of a platform^
and a tent. Quite a little settlement was then-
built up here. The store and postoffice were'
moved over from across the river, and a saw-
mill was erected, which manufactured rough
lumber for the construction of buildings by
the few settlers, the lumber being rafted down
the Big Timber from the forests up in the
Crazy mountains. After the bridge had beetl
constructed and the railroad builders had de-
parted a new industry sprang up to keep the
town of Dornix in existence. This was the
matter of getting out ties for the railroad com-
pany. Contractors employed forces of men ta
get out the ties from the timber up the Big
Timber and Boulder, and these were brotight
down to the Yellowstone and piled up along
the track for use at different points on the
line. Owing to this work and the fact that
quite a number of settlers were coming into
the country and taking up land in the vicinity,
we find that Dornix had grown to quite a.
flourishing little village by the summer of
1883.
That fall arrangements were made to plat
a townsite at this point, and as the town was
builded on government land, the platting was
done under the direction of the probate judge
of Gallatin county. Sigmund Deutsch, of
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY,
Bozeman, a surveyor was sent to Dornix to
lay out the townsite, which he did in the latter
part of September. Concerning the platting
of the town and the condition of the little place
at that date we reproduce the following, which
was published in a Bozeman paper about the
first of October :
U. S. Engineer Deutsch has just returned from
making a survey of the embryo city of Dornix, located
thirty-five miles east of Livingston on the Yellowstone
river, at the mouth of Boulder creek and on the North-
ern Pacific railway. He reports the town growing very
rapidly. There are already twenty-five houses, four
stores, four saloons, a blacksmith shop and the usual
number of trades and professions which are the usual
adjuncts of a town. The population numbers about
100, the majority of whom find employment with the
Montana Lumber company. This firm has a very large
saw mill on Boidder creek, and manufactures about
six million feet of lumber annually. This is also a
great point for getting out railroad ties. Over 200,000
are stacked up along the track for shipment.
Mr. Deutsch was ordered by the territorial author-
ities to survey and plat eighty acres of a townsite. The
probate judge of Gallatin county is selling lots at $10
each. He (Deutsch) predicts a prosperous future for
the town, which, by the way, is owned by the company
and is without real estate scheme to profit by its growth.
The town of Dornix was not to retain its
identity long after this. Farther up the
Boulder, about a mile from Dornix. John An-
derson had settled upon land, which later be-
came the townsite of Big Timber. Here in the
latter part of 1883 the railroad company
moved its station and built a' neat depot. This
change in location, it is said, was made be-
cause of the steep grade at the town of Dornix
and the difficulty in handling trains there. The
company called the new station Big Timber,
and abandoned the Dornix station. A Dornix
correspondent to the Livingston Enterprise of
November 12, 1883, said of the arrangements
at that time : "A stop is made at the town of
Dornix, where there is not even a platform,
but where all passengers alight or come aboard.
The train then crosses Boulder creek to a neat
new depot called Big Timber, erected on the
railroad land, but which has no buildings
around it nearer than those of Dornix, across
the stream."
In the month of December, 1883, the town
of Dornix ceased to have an official existence,'
and the town of Big Timber was founded.
Postmaster R. B. Dunham received instruc-
tions to move the office to the new location,
and the name was changed to Big Timber.
Mr. Dunham, who was also the proprietor of
the store in Dornix, moved that to the new
town. Concerning the removal to the new
site, a correspondent writing on December 11,
said : "The old town of Dornix is a thing of
the past. Everybody is moving up to the new
town, one mile west, at the new depot, as fast
as possible. * * * R. B. Dunham, postmaster,
has received instructions to move the postoffice
up to the new town, which he will do tomor-
row, together with the store. There are others
who will soon follow in the same wake."
Se\eral others moved at about the same
time. The neighbors came with teams and
mo\-ed the store building of James Mirielles
up to the new town, and it was made into a
hotel for William Bramble. Mr. Mirielles was
appointed postmaster, and later, in partnership
with ^^'alter Allen, erected a building and
started a store. C. E. Brooks and brother
moved their saloon to the new town at about
the same time. A correspondent writing from
Big Timber December 20, said: "The new
town of feig Timber now has two stores, one
saloon and a hotel, and another saloon and
restaurant are in contemplation."
Of these early buildings in the new town,
the Wool Exchange saloon building and the
Owl saloon building were destroyed by fire on
April 9, 1894. The Big Timber hotel (Bram-
ble's) was also destroyed by fire in the mid-
dle nineties. The old Kiege'r ferry, which had
done duty so long across the river from
Dornix. was purchased by Joseph Hooper, and
it was hauled up the river for him by J. G.
Marlev. It was placed in position on the west
side of the Boulder near the town and was op-
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
erated until 1884, when Mr. Hooper con-
structed a toll bridge. The Hart brothers had
charge of the bridge for a time, and later A.
G. Yule was in charge.
Church and Sunday school work was taken
up in the little town at this early date. Mrs.
Ellen DeWitt Hatch took up the work of
forming a Sunday school, which she conducted
for a long time. The first church services were
held in the town in 1884 by Rev. Alfred
Brown, who came from Livingston.
While the population of Big Timber did
not increase rapidly during the first few years
of its existence, it became one of the best trad-
ing points in the Yellowstone valley. This
was because of the wool trade which centered
here, and while we find that during the late
eighties the population of the town was not
at any time over 200, it became noted as one of
the largest wool market in the United States,
an average of about 1,000,000 pounds being
shipped every year. C. T. Busha and Joseph
Hooper put up a wool house in 1885, but the
bales of wool came in such numbers that the
railroad company was obliged to build a large
store house to keep it from being- damaged.
One of the earlier business houses of the town
was a meat market, which was started by
Daniel Hogan. The building was made by
standing railroad ties on end.
One of the editors of the Livingston En-
terprise visited Big Timber in May, 1886, and
wrote as follows of the town as he found it at
that time :
Big Timber is a most thrifty little town, and when
its resources are considered, it is apparent that it can
never be anything other than a good business point.
It is the main supply point for a large and productive
territory on the north and south, ranks next to Helena
and Benton as a wool market, and has the advantage
of being favorably located in numerous other particulars.
During the year 1886 there were shipped
from the town alx)ut 1,028,000 pounds of wool.
Heavy losses were made by the sheepmen dur-
ing the severe winter of 1886-87, and the ship-
ments for 1887 fell a trifle below the million
pound mark. That year Big Timber ranked
second among the towns of Montana terri-
tory as a wool shipping point. Mr. Thos. K.
Lee furnishes the information that during the
winter of 1886-87 there were just fifty-one resi-
dents in Big Timber.
An estimate of the town's population in
1888 placed it at 200. That year about
1,000,000 pounds of wool were shipped. An-
other event of that year was the establishment
of a store by Busha & Bailey.
Although John Anderson had surveyed the
townsite when the town was first started, it
was not recorded until 1889. According to
the official records he platted the townsite on
August 27, 1889, filed the plat for record on
September 5, and the plat was approved by
the commissioners of Park county on Septem-
ber 6th of that year. The townsite consisted of
160 acres, which had been homesteaded by
Mr. Anderson, and the streets were laid out
parallel with, and at right angles to. the rail-
road. The lots were placed on the market by
Mr. Anderson and A. M. Harris. Since the
original townsite was platted there have been
three additions made. Boulder addition No.
I was platted by Lucy A. Merielles September
4, 1890, and was filed September 18. It con-
sisted of eighty acres and had been taken as a
homestead by Mrs. Merielles. Boulder addi-
tion No. 2 was platted by Albert Stubblefield
September 4, 1890, was filed and approved the
same day. This was an eighty-acre tract and
was one-half of Mr. Stubblefield's homestead.
He sold one-half of the townsite to T. K. Lee.
Yellowstone addition was platted by Daniel
Hogan July 25, 1891, was filed July 27 and
approved by the Park county commissioners
August 5. There were eighty acres in this
addition, and was originally the homestead of
Mr. Hogan.
The wool shipments for 1889 were about
up to the average, 984,635 pounds being billed
out of the town. Besides the wool, 33 cars of
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
mutton sheep and 27 cars of horses and cattle
were shipped.
The year 1890 brought the town's first
fire, which destroyed a few thousand dollars
worth of property. It occurred April 9, when
the following losses were reported: Shank &
Lee, bank building, $500; Moore & Stocker,
drugs and stock, $2,500; Oscar Anderson,
house, $800; H. O. Kellogg, house; H. O.
Hickox, house, $400; Harvey Bliss, two
houses, $250.
The federal census of 1890 gave Big Tim-
ber a population of 265. That year trade
opened up better in the spring than ever before
in the town's history, and an era of prosperity
was begim. Merchants did a thriving busi-
ness, and new buildings were going up all over
the town. Among others was the first sub-
stantial brick building, put up by George
Hatch. In April W. L. Shanks and T. K. Lee
started a private bank, the first in the town.
The wool business was good, and there was the
largest shipment that had yet been recorded in
the town's history.
While the year 1890 had been a prosperous
one the next year distanced it completely. In
December the Livingston Enterprise said of
the little town down the river: "During the
year now closing the growth of Big Timber
has been marvelous, fully $150,000 having
been spent during that time in the way of
buildings and improvements." Among the
principal buildings put up that year were the
Grand hotel, erected by Jacob Halverson ; and
the brick block, now the Oxford hotel, erected
by W. L. Shanks. Among the new business
enterprises was the Frst National Bank, which
opened its doors in July. The wool shipments
for 1891 were nearly 2,000,000 pounds, or
over one per cent olf the entire wool clip of the
United States. Other shipments from Big
Timber were thirty-two cars of cattle, ten cars
of horses and 1 1 5 cars of sheep. While there
had been a school in Big Timber from the time
the town was founded, there was not a suitable
building for school purposes until i8gi, when
Judge Lee and George Hatch donated land
where their claims joined for a site for a brick
school house. This was built, but had to be
rebuilt because of a storm on Thanksgiving
day, which blew off the second story.
For some time each year seemed to eclipse
all previous years in the building up of Big
Timber, and the year 1892 was no exception
to the rule. The Pioneer of June 28 said that
a census of Big Timber taken at that time
would reveal the fact that the town had dou-
bled in population during the last twelve
months. There was some little talk of incor-
porating at this time, but there were no results
from the talk. The wool shipments for 1892
were the largest in the history of the town,
and were believed to have been the largest
from any town in the state. The shipments
were as follows: Sold, 1,446,342 pounds;
consigned, 640,309 pounds, making a grand
total of 2,086,651 pounds. The ruling price
was from i6>< to 18 cents a pound.
The year 1893 opened up with the usual
activity, and there were more people in Big
Timber that spring than there had been in the
town before. Many of these were outfitting
for the Boulder mines, which were then in the
height of their glory and adding much to the
prosperity of the town.
Then came the panic, which seized the
whole country in its iron grasp. Big Timber
suffered severely. Its wool and mining in-
dustries, which had contributed most to the
town's prosperity, were paralyzed. Mining
was discontinued entirely; the price of wool
got so low that it was hardly profitable. Dur-
ing all its previous history Big Timber had
been a place of unusual activity and business
enterprise, and the depression led some to be-
lieve that its former standing was lost forever.
Adding to the general feeling of depression
was the failure of the First National Bank,
which closed its doors on July 27.
The bank's affairs were not in bad shape,
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
223
and steps were soon taken toward a reorgani-
zation. This \vas accomplished by the organ-
ization of the Big Timber National Bank,
which opened its doors on December 18. De-
positors of the old bank were paid in full by
the new concern. There were other business
failures, and for a time the bottom seemed to
have dropped out of the town. But there was
soon a rally, and the panic was weathered.
The town was a long time in recovering from
the effects of the panic. During the next few
years there was a gradual improvement, but no
radical change for the better until the latter
part of the decade.
Coming on the heels of the financial de-
pression were a series of fires, nearly all of in-
cendiary origin, which from October, 1893, to
the next April did damage estimated at $50,-
000. The first of these fires occurred on the
evening of October 31, when the Criterion
building and three adjoining buildings were
destroyed, the fire having been started, it was
supposed, by a tramp. The second conflagra-
tion was on the evening of December 26, when
the livery and feed barn of Mastin & Co.
burned, together with part of its contents. This
was started by an incendiary.
The most disastrous conflagration in the
history of the city up to that time was set by
a firebug on Thursday morning, March 29, in
a vacant building owned by the Clark Cattle
company, and before the fire was gotten under
control nearly $15,000 worth of property had
been destroyed. The town at the time had
very poor fire protection, and it was only by
the greatest exertions of the citizens that much
greater damage was prevented.
The last of this series of fires occurred
Monday night, April 9, 1895. and was the
most disastrous of all, the losses being about
$20,000.
The creation of Sweet Grass county in the
spring of 1895 had a beneficent effect upon the
town of Big Timber, and resulted in a small
but healthy growth. The wool shipments that
year reached the enormous figures of 4,138,-
763 pounds, equalled by no other city in the
state. The average price paid was only about
nine cents, but at this low price the receipts
were nearly $400,000. To ship this product
required 169 cars, and the freight charges were
over $43,000. On October 25th the wool
warehouse of the Northern Pacific burned,
causing quite a loss. Two other buildings in
the vicinity were also consumed by the flames.
Another event of this year was the erection of
the Episcopal church, a stone structure.
Two of the principal events of the year
1896 were the starting of a flour mill and the
establishment of an electric lighting system.
Articles of incorporation of the Pioneer Mill-
ing company were filed on the second day of
the year in the county clerk's ofifice. The in-
corporators were C. T. Busha, E. O. Clark
and E. B. Clark, of Big Timber; and N. L.
James, of Richland Center, Wis. The capital
stock was $15,000, and the purpose of the com-
pany were to erect and maintain a milling
plant. Work was commenced at once on the
mill, and it began grinding wheat June 25th.
Articles of incorporation of the Big Timber
Electric Light and Power company were filed
March 6th. The incorporators were John
Martin, Sr., and J. S. Jays, of Livingston,
and Charles Bowhay, of Townsend, and the
capital stock was $5,000. The plant was erec-
ted at once, and since then Big Timber has had
electric lights.
The town was visited by another fire early
on the morning of June 11, 1896, which did
considerable damage, destroying two stone
business block and stocks of goods.
The wool shipments for 1896 amounted to
3,281,155 pounds. This was believed to be a
larger shipment than from any other point in
Montana that year.
The years 1897 and 1898 passed without
incident worthy of mention. There was very
little improvement in the town, but the effects
224
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
of the hard times were gradually passing
away, thus paving the way for the activity
that was to come in 1899.
Times continued to steadily improve. In
1900 the federal census showed a population
of 438. The wool shipments that year were
2,300,000 pounds. The next year they were
about 2,000,000 pounds, and the average price
paid was 13 cents.
In 1 901 several events took place that are
worthy of being recorded in the history of Big
Timber. One was the establishment of a
county high school. This question was de-
cided favorably at a special election through-
out the county on July 8th. There was a small
vote cast, but the majority for the establish-
ment of a school was large.
Another important event was the building
of a woolen mill in the city, the first woolen
mill ever built in the state of Montana. Wil-
liam Whitfield was the promoter of the mill,
but a large share of the stock was taken by
local capitalists. The mill started up July 26,
1901.
The question of incorporation was a live
issue in 1901. During all the years of
its history Big Timber had been without a
water system and fire protection, and many
citizens were anxious to incorporate in order
that these might be secured, either by having
the village put in the water works or to grant a
franchise to some company that would. In the
spring of the year a gentleman arrived in Big
Timber who signified his desire to establish a
water works system in the town, and set about
to secure the interest of others in the enter-
prise. After talking the matter over, he dis-
covered there was a strong sentiment in favor
of incorporating the town. A petition was
then prepared, and in a few hours 105 signa-
tures had been secured, nearly everybody ap-
proached signing it. The petition was consid-
ered by the board of county commissioners
June 3 ; that body took favorable action on it
and employed A. E. Snook to take the census
of the proposed incorporation. Mr. Snook
completed his work and reported to the board
two days later ; he had found 673 people living
within the proposed limits of the town. Ac-
cordingly the board ordered that an election be
held on Monday, July 15th, to vote on the
question.
Immediately began a hard fought cam-
paign. Some of the citizens thought that the
city should own its own water works system
when one was installed, while others believed
the proper way would be to grant a franchise
to a private company, and it was generally
understood that this was to be done if incor-
poration should carry. Those who opposed
were not, necessarily, adverse to incorporation,
but they were against the granting of fran-
chises. The vote was close, and incorporation
was defeated by a vote of 54 to 50.
The third company of the Montana na-
tional guard was organized in Big Timber in
1 90 1 and mustered into the service on August
26th by Adjutant General McCulloch, assisted
by Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Bliss. The com-
pany was known as C company. The commis-
sioned officers were: Captain G. H. Preston;
first lieutenant. Bird Vestal; second lieuten-
ant, H. Hanly.
Big Timljer was finally incorporated in 1 902.
A petition was circulated early in August
asking the county commissioners to take the
necessarily legal action to bring about the
founding of municipal government. The mat-
ter was considered at a special meeting of the
board on August 6th. The petition was found
to have 130 signatures, but its legality was
questioned, and action -was deferred until the
September meeting that the question at issue
might be referred to the attorney general of
the state. The bone of contention was sub-
stantially as follows :
When the petition was first circulated a
clause was inserted to the efifect that the
signers pledged themselves to oppose the grant-
ing of franchises or contracts for any public
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
225
utilities. That section ot tlie petition was 't was ordered that a census of the proposed
, , . ,, poration be taken.
worded as follows :
We, the signers of this petition, believing that the
proposed incorporation should own and operate its
own water works, it is mutually understood that we are
opposed to the granting of franchises or contracts for
public utilities by such proposed incorporation, and in
case the town is incorporated we will always do all
within our power to prevent the granting of such fran-
chises or contracts.
To the petition with that clause inserted
there were 107 signers. Several citizens, how-
ever, who favored incorporation but did not
desire to bind themselves by the aforemen-
tioned clause, inserted another clause to the
effect that they favored incorporation, but
would not pledge themselves either for or
against municipal ownership, franchises or
contracts. Of these signers there were 23,
making a total of 130 signers to the petition
asking for an election for incorporation. In
the list of signers were the names of a few men
who had left the city before the matter was
considered by the county law makers ami there
were also found the names of a few who lived
outside of the proposed boundaries of the in-
corporation.
On these grounds Messrs. Harvey Bliss,
H. O. Kellogg and J. E. Barbour objected to
the board granting the petition. County At-
torney Hall held that the two clauses defining
the position of the signers were surplusage and
therefore should not be considered by the board
in considering the petition. However, to avoid
complications, it was decided to wait until a
later meeting before taking final action.
At the commissioners' meeting September
2nd the matter was again taken up and
After a careful examination and investigation of the
same, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the board
that said petition contains more than 100 qualified
electors now residing within the limits of the pro-
posed incorporation after deducting the names of all
persons who have withdrawn from said petition or
moved from the limits of said proposed incorporation
since signing said petition, upon motion of Commis-
sioner McConnell, seconded by Commissioner Nevin,
15
John E. Clark was named enumerator, and
he reported to the board September 4th that he
had found 665 persons living in the town. The
commissioners then granted the petition and
named October i8th as the day for holding
I the election at which to decide whether or not
j the town should be incorporated. As judges
for this election they named H. C. Allen, L. M.
Howard, Harvey Bliss, H. O. Kellogg and J.
F. Asbury.
At the election incorporation carrieil by a
vote of 94 to 16. After the commissioners
had canvassed the vote they ordered an elec-
tion to be held ou Saturday, November qth,
j for the purpose of electing a mayor and four
aldermen, two from each of the two wards.
Two parties, each representing the policies of
the two factions, came into existence. A meet-
ing was held and a "citizens" ticket nominatetl,
the members of which were pledged to oppose
municipal improvements and were against the
granting of franchises and contracts. Another
set of men met and placed in nomination can-
didates on a "progressive citizens" ticket. It
was the sense of those who took part in this
convention that the city should put in and
maintain a water works system and should es-
tablished an efficient fire department. An ex-
citing campaign followed.
At the election probably every vote in the
town was brought out. The candidates on
both tickets were solid business men of the
town, and the election hinged almost entirely
on the policy which was to govern the young
citv. The "progressive citizens" elected every
man on the ticket by decisive majorities. Fol-
lowing was the vote :
Mayor — John F. Asbury. p. c, 84; H. O.
Kellogg, c, 61.
Aldermen First Ward — Henry \\'itten, p.
c, 62; S. A. Perrine, p. c, 37; Solberg, c. 31 :
W. L. Shanks, c, 31.
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY
Aldermen Second Ward — Frank Blakes-
lee. p. c, T,2: Henry Nicholson, c, 25; A. G.
Hatch, p. c, 49.
The first meeting of the city council was
held at the office of the county assessor on the
evening" of December 10. The oath was ad-
ininistered by Judge H. C. Pond, after which
the wheels of the city government were set in
motion. A. G. Hatch was chosen president
of the council. The following appointments
were made by the mayor and confirmed by the
council : Clerk. E. C. Hale ; police magistrate,
H. C. Pound; treasurer, J. W. Geiger. At a
later meeting A. G. Yule was appointed
marshal.
Under the law municipal elections are hel<l
on the first Monday in April, and it was there-
fore necessary to hold another election on
April 6. 1903. There was only one ticket in
the field and this contained the names of the
officials then serving. There were a few scat-
tering votes cast.
At the annual election of 1904 only one
alderman from each ward was elected. S. A.
Perrine succeeded himself in the first ward,
and F. E. Blakeslee in the second.
Although the much desired water works
had not yet been put in. the necessity for some
kind of fire protection was felt, and in 1904
the Big Timber fire department was organized
with a membership of 39, with J. P. Clark as
chief. Two chemical engines and a hook and
ladder truck were purchased by the city, and
quite an efficient department came into ex-
istence.
The worst fire in the history of the city,
from the stand point of property loss, occurred
Monday night, January 16, 1905, when the
Hatch block and the entire stock of the Hun-
gerford pharmacy and almost the entire stock
of the Fair store were destroyed, involving a
loss of about $35,000.
At the annual election held on April 3.
1905, John F. Asbury was reelected mayor,
defeating H. O. Kellogg by a vote of 69 to
;^j. Henry \\'itten and A. G. Hatch were re-
elected aldermen from the first and second
wards, respectively, without opposition.
At the annual election of 1906 S. A. Perrine
was reelected alderman from the first ward ;
in the second G. H. Howard was elected, de-
feating F. E. Blakeslee.
During the year 1906 Big Timber made
rapid strides in public improvements, and the
rapid growth and thriving condition of the
town has resulted beneficially. To show the
ciindition of tlie town as a shipping point, it
may be said that the receipts of the Northern
Pacific railway for the year ending December
I, 1906, was approximately $206,487, an in-
crease over the previous year of $50,000.
At a special election held June 23 the
electors of the town decided to issue bonds for
$40,000 for installing a system of water work.s,
something that had been needed for years. It
is to be a gravity system, and work will be be-
gim on it in the spring of 1907.
During the year more than one and one-
quarter miles of cement walks were constructed
and about three-quarters of a mile more were
contracted for. The Big Timber Pioneer said
of the building activit}- for the year 1906. in
its special edition of December 13: "The past
year has witnessed an unprecedented growth
in buildings, but the demand for dwellings
and store buildings is far in excess of the sup-
]dy. Not an empty house of any description
can be found in the city, notwithstanding the
large number that have recently been erected.
and a number of prospective residents are
awaiting the completion of dwellings now in
course of construction."
In the matter of education Big Timber has
always kept pace with the demands of the
steadily increasing population. A handsome
new high school building was erected in 1905,
which is thoroughly modern in every respect
and splendidly furnished. The county high
school is accessible to all of the children of the
county and presents an opportunity to the
i
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNT\'^
227
young people to acquire such an education as
will prepare them for college or fit them for
the practical duties of life. That the value of
the school is appreciated is shown by the large
attendance of pupils from every part of the
county. The city public schools are graded to
and including the eighth grade and employ five
teachers. The work embraces the prepara-
tion of the pupil for the high school.
Big Timber supports three church organi-
zations— Methodist, Episcopal and Congrega-
tional. Each organization has a substantial
church edifice, and enjoys a growing congrega-
tion. There are also a number of members of
the Catholic denomination, and services are
held here occasionally.
The secret organizations of the town are
as follows: F. O. E., Aerie No. 790: K. P.,
Big Timber Lodge, Xo. 25 ; Masons, Doric
Eodge, Xo. 53 : :d. W. A., Big Timber Lodge,
MELVILLE.
The second town in Sweet Grass county in
si.ve and importance is Mehille. located on
Sweet Grass creek, twenty miles due north of
Big Timber. The little \'illage is on the stage
and mail route from Big Timber to Two-dot
and has daily mail. The townsite is on an ex-
tensive flat, which takes its name from Cayuse
butte, a large jagged shaped elevation that
o\'erlooks the town.
Although Melville is not a large town, it
is, and has been from the date of founding, a
t'lriving trading point. Li the town are one
general merchandise store, a harness and shoe
shop, a blacksmith shop, a saloon, a hotel, a
school building, a church and several secret
organizations.
Melville came into existence in 1882, when
H. O. Hickox started a store there and named
the place Melville in honor of Lieutenant Mel-
yU\e, of Arctic fame.
By the fall of 1888 we find that the village
consisted, besides the store, of a school, saw-
mill, blacksmith shop, a harness shop, and a
hotel building was built there that year.
The Melville townsite was platted by Mr.
Hickox November 21, 1904. Since then sev-
eral residences have been erected, and the lit-
tle town has become the winter residence of
several neighboring ranchers who take up their
residence here in order to give their children
the advantages of the excellent school there.
Xye is the name of a postoffice and little
village on Stillwater river, thirty-six miles
southwest of Columbus, with which point it
is connected by a state antl mail line, and
forty miles south of Big Timber. The busi-
ness houses of the little village consist of a
store, hotel, blacksmith shop, and there is also
a public school in town. The present village
has a very uneventful history, but the old Nye,
or X"ye City, as it was called, which was lo-
cated south of this point, had as interesting a
history as one could wish for.
The old X^-e City came into existence in
the year 1887, and for a period was one of the
liveliest mining camp in Montana. Prior to
that date there were a few shacks in the vi-
cinity of the spot on which was afterwards
built the town. They were the property of
Jack V. Xi'ye, Joseph Anderson (commonly
called Skookum Joe), A. S. Hubble and a few
other prospectors and original locators of min-
ing claims. Among the other early prospect-
ors who operated in this vicinity during the
seventies and up into the eighties were Wil-
liam Hamilton, Hedges brothers. M. M. and
R. L. ]\IcDonald. Joe Shutes and others. These
worked their claims on the upper Stillwater
with indifferent success until the year 1886,
when the Minneapolis Mining and Smelting
company bought most of the claims in the vi-
cinitv and began operations on a large scale.
Then began- an era of activity on the upper
228
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
Stillwater and Nye City, named in honor of
Jack V. Nye, sprang into a lively existence.
The company, at an expense of about $4,000,
built a wagon road into the camp and spent
other thousands of dollars in other improve-
ments. Miners and laborers poured into the
new camp from all directions. Cooke City, the
flourishing mining camp to the south, wa.s
nearly deserted, and there was almost a stam-
pede from Big Timber.
The town dates its existence from early in
August, 1887, and in an almost incredibly
short time there was a flourishing little city.
According to a correspondent from the new
camp to a Livingston paper, grading for the
smelter began on August 8, and there was on
that date quite a force of men at work there
and a big rush was on. From the same
authority we learn that preparations were be-
ing made for the opening of a general mer-
chandise store and a restaurant, and that a
petition was being circulated asking the postal
authorities to establish a postoffice there. Two
saloons were opened on the 20tli of the same
month.
The townsite was platted in August, and
there was a big demand for the lots. A Xye
correspondent to the Livingston Enterprise
of August 27, said : "The arrival of the com-
pany's attorney, accompanied by A. S. Hovey,
surveyor, of Helena, has caused some demand
for town lots, their business being the platting
of the townsite. etc. Pending the completion
of this work, the refusal of over forty lots
has been given by the townsite agents." The
town was built in a well shaded basin at the '
base of the well known Granite range, the
mountains rising abruptly from the outskirts
of the village and towering into the clouds.
The view from the town was a grand and pic- {
turesque one.
Work was provided for everyone who '
came to the camp in the construction of the |
mills and smelter and in the mines. By fall
there was a town of five or six hundred people
where a few months before there had been
nothing. During this, its most flourishing
period, there were two stores, five or si.x res-
taurants, eleven saloons and a few other enter-
prises that go to make up a mining camp. The
postoftice was established that fall, mail being
carried by a private carrier, who was paid with
money raised among the inhabitants of the
town. These were the only mail facilities un-
til July, 18S8. when a tri-weekly service was
established by the go\'ernment. The name oi
the postoffice was Nye, but the townsite and
town itself were referred to as Nye City.
Nye City was not destined to long remain
the flourishing town it was during the first
days of its existence. Because of the fact that it
was found that the town w^as on the Crow In-
dian reservation, thus making impossible the
acquiring of title to mining claims, and be-
cause of internal dissension, the Minneapolis
Mining & Smelting company closed all its
works. This was fatal to the town. The peo-
])le who had gone there with the idea of gain-
ing untold wealth gradually abandoned the
camp. Finally practically everybody left, and
there came a time when there was no one left
but the postmaster, and Nye City entirely dis-
appeared. Then the postoffice was moved up
to its present location, and there was nothing
left of the old town but the memory.
There was some little activity in the camp
in the spring of 1894, owing to some discov-
eries and developments of nearby properties,
but this did not last long. A bridge was built
over the Stillwater at the camp by James
Hedges, E. A. McAtee and Lee Lute; that
spring, a blacksmith shop was built and there
were a few other improvements.
OTHER PL.\CES.
Ten miles southeast of Big Timber is the
postoffice and station of Grey Cliff. Here is
also a store and blacksmith shop, which sup-
ply the wants of the farmer and stock raiser
HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
229
ill that vicinity. Grey Cliff came into exis-
tence as a railroad station in the spring of
1894. I'rior to the ceding of a tract of land
by the Crows in 1892 this part of the county
was on the reservation, and of course not open
to settlement. It was in March, 1894, that a
surveying party, in charge of Harry Ralph, of
Helena, located depot grounds for the North-
ern Pacific at different points along the line in
the recently ceded Crow lands. The govern-
ment allowed the railroad company acreage
fur depot sites, at points ten miles apart, on
these lands, and one of the points selected by
the surveying party was that of Grey Cliff.
Reed postoffice is located on the Northern
Pacific railroad and the Yellowstone river
twenty-four miles southeast of Big Timber,
the station name being Reeds Point. There is
a general merchandise store at this point.
Howie is the name of a country postoffice
located on Sweet Grass creek, twelve miles
northeast of Big Timber, with which place it
is connected by stage and mail route. This is
the oldest settled community in Sweet Grass
county, it having been settled in 1877. In the
early days a postoffice was established near
the mouth of the creek and named Sweet
Grass. Here in 1881 a school was established,
which has been in existence ever since, with
the exception of the years from 1884 to 1889.
There is also a Norwegian church organiza-
tion, which has been in existence here ever
since 1886; services being held in the school
house. In May, 1892, the name of the post-
office was changed to Howie by the postoffice
department, without consulting the wishes of
the patrons of the office, a fact which was re-
sented by the people of the vicinity.
McLeod is the name of a postoffice on
Boulder creek, twenty miles southwest of Big
Timber. It is on the stage and mail route be-
tween Big Timber and Contract. The postoffice
was established in 1887, and was named in
honor of W. F. McLeod, who came to the
Boulder valley from Oregon in 1882.
Wormser was the name of a postoffict
(since discontinued) located twelve miles
north of Big Timber, on Big Timber creek.
It was named in honor of Rev. A. Wormser,
who was president of the Holland Irrigation
Canal company, which in 1896 built a large
irrigating canal in the Big Timber valley, for
the purpose of putting under water a large
tract of land. Wormser postoffice was estab-
lished that fall and the town of Wormser City
was founded. A. L. Ouwersloot opened a store
in the place, which drew trade from quite a
large colony of Hollanders who settled on the
irrigated land. Wormser City townsite was
platted by Mr. Wormser October 25, 1898,
and the plat was filed March 17, 1899. No
lots were ever sold in the proposed town, and
there is no such place now in existence, the
postoffice having been discontinued.
Merrill is a postoffice and railroad station
on the Yellowstone river and Northern Pacific
railroad 32 miles southeast of Big Timber and
ten miles west of Columbus. It has daily mail.
Busteed is a country postoffice on Cedar
creek in the extreme eastern part of the county.
It is twenty-eight miles north of Columbus,
from which point comes its mail.
Reynolds is' a railroad station two miles
west of Grey Cliff.
Manila is a Northern Pacific railway sta-
tion, located four miles west of Reed postoffice.
De Hart is a railway station seven miles
southwest of Big Timber.
PART IV
CARBON COUNTY
CHAPTER
CURRENT EVENTS
The territory now comprising Carbon
county, was, prior to 1892, a part of the Crow
Indian reservation, with the exception of a
small piece of territory lying in the southwest
corner which had been opened previous to this
and made a part of the county of Park. This
was done because of the immense coal deposits
at Red Lodge which the owners wished to de-
velop. When this strip of territory became a
part of the county of Park in 1887, active de-
\-elopment work was started at the coal fields
at Red Lodge and an embryo town was started
adjacent to them.
It was not, however, until the completion
of the Rocky Fork and Cooke City branch of
the Northern Pacific railroad in 1889, that the
mines were worked on an extensive scale.
After the completion of the road a large force
of men was employed at the mines and Red
Lodge came into prominence as a coal produc-
ing district.
At that time this was considered princi-
pally as a coal mining and stock raising district
and but little thought was given to the agri-
cultural possibilities then lying dormant with-
in its borders. A few, however, saw these pos-
sibilities and knowing the value of the rich bot-
tom lands, settled along the creeks and valleys
in the ceded strip. Those who settled here
prior to 1889. were: Thomas P. ^McDonald,
Preston Hicox, William X. Hunter. Anthony
Chaffin, A. A. Ellis, Thomas Hogan, J. L.
Maryott, W. R. Mahan, James W. and John
W^ Torreyson, and B. F. Pippinger. In 1889,
the first sawmill was brought into what is now
Carbon county by A. S. 'Douglas. It was a
snjall portable steam sawmill with a capacity
of about 5,000 feet per day and was located a
short distance abo\^e the town of Red Lodge.
In 1892, the remaining portion of the ter-
ritory now comprised in Carbon county was
ceded by the Indians to the government and
thrown open for settlement. This territory
rapidly filled up with settlers and the i<-rtile
creek bottoms soon became the homes of hun-
dreds of thrifty i>eople and the country was
transformed as if by magic into fields of wav-
ing grain, and the Indian tepees were replaced
by comfortable, though, sometimes rude, dwel-
lings of the white settlers.
It was not until 1895. that the thought of
a separate political division entered the minds
of the people of the new territory, and, even
then, many were opposed to the plan. In fact,
during the political campaign of 1894, the sen-
timent of a majority of the people was strong-
ly opposed to it and the members of the legis-
lature elected that year, were generally under-
stood to be unfavorable to the plan. The mem-
bers of the legislature from Park county were
23-^
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Allan R. Joy, of Livingston, Dr. Collins, of
Hunters Hot Springs, and W. F. Meyer, of
Red Lodge. During the winter of 1894-5,
the sentiment of the people in this section
underwent a complete change and they clam-
ored for county division. Accordingly W. F.
Meyer, the memher from this end of the
county, introduced House Bill No. 9, provid-
ing for the creation of the county of Carbon
and fathered the bill through the house. He
\vas aided in his efforts by his colleagues from
the other end of the county. The bill passed
the house by a large majority, but when it
reached the senate the vote was a tie. T. P.
McDonald was sent to Helena by the citizens
of Red Lodge to lobby for the bill and the fol-
lowing telegrams will be of interest. These
were sent to C. C. Bowlen. who was chairman
of the committee here and were as fullows:
February 19, 1895, "Bill in hands of senate
committee. Have five days to report." Feb-
ruary 27th, "Bill will be voted on today, will
wire result." February 27th, "Bill put over
until tomorrow. Broke." February 28th,
"Tie vote in senate on Carbon county. Will
come up tomorrow when president of senate
will be present." ]\Iarch ist, "Carbon county
bill passed senate on a vote. Botkin voting for
us. Will be reconsidered tomorrow." March
2nd. "Carbon county bill only lacks signature
of officers. ^Motion to reconsider lost. Shake."
March 2nd, "Send me three hundred by Mon-
day's mail, sure."
The contest in the senate was very close
and needed the deciding vote cast by Lieut-
Gov. Alexander Botkin to decide it. W. F.
Meyer still retains the gold pen used by Gov-
ernor Richards in signing the bill. The act
creating the county of Carbon was as follows :
C.\RnoX COUNTY, 11. B. NO. 9.
Be it enacted by the legislative assembly of
tlie State of Montana :
Section L That all that portion of Park
county aiul Yellowstone county situated with-
in the following boundaries, to-wdt : Beginning
at a point in the mid-channel of the Yellow-
stone river opposite the mouth of the Stillwater
ri\er: following thence down the mid-channel
of the said Yellowstone river to the intersec-
tion of said channel of said Yellowstone river
with the township line running between
Ranges twenty-four (24) East and twenty-five
(25) East; thence following said township
line due south to its intersection with the west-
ern boundary of the Crow Indian reservation;
following thence in a southwesterly direction
the west line of said Crow Indian reservation
to the terminus of the said southwest direction
of said line: thence running due east to the in-
tersection of the mid-channel of the Big Horn
river ; thence following the said channel of the
said Big Horn river up in a southwesterly direc-
tion to its intersection with the north line of the
State of Wyoming, all of said boundary from
the said northwest corner of the Crow Indian
reservation to the Wyoming line being a part
of the boundary line of the Crow Indian reser-
vation, as established by law ; proceeding
thence from the intersection of the mid-channel
of the Big Horn river with the south line of
the State of Montana, due west to the inter-
section of the south line of the state of Mon-
tana with the township line separating range
fifteen (15) East from range sixteen (16)
East ; thence following along the line between
ranges fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) East to
point in the mid-channel of the Stillwater
ri\er: thence following the mid-channel
the said Stillwater river to the place of beginn-
ing, be, and the same is hereby created into a
new county, to be known as and" named Car-
bon county ; and the town of Red Lodge with-
in the boundaries mentioned shall be,
until otherwise provided by law, the county
seat of said county, and all laws of a general
nature applicable to the several counties of the
state and their officers are hereby made ap-
A BAND OF SHEEP READY FOR MARKET
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
22,2,
plicable to the said county of Carbon, and its
officers, as the same may be liereafter elected
or appointed, save as herein otherwise espe-
cially provided.
The following named persons are hereby
appointed to fill the offices set opposite their
names, respectively :
Alvin A. Ellis, county commissioner;
Orville E. Millis, county commissioner;
Robert C. Beattie, county commissioner;
Thomas Hogan, sherifY; Charles C. Bowlen,
treasurer; Edward McLean, clerk and re-
corder; Henry G. Province, assessor; George
W. Pierson, county attorney ; Henry G. New-
kirk, clerk district court; Lizzie McDonald,
superintefident of schools; J. H. Johnson,
coroner; Gilbert Patterson, administrator;
Charles Printz, county surveyor.
Approved March 4, 1895.
The new^ county was organized May i,
1895, and the building formerly occupied as
a store building by J. H. Conrad & Co., was
utilized as a court house. The county commis-
sioners at once let the contract for a jail to
Phillip McLaughlin for $1,700. Among the
first acts of the board was the appointment of
justices of the peace and constables in the pre-
cincts recently formed. The names of the pre-
cincts and officers appointed were as fol-
lows: Red Lodge, (jeo. H. He} wood,
Henry M. Mcintosh, justices; John ^Ic-
Kee\er. John Johnson, constaljles. Rock-
vale, Edward J. Boulden, Orrin Clauson, jus-
tices: James Xewton, — Hughes, cnn^tables.
Joliet, Bruce Leverich, W. R. Crockett, jus-
tices ; Harry Duffield. Caleb Duncan, consta-
bles. Absarokee, S. T. Simonson, justice;
Dana F. Gushing, constable. Rosebud, R. O.
]\Iorris. justice; T. F. George, constable.
Red Lodge Creek, Geo. Jackson, justice; Geo.
B. Stevenson, constable. Clark's Fork, Geo.
LTrner, justice; Phillip Sidle, constable.
In the settlement between Park and Carbon
counties, it was determined tlmt Carbon county
should pay to the county of Park the sum of
$14,524.14, as her proportionate share of the
Park county indebtedness. Carbon county's
share of the indebtedness of Yellowstone county
amounted to the sum of $11,986.28, and in
September, 1895, the county of Carbon issued
twenty year bonds in the sum of $46,028.65,
to cover the entire indebtedness of the county.
The affairs of Carbon ran along very
smoothly for a numljer of years and the county
grew in wealth and population. In 1899. the
assessed valuation of all taxable proix;rty in
the county had passed the two million dollar
mark and the county was raised to the seventh
class. The raising of the rank of the county
also raised the salaries of the county officials
and the raise was as follows: Treasurer,
$1,500 to $1,800: sheriff, $1,800 to $2,000;
assessor, $1,000 to $r.20o: clerk of court.
$1,200 to $1,200; clerk and recorder, $1,200
to $1,800; county attorney, $1,000 to $1,200:
county superintendent of schools, $600 to $800
per year.
That the stock industry had grown and
j prospered in this county is evidenced by the
I fact that in the year 1899 over one million
pounds of wool were shipped out of Carbon
I county and many shipments of cattle were
j maile.
The court house was burned to the ground
in 1899, but nearly all the records were saved.
A new brick court house costing about $15,-
I 000, was constructed immediately which is up-
I to-date and modern, and has ample office room
fur the transaction t)f county business.
The .Absarokee Forest reserve was set
aside b}- proclamation of President Roosevelt
in 1902 and is bounded as follows: Beginning
at the northwest corner of township 5. south of
range 16 east, thence running east to the north-
west corner of township 5, range 18, which is a
point where Fishtail creek crosses the township
and range lines: thence south to the standard
parallel : thence east along standard parallel
to the southwest corner of township 5, south
of range 18, east; thence south to the south-
234
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY,
west corner of township 7, south of range 19
east; thence east along township hnes between
townships 7 and 8 south of range 19 east, to
southeast corner of township 7, south of range
19 east; thence south to the boundary hue
between Montana and Wyoming.
The assessed vahiation of Carbon county
since its formation in 1895 has been: 1895,
$i,300,0CK); 1896, $1,369,272; 1897, $1,367-
642; 1898, $1,826,513; 1899, 2,206,635; 1900,
$2,346,547; 1901, $2,572,824; 1902, $3,253-
543; 1903. $3,054,356; 1904. $3,522,932;
1905, $4,062,063; 1906, $4,217,886. By com-
parison with the assessment of last year the
valuation shows an increase of $161,000 in
real estate and improvements, including both
ranches and town lots, $30,000 in mortgages
and money, $72,000 in net proceeds from
mines, $19,000 in merchandise. $58,000 in
sheep, $23,950 in beef cattle, there being no
beef cattle at all in the county a year ago the
first of March, and $3,000 in work horses. It
also shows 157,468 acres of land assessed, as
against 152,801 in 1905.
The Yellowstone park branch of the
Northern Pacific railroad is now building
toward the Bear Creek coal fields and new
towns have been started at Belfry and Bear
Creek and it is exxpected that the Bear Creek
fields as soon as opened up will surpass e\en
those at Red Lodge.
The county of Carbon has a brilliant
future assured. No county in the state has so
many and varied resources. It has the best
defined and best developed beds of high grade
semi-bituminous coal west of the Missouri
river, many fertile valleys where crop failures
are unknown and the yield is always surpris-
ingly large, a good home market for all pro-
duce, and, al:)ove all, a good healthful and in-
vigorating climate and industrious and law
abiding citizens.
CHAPTER
CITIES AND TOWNS.
Red Lodge, the capital of Carbnn county,
is located on Rocky I-"ork creek at the font of
the Bear Tooth mountains. The elevation
above sea level is about 5,500 feet. Although
located in a high altitude the climatic conditions
are very uniform and the temperature rarely
goes to extremes. Sufficient snow for sleigh-
ing purposes is a treat seldom experienced in
winter and disagreeably hot weather in sum-
mer is almost unknown in this section.
The vast coal deposits existed at Red
Lodge were known of many years before an
attempt was made to develop them, but in
1887 the Rocky Fork Coal company was
formed by Walter Cooper, Sam Hauser and
Sam Word and active developments were com-
menced. In 1888, Babcock and Miles and J.
D. Losekamp were tlie first merchants and the
next year O. E. Millis and J. H. Conrad Co..
opened mercantile establishments here. This
year marks the beginning of the industrial and
commercial imix>rtance of Red Lodge and the
coal camp, as it was formerly termed, assumed
an air of stability. The tnwn now linasted of a
! population of aliout four hundred people. The
j Rocky Fork branch of the Northern Pacific
railroad was completed to Red Lodge in June.
1889, and was followed by a large influx of
settlers and workmen for the mines, and the
output of the mines was greatly increased,
\ new buisness enterprises promulgated and the
town grew apace.
HISTORY OF CARBON COUXTV
235
The town was platted in November, 1889,
by John W. Buskett, secretary of the Rocky
Fork Town and Electric company. Some
trouble was experienced in getting title to the
land by the townsite company owing to the
priority rights claimed by the railroad com-
pany. The railroad claimed by right of grant
every odd numbered section in this territory,
but the government decided that as this had
been a part of the Crow reservation their claim
was invalid.
In the spring of 1892, T. P. :McDona!d and
135 others petitioned the county of Park for
incorporation and Joseph McAnnelly was ap-
pointed to take the census of the town. Ac-
cording to his official report the population of
the town at that time was 1,180. An election
was held to determine the proposition with T.
P. McDonald, ]M. J. Fleming and Keyser
Brown as judges, and the proposition carried
by a vote of 146 to 18. Another election was
held August 15th, to select officers for the
town with Keyser Brown, Roger Fleming and
Jewett L. Miskimin as judges, which resulted
as follows: Wm. O'Connor, mayor; C. C.
Bowlen, A. E. Flager, Thomas Bailey, Hugh
Earlev, Terrence Fleming and August Egan,
aldermen.
For the next two years the town enjoyed
a substantial growth, and the coal mines,
which have always played a very important
and transcendent part in the continued growth
of the city of Red Lodge, constantly increased
their output. Several hundred men were em-
ployed by them and the increasing payroll
added to the volume of business transacted in
the town.
The town experienced its first large fire
on March 23, 1900, and the following morn-
ing only the charred and blackened walls re-
mained to mark the spot which had been the
business center of Red Lodge. The fire broke
out in W. R. Hall's general merchandise store
about six o'clock in the morning and was pro-
gress was not stayed until it had devoured the
three compartment two-story brick buildings
owned l>y the Red Lodge Improvement com-
pany, occupied on the ground floor by W. R.
Hall's general merchandise store, Larkin &
Fleming's wholesale and retail liquor house,
and the extensive hardware store of Fulton &
Dalton. On the second floor were the rooms
of the Red Lodge Business Men's Club and
the offices and printing plant of the Red Lodge
Picket and Carbon County Democrat, the
dental parlors of Dr. George Dilworth and the
office of Dr. A. C. McClanahan. In addition
to this block.which wasa land mark of the new
town, being the first brick business block erec-
ted in the town was the brick block built the
previous year by the I. X. L. Co., and occupied
on the ground floor Ijy the extensive clothing
department store of Alderman Frieman, with
offices of Attorney George H. Bailey upstairs
— representing in the aggregate an expendi-
ture of over $100,000 — and it was only owing
to the fact that there was scarcely no wind
blowing at the time that the flames did not
communicate to the adjoining property on the
north and south and carry away the entire
business section of the town, at least, it was
due, perhaps, to the fact and the bucket bri-
gade stationed on the tops of adjoining huid-
ings, who incessantly kept pouring streams of
water upon the burning buildings, and the
committee wlio had charge of the blowing up
of the burning walls, that the flames were con-
fined to the property destroyed. The origin of
the fire is unknown, but it probably started
from spontaneous comlnistion in the basement
of Hall's store. Because of the strike, the
pumps at the mines were closed down and out-
side of the bucket brigade, no water was avail-
able.
Several heroic rescues were made, but be-
cause of an explosion in the basement of Hall's
store, one man was pinioned in the debris of
falling walls and was Inirned to death. He
was John E. Davis and his last words to his
companion. George W. W'isewell, who was
236
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
saved, were: "George this is a hard way to
die."
The loss and the amount of insurance as
far as can be ascertained were as follows : L
X. L. Co., $35,000, insurance $14,000; \V. R.
Hall, $25,000, insurance $14,000; Larkin &
Fleming, $6,000, insurance $2,000; Fulton &
Dalton $10,000, insurance $3,000; Red Lodge
Picket and Carbon County Democrat printing
plants, $5,000, insurance on Picket $1,600;
Business Alen's Club $2,000, no insurance; Dr.
Dilworth, $1,500, insurance $700; Dr. A. C.
McClanahan, $500, besides loss of A. H.
Davis, jeweler, and the blnck owned by Air.
Frieman, value unknown.
The result of this conflagration clearly
demonstrated the necessity of an organized fire
fighting force and in July a department was
organized with a charter membership of fifty-
eight. The membership fee was fixed at one
dollar and the number of members limited to
fifty. B. E. Vail was elected president; C. C.
Bowlen, vice president; F. W. Dalton, secre-
tarv: W. J. Deegan, treasurer, and \Vm. Lar-
kin. J. A. \'irtue and Elmer Akin, trustees.
W'm. Larkin was elected as chief and J. J.
Fleming, assistant chief.
A hook and ladder company and two hose
companies were formed and members of each
and foremen were as follows :
Hook and Ladder Company — W'm. Gebo,
foreman; Barney Hart, assistant foreman; Ja-
cob Jarvin; George \\\ Burke. F. C. Byrne,
Frank Sicori, James McGinnis, Martin Golden,
James G. Smith, Thomas Ross, C. J. Wilks,
Thomas Conway, Matt Gillen. Henry Green,
John Murray, F. W. Dalton, B. E. Vail, \V.
D. Hays, Val Bailey, Roger Fleming.
Hose Company No. i — Elmer Alkin, fore-
man ; Wm. Larkin, Walter Akin, Paddy Flem-
ing'- J- J- Fleming, W. J. Deegan, F. W. Alden,
A. J. Egan, Frank Lyle, T. Fleming, T. R.
Austin, E. J. AIcLean. Simon Hasterlick, P.
Gillen, T. F. Pollard. A. Budas. R. L. Davis,
M. J. Kerrigan. J. E. Mushbach, Arthur Mor-
gan, A. Alorrison.
Hose Company No. 2 — Joe Hart, foreman;
J. A. Virtue, assistant foreman; Thomas
Skelly, F. Sparling, C. C. Bowlen, James
Copeland, O. Paulson, George Jones, Prosper
Vanlippeloy, George Taft, Sanford Reuland,
Walter Alderson, Grant McMasters, Bernh
Rydberg, A. H. Davis, George Mushbach,
John Dunn, Ed. Ricketts, D. G. O'Shea, and
F. L. Cameron.
It is well to note that since the organiza-
tion of this department and their acquisition of
a suitable ec|uipment. the town has not had a
fire of much consequence, and the citizens point
with pride to its fire department which is not
surpasser by that of any town in the state of
comparative size.
On May i, 1899, the tax payers of Red
Lodge voted in favor of the issuance of bonds
to the amount of $25,000 for the purpose of
constructing a system of water works. These
bonds were redeemable in ten and twenty years
and the rate of interest was five per cent, an-
nuall}-. This issue was dated October 2, 1899.
This amount of money was found to be inad-
equate for the undertaking and accordingly, in
order to furnish the necessary funds with
which to complete the project an election was
held July 16, 1900, which resulted in a vote of
51 to 42 in favor of a second issue to the
amount of $10,000. ten and twenty year bonds,
bearing'five per cent, interest.
The source of water supply is Rocky Fork
Creek, a stream of pure sparkling mountain
water and the water is taken from the creek
two and one-half miles above the city, and the
gravity system is utilized. Five miles of
water mains have been laid at a cost of about
38,000 dollars, and the revenue since the com-
pletion of the plant has more than paid all
operating expenses and the interest on the
bonds. Water was available for use in Oc-
tober. I go I, since that date Red Lodge has
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY
^17
had tlie purest and best supply of water to be
found in the state.
In October, 1901, an infantry company of
the Montana National Guard was organized
here and mustered in by Adjutant General R.
Lee McCulloch, being Company D, First Mon-
tana Infantry. The company started with a
membership of fifty-one and elected Joseph Z.
Vennie, captain; E. E. Esselstyn, first lieuten-
ant; W. J. Deegan, second lieutenant. That
membership of the organization has increased
to about seventy-five. .\11 the members take
great pride in their organization, and as a con-
sequence, they have a well drilled and well
disciplined company.
The Rocky Fork Coal company, was suc-
ceeded in 1902 by the Northwestern Improve-
ment company, a company controlled by the
Northern Pacific Railway Co. Since the ac-
quisition of the mines by the new company the
output has been greatly increased and up to
the time of the fire in June of this year as high
as one hundred car loads of coal were shipped
from this point daily.
On June of this year a dire catastrophe
ossurred at the mine workings when eight
miners met their death from the effects of the
terrible white damp. It seems that the night
shift, unable to penetrate through the foul air,
had made their exit through the air shaft about
two and one-half miles to the east, and their
non-appearance at the usual hour and place
aroused the apprehension of the day shift, who
feared that some accident had befallen their
comrades. The alarm was given and a rescu-
ing party of some twenty men at once started
to render every possible assistance to the un-
fortunate men. The w^ork of rendering as-
sistance was made doubly difficut by the failure
of the large electric fan to work and purify
the air. Many of the rescuing party were ef-
fected by the awful damp and had to be as-
sisted to the surface by tlieir companions. The
death list comprised the following J. E. Bracy..
Terrence Fleming, Mike Garrish, Tom Skelley,
W'm. Bailey, Matt Riekki and Alvin McFate.
-\ great crowd surrounded the mine, many
being in the most intense state of excitement;
anguished relatives of the doomed men were
almost frantic with grief, and the scene was
such as to excite the utmost sympathy.
The members of the rescuing party showed
themselves to be of indomitable courage.
Among the most daring of these were Wm.
Haggerty, Samuel Hasterlick, James McAllis-
ter, Fred Willey, and E. J. McLean, who
worked like veritable trojans and vastly aided
in recovering the bodies of the dead miners.
From the facts brought out at the coroner's
in(juest, the jury found that these men had met
their death as a result of the carelessness of
the ofiicials of the mine who had not reported
the existence of the damp in the mine.
•The fires which had been raging in these
mines for fifteen years, broke out in the new
workings at this time and for the past two
months a large fire fighting force has been em-
ployed at the mines. The fire, was placed un-
der control about the middle of July and now
the miners have gone back to the work of min-
ing coal and by September ist of this year, it
is expected that the mines will be working in
full blast again.
Because of the big fire which occurred in
1900, and which destroyed the record books
of the city, it is impossible to ascertain with
any degree of certainty, the names of the mem-
bers of the council of the city of' Red Lodge
prior to that time. The officers of the city
since its incorporation, so far as can be ac-
curately learned, are as follows :
1892 — Mayor, Win. O'Connor; city clerk.
T. C. Ross.
1893 — Mayor, \Vm. O'Connor; clerk, T.
C. Ross.
1894 — Mayor. E. E. Esselstyn; clerk and
attorney, Geo. W. Pierson.
1895 — Mayor, J. M. Fox; clerk and attor-
nev, Geo. \\'. Piersun. ^Ix. Pierson resigned
238
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
during his term of office and G. D. O'Shea
was appointed.
1896 — Mayor, Geo. G. Hough; clerk, J.
R. ,\ndre\vs.
1897 — Mayor, Geo. G. Hough; clerk. R.
L. Davis.
1898 — Mayor, \\'ni. Larkin ; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. H. Bailey.
1899 — Same as 1898.
1900 — Mayor, Wm. Larkin; clerk and at-
torney. Geo. H. Bailey; aldermen, A. E. Fla-
ger. T. R. Austin, Fred W'illey, Dan Davis,
Emil Romersa, and M. H. Lucas; city treas- |
urer, Edward Olcott ; police magistrate, Oscar
Geanstrom.
1902 — Mayor, Wm. Larkin; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. H. Bailey ; aldermen, John Dunn,
A. Alorrison, S. Reuland, Emil Romersa, M.
H. Lucas, A. E. Flager; treasurer, Edward
Olcott ; police magistrate, Oscar Geanstrom.
1902 — Mayor, C. C. Bowlen; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. H. Bailey; aldermen, W. A. Tal-
mage, B. Hart, F. A. Sell, A. Morrison. John
Dunn, Wm. Haggerty; treasurer, E. J. Mc-
Lean ; police magistrate, L. P. Sichler.
1903 — Mayor C. C. Bowlen; clerk and at-
torney, G. \\'. Pierson ; aldermen, J. S. Rob-
bins, 'Geo. Burke, W. S. Hall, W. A. Tal-
mage. B. Hart, F. A. Sell; treasurer, E. J.
McLean ; police magistrate, L. P. Sichler.
1904 — Mayor, S. D. Metier; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. W. Pierson ; aldermen, Lewis
Chapman, Martin Wood, Thos. Donahue,
Geo. Burke, W. S. Hall, J. S. Robbins; treas-
urer. E. J. McLean; police magistrate, Chas.
\\'ilson.
1905 — Mayor, S. D. Metier; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. W. Pierson; aldermen, Roger
Fleming, H. C. Provinse, J. F. Flaherty, J. M.
Logan, Lewis Chapman, E. P. Ricketts; treas-
urer. E. J. McLean; police magistrate, Chas.
Wilson.
1906 — Mayor, T. R. Austin; clerk and at-
torney, Geo. \\'. Burke; aldermen, Roger
Fleming. Frank Valentine. H. C. Provinse,
Oscar Johnson, Wallace Hayworth, J. M.
Logan; treasurer, E. J. McLean; police magis-
trate, M. H. Lucas.
Red Lodge has the destinction of having
the only sociahst mayor in the State of Mon-
tana, in the person of T. R. Austin.
The city is well supplied with churches,
having six church organizations with good
memberships. The Congregational church is
the oldest organization, having started in the
old log school house in the summer of 1S90.
It now has a membership of about sixty. The
Calvary Episcopal w-as the second church or-
ganization in the city and this also startetl in
1890. It has a membership of about sixty-five.
St. Agnes Catholic church was established in
1893 and enjoys having the largest member-
ship of any church in the city, having 677
members. The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran
is second in membership in the city having
about 600 members in good standing. The
Methodist Episcopal church which was started
in 1 89 1, has a membership of alxiut seventy-
five. The Adventists also have a church or-
ganization, but do not hold regular weekly
services.
Eight secret societies have organizations
and all are in a flourishing condition. They
are;
Carbon County Lodge, No. 56, A. O. U.
W. Bear Tooth Lodge, No. 534, B. P. O. E.
Brondel Court, No. 1493. Catholic Order of
Foresters. Red Lodge Aerie, No. 742. F. O.
E. Garfield Lodge, No. 36, L O. O. F. Star
in the West Lodge No. 40, A. F. & A. M.
Summit Camp No. 328. W. O. \\'. Red
Lodge Cabin, No. 4, Fraternal Order of
Mountaineers, recently instituted.
The following is a summary of the condi-
tions as they exist at present:
Red ■ Lodge, with a population of over
3.000, is situated at the terminis of the Rocky
Fork and Cooke City branch of the Northern
Pacific railroad, 44 miles from the main line
and 45 miles from the Yellowstone National
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY,
239
park by trail over the Bear Tooth Mountains.
It has a good water works system owned by
the city, an electric plant, two telephone ex-
changes, a fire department that would be the
pride of any city, of like size, three banking in-
stitutions, three hotels, and scores of handsome
homes and business blocks. It is the center of
the largest measure of semi-bituminous coal
in the west, and also the center of a large agri-
cultural, stock raising and wool growing area,
and exports annually large consignments of
hay, grain and vegetables. The variety of its
resources, the beauty of its environs, the purity
of its water supply, and the health producing
<|ualities of its climate all combine to add to its
attracti\-eness as a home and business location.
Bridger is a flourishing village on the
Northern Pacific railroad and Clark's Fork
river, twenty-five miles northeast of Red
Lodge and 45 miles southwest of Billings. It
was platted February 27, 1902, by A. H. We-
they, and is located on section 21, township 6.
south range 23, east, M. P. AI. It is the center
<if a rich coal mining and stock raising dis-
trict and near the town are found large stucco
l)eds which have been worked for the past ten
years almost continuously. The town has a
bank, three hotels, school and opera house with
a seating capacity of 300, a creamery, with a
capacity of 300 pounds per day. a good water
system and an electric light plant. It has a
populatiijn of about 300 and will soon vote on
the question of incorporation. It has telephone
connections with Red Lodge and Joliet and
daily stages to Red Lodge, Joliet, Golden and
Riverview. The only church organization is
the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church which is
largely attended. It has three secret societies,
the Brotherhood of American Yoeman, Fores-
ters of America, Court No. 6, and Camp No.
6819 of the Modern Woodmen of America.
Joliet is the second town in importance in
Carbon county, both in the matter of popula-
tion and volume of business transacted. It is
situated in the midst of the largest and best
agricultural district in the county, on the
Rocky Fork and Cooke City branch of the
Northern Pacific railroad, 26 miles north of
Red Lodge and 17 miles northwest of Brid-
ger. The town is about half a mile from the
railroad and the station name is Wilsey. Con-
tains a bank, flour mill, hotel, live weekly
newspaper, the Joliet Journal and other hues
of business common to small towns. It has
long distance telephone connections with out-
side points and a rural free delivery service.
Stage daily, except Sunday between Bridger
and Gebo.
The population is about 300 and the ques-
tion of incorporation is soon to be voted on by
the residents of Joliet and present indications
ponit to a large vote for the proposition.
The station name for which is Froniberg
is a village on the Northern Pacific railroad
and Clark's Fork river, which was first settled
in 1897 and platted April 20, 1898, by Fred-
erick H. Davis. It is twenty miles northeast
of Red Lodge and seven miles north of Brid-
ger, the banking point. It is located in the
midst of a good coal mining district and a con-
siderable amount of coal is shipped from this
point every year.
OTHER TOWNS.
Absarokee is a postofiice on Stillwater
creek, 35 miles northwest of Red Lodge and
13 miles southwest of Columbus, the nearest
banking and shipping point on the Northern
Pacific railroad.
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Bowler is a village first settled in 1892, on
the Burlington and Missouri river railroad
and Sage creek, 40 miles east of Red Lodge
and 18 miles southwest of Bridger, the bank-
ing point on the Northern Pacific railroad,
and 48 miles southwest of Billings. Stage
every other day to Bridger.
Carbon is a station on the Rocky Fork
branch of the Northern Pacific railroad. 38
miles southwest of Billings.
Chance is a postofifice and settlement 18
miles southeast of Red Lodge, the shipping
point on the Northern Pacific railway, and 20
miles southwest of Bridger, the banking point.
Stage and mail tri-weekly from Red Lodge.
Dean is a country postoffice 35 miles
northwest of Red Lodge, the banking point,
and 30 miles southwest of Columbus, the ship-
ping point on the Northern Pacific railway.
Mail and stage daily from Columbus.
Edgar, a station on the Clark's Fork
branch of the Northern Pacific railway, 31
miles southwest of Billings and six miles
southwest of Silesia, the postofifice.
Ewing, a post ofiice on the Big Horn river,
70 miles southeast of Red Lodge, 60 miles
south of Billings, the banking point, and 30
miles southeast of Bowler, the shipping point,
on the Burliiigton railroad.
Fishtail, a country post office on the Rose-
bud creek, 35 miles northwest of Red Lodge
and 20 southwest of Columbus on the North-
ern Pacific railway, the shipping and banking
point. Has stage to Absarokee and Columbus.
Fromberg is a postoffice and the station
name for Gebo, 20 miles northeast of Red
Lodge, seven miles north of Bridger, the bank-
ing point, and 38 miles southwest of Billings.
Linley, a country postoffice, 17 miles from
Red Lodge, the shipping and banking point, on
the Northern Pacific railway.
Riverview is a country postoffice on
Clark's Fork River, established in 1901. 18
miles east of Red Lodge and 15 miles south of
Bridger, the banking and shipping point.
Mail tri-weekly from Bridger.
Roberts is a postoffice, the station name
for which is Merritt, on the Northern Pacific
raihva}-, and Rock creek, 12 miles north of
Red Lodge, the banking point. Long distance
telephone connections.
Rockvale is a postoffice and flagstation
on the Northern Pacific railway, settled in
1893, 3'^ miles northeast of Red Lodge and 6
miles from Joliet, the banking point.
Roscoe is a country postoffice first settled
in 1 90 1 on the Big Rosebud river, 22 miles
west of Red Lodge, the banking and shipping
point on the Northern Pacific railroad. Stage
and mail tri-weekly from Red Lodge.
Silesia is a postoffice and station on the
Rocky Fork branch of the Northern Pacific
railway, at the junction of the Clark's Fork
I branch, 35 miles northeast of Red Lodge and
19 northeast of Bridger, the banking point.
Tony, a country postoffice 12 miles south
of Red Lodge, the banking point. Mail tri-
weekly from Red Lodge.
Bearcreek, a new town just started five
miles east of Red Lodge, in the midst of a
large coal mining district. Platted September
6, 1905, by Geo. T. Lamport and wife and
Robert Leavens and wife. Bearcreek post-
office was established in May, 1906.
Belfry, new town at junction of Clark's
Fork and Yellowstone Park railway. Platted
July 26, 1905, by F. A. Hall, president Belfry
Townsite company.
CHAPTER 1
DESCRIPTIVE.
Carbon county has been aptly and correctly
named the "Gem of the Mountains." This
county was formed and organized in 1895
from what was formerly a part of the Crow
Indian reservation and which was ceded to the
government in 1892 and thrown open to set-
tlement. It lies between the Yellowstone and
Stillwater rivers on the north and west, the
Wyoming state line on the south and the Crow
Indian reservation on the east; comprising
seventy miles east and west by forty-five miles
north and south.
Not in all the broad domain of the "Treas-
ure State of Montana" are the natural resour-
ces more fittingly adapted for the agriculturist
and stock-grower than are those within the
boundaries of Carbon county. The numerous
small streams flowing down its fertile valleys
furnish an abundant supply of water for irrigat-
ing purposes not surpassed by any other agricul-
tural section -of the state. Water for irriga-
tion, domestic and power purposes is furnished
by the Yellowstone. Stillwater, Rosebud and
Clark's Fork rivers and their tributaries, mak-
ing it the best watered county in the state. In
the southeast corner of the county are the Prior
mountains and in the southwest are the Bear-
tooth mountains, both offering an unlimited
and everlasting supply of the finest of water
and timber, and along the streams and ridges
running through the county are large bodies
of timber within easy reach of all. The nat-
ural conformation of the county is a succes-
sion of broad, rich valleys between wide, open
ridges, running north from the mountains to
the Yellowstone river.
In the past years the rills and valleys of
what now comprises the county of Carbon were
16
monopolized by large herds of cattle and
sheep, but since the valleys have been settled
upon and the streams fenced in to a large ex-
tent, the great herds have been reduced, until
the stock is almost entirely owned by the small
owners and ranchmen. The hills and grazing
lands back from the streams will always afford
plenty of pasture lands for small herds of
stock, and the rapid development of the coal
mining industry provides a ready home market
for the products of both farm and ranch.
Alfalfa, the staple fodder for cattle, sheep
and hogs, is being raised on nearly every ranch
in the county and the yield for a season is
from three to six tons to the acre. Barley,
ec|ual in every respect to the noted product oi
the Gallatin valley, is grown here, and linds
a ready sale in the eastern markets. Oats yield
from sixty to eighty bushels to the acre, wheat
from thirty-five to forty bushels and other
grains in proportion. Flax is also grown suc-
cessfully and the farmers are encouraged to
make it a staple crop. Potatoes yield prolifi-
cally and attain unsurpassed perfection. Small
fruits are raised in all the valleys and yield
largely. Their culture has paid well and
farmers are every year devoting more attention
to their production. The experiments in the
growing of apples, grapes and plums have
proven successful and many orchards have
been planted, promising to make Carbon one
of the fruit counties of the state. The rapidity
with which all vegetation responds to the
genial influence of wannth and moisture is
marvelous, and the productiveness of the soil
excites the wonder of those unaccustomed to
farming operations under the influence of ir-
rigation. The principal agricultural valleys
243
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY,
of the county are the Clark's Fork, Rocky
Fork, Stillwater and Rosebud and its tribu-
taries.
However much Carbfjn county may be
blessed with agricultural and stock-growing
resources, the fact must not be lost sight of
that her coal mining industry is one of the
chief institutions of the state. The entire
county is underlaid with seemingly inexhaust-
able measures of semi-bituminous coal, which
cannot be surpassed for steaming and heat-
ing purposes. The mines at Red Lodge have
been worked continually since 1889, and the
coal is being used on railroads, in smelters,
mills and for domestic purposes from St. Paul
to the Pacific coast. These mines employ 650
men and indirectly support as many more,
while their production during the past year
has amounted to more than half a million tons.
At Bridger the coal measures have been devel-
oped and a mining plant erected which will
soon be shipping from 150,000 to 250,000 tons
of coal a year. At Gebo a company has put
in a plant that will have an equal capacity. At
Bear Creek, which is supposed to be the great-
est coal field ever explored in the west, work
is progressing rapidly. With the advent of
the Yellowstone Park railway into the town of
Bear Creek, which will occur in August, that
coal camp will take on new life. Everything is
now in readiness for the shipment of several
hundred tons of coal per day, as soon as the
transportation facilities will permit.
The town of Bear Creek is situated in a
narrow gvilch, which has been surveyed and
laid out in town lots for a distance of two
miles. The town already has one general store,
drug store, restaurant, five saloons, livery barn,
butcher shop, etc., and when the mines are run-
ning on full time a water system will be added,
when water will be brought several miles from
the headwaters of Bear Creek to supply the
town.
The Bear Creek Coal company owns 720
acres of coal lands in the vicinity of the town
and these are all developed by tunnels, the
longest one being 1,200 feet in length. There
are six tunnels on the property and all show
coal from six to fourteen feet in thickness. A
complete coal plant has been installed on the
property and is already to begin operations.
Several large electric dynamos have recently
been added to the equipment, which will fur-
nish all the power that will be used in the mine.
Off to the left of the Bear Creek property
about two miles and near the top of the hill,
are situated the Mushbach and Rosetta prop-
erties, which are now being worked. This
mine has been developed by a number of tun-
nels and the quality of the coal is all that could
be asked for. The percentage of carbon is
high and, like all Bear Creek coal, is excellent
for steaming and heating purposes.
To the west of the Bear Creek Coal com-
pany's holdings are located the properties of
the Amalgamated Copper company, which
owns 3,000 acres of virgin coal lands, all of
which have been developed more or less by
shafts and tunnels. A large amount of land
held by this company has been prospected with
diamond drills to depths of several hundred
feet with excellent results. The railroad now
building into that country will touch all of
these properties and several hundred tons of
coal will be shipped from that vicinity daily
with the completion of the road.
Butte and Helena parties are also inter-
ested in the same field and they are making ar-
rangements at present for the active develop-
ment of their properties which lie to the south
and on the extension of the Cooke City exten-
sion of the Yellowstone Park railroad. It is
understood upon the best of authority, that
these mines will furnish a large amount of coal
to the smelters of Cooke City when the latter
resume operations. The haul from the mines
to the smelters will be a short one. while the
quality of the coal is the same as found on the
Bear Creek side of the mountains.
The Northwest Improvement Co.. which
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
243
owns tlie coal mines at Red Lodge, ha\e large
holdings in this iield and active development
work is soon expected to start upon their prop-
erties. The Montana Coal and Iron Co. is
another of the large owners of coal land here
upon which development work has been started,
and this, property is expected to commence
shipping in the near future.
The branch line ot the railroad from Belfry
to Bear Creek will be co-.^.eted before con-
struction is commenced oa the extension to
Cooke City, as the coal companies have large
contracts to fill. But the grading to Cooke will
probably be completed this fall and the steel
laid in the spring.
A number of other minerals have also been
disco. ^red on the Bear Creek side of the moun-
tains, which show low grade values in gold,
silver and copper. A number of promising
claims have been held by old timers in that
section for years and with the advent of the
new road these will became shippers and pro-
ducers to a large degree.
Near the headwaters of Butcher creek,
about fifteen miles west of Red Lf^dge, are
petroleum fields, where the crude petroleum
oozes out of the sandstone. The principal de-
velopment work has been carried on by
Thomas Cruse and associates of Helena. These
gentlemen have sunk four wells, two of which
have penetrated the first oil sand and show oil
in the well in good quantity. Mr. Cruse has
recently purchased the interests of his associ-
ates and it is expected that in the near future
another great industry will be added to Carbon
county's wealth.
Along the base of the Beartooth mountains,
in the southwest corner of the county, are im-
mense reefs of the finest quality of limestone,
from which a great deal of lime has been man-
ufactured and is being used almost exclusively
in the towns of southeastern Montana.
Eight miles distant from Bridger a plaster
of paris mill has been in operation for several
years past, and the product shipped to all parts
of the state. The puality of the cement is of
the best, and the gypsum deposit, from which
it is manufactured, is practically inexhaustable.
Gypsum deposits are a valuable asset to the in-
dustrial welfare of a county, and especially so
where the original deposit will run 80 to 90
per cent in purity as does this quarry. Con-
tractors of wide experience in the use of plas-
ter of paris and stucco have pronounced the
product of this mill equal to any they have at-
tempted to use and better than most. As an in-
dustry it cannot l:>e said to be more than barely
started, but its future is undoubtedly of com-
mercial importance as plaster of paris and its
compounds are coming into greater popularity
in the building trades.
Immense sulphur deposits and mountains
of purest marble are situated on some of the
tributaries of the Clark's Fork river, and iron
ore also abounds in the mountains, and wjll
become valuable for smelting and niaunfactur-
ing purposes.
Dairying is rapidly becoming a promi-
nent industry in Carbon county and three large
creameries have been established in the county.
The creamery at Bridger has been in opera-
tion for some time, but the creameries at Red
Lodge and Fishtail have been established re-
cently. They are all established on the co-op-
erative plan and all are doing a thriving
business.
The annual production of thousands of
pounds of honey is another of Carbon county's
resources and one that is rapidly growing. A
large number of the farmers of this section
have gone into the bee raising industry with
profitable results.
The importation of thoroughbred draft
horses for breeding purposes into this county
has added much to the wealth of the county,
both in the increase of good horses and the
value of them.
The climatic conditions in Carbon county,
taken the year round, are as healthy as any
portion of the United States. The report of
244
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
the signal service obsen-ers show that this sec-
tion of Montana enjoys more sunshine than
any section of country in tlie world. The win-
ters are presumably cold but in recent years
climatic conditions have changed and very cold
weather is the exception, for example, during
the winter just passed there was only one week
at Red Lodge — altitude 5,548 feet — one of the
highest points in the county, when the ther-
mometer reached the zero point. In the lower
valleys it sometimes gets extremely warm dur-
ing the summer, but the heat is not of the
debilitating character, and by reason of the alti-
tude and close proximity to the mountains, the
nights are always cool. The climate in the fall
is delightful. The springs are short and not
disagreeable, and, all thino^s considered, a
more pleasant place of residence cannot be
found for a person enjoying ordinarily good
health.
CHAPTER IV
EDUCATIONAL.
The year 1889 marks the beginning of the
educational history of the county of Carlxin.
The town of Red Lodge, wdiich was at that
time a part of Park county, had assumed an air
of stability and the four hundred souls who
then comprised the population of this growing
town realized the necessity of educational facil-
ities. Accordingly a school was organized and
in September of that year. Miss Annie P. Mc-
Anelly took up her duties of teaching the
"young idea how to shoot" in a primitive one-
roomed log building-.
This lo.g building did good service for the
next two years, but in 1891, the rapidly in-
creasing population made necessary the build-
ing of a larger school building and the employ-
ment of additional teachers. A four room
frame building was erected and a force of four
teachers was then employed.
In 1895 the county of Carbon was created
and the county commissioners of the new coun-.
ty at once divided the county into eighteen
school districts, which were as follows :
District No. i. — Comprised all of sections
I, 2. 3, 4. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, II, 12. 13, 14, 15.
16, 21, 22, 27,. 24. 25, 26, 27, 28, T,T„ 34, 35.
36, in townships 7 and 8, range 20, east, and
all of township 7, in range 21, east.
District No. 2. — .A.11 of Carbon county east
of Clark's Fork river between Bluewater creek
and township line between townships 7 and 8,
west of the summit of the divide between
Clark's Fork river and Sage creek except the
ranch of C. N. Norton.
District No. 3. — All of Carbon county east
of the divide between Sage creek and Clark's
Fork river.
District No. 4. — Township 6, range 22.
east and all of township 7, range 22. east, lying
on west side of Clark's Fork river, and all of
township 6, range 23 east, lying on west
side of Clark's Fork river, and all of
sections t,2, 31, 30, 29, 21, 20, 19, 16, 17, 18,
township 5, range 2T,, east, lying on the west
side of Clark's Fork river, and also ranch of C.
N. Norton situated on east side of Clark's
Fork river.
District No. 5. — All of Carbon county east
of Clark's Fork river and north of Bluewater
creek and townships 3 and 4. range 23, east.
HISTORY OF CARBOxX COUNTY.
245
and all of sections 3, 4. 5, 6, 7, 8. and 9, town-
ship 5, range 23, east, lying on the west side of
Clark's Fork river.
District No. 6. — All of townships 8 and 9,
ranges 21 and 22, east.
District No. 7. — All of township 4, south
range 22, east.
District No. 8. — All of Carhon county be-
tween west fork of Red Lodge creek and
district number i, lying south of the old Blake
line.
District No. 9. — Commencing in Under-
wood Gulch where Blake's line crosses said
gulch, following down Underwood Gulch to
Red Lodge creek, and down said creek to the
mouth of Willow creek; from mouth nf Wil-
low creek running due east to the summit of
the divide between \\'illow and Ruck creeks,
foUowing summit of the ilivide between Wil-
low and Rock creeks in a southerly direction
to the Blake line, following Blake line west to
the starting point.
District No. 10. — Commencing at the
northeast corner of David Lay's ranch on Vol-
ney creek, thence running west to Butcher
creek, and up Butcher creek to north line of
E. C. Russell's ranch ; thence following north
line of said ranch east to east line of said
ranch, running south alcing east line of said
ranches owned by E. C. Russell and Michael
Murray to the south line of Murray's ranch ;
thence running along said south line of Mur-
ray's ranch west to Butcher creek, thence fol-
lowing said cr^ek south to mountains, follow-
ing along the foot of the mountains east to
head of L'nderwood Gulch: thence down Un-
derwoiid Gulch to the liouse of Jacob Durst,
and from Durst house went ti) starting point.
District No. 11. — Commencing at the head
of Butcher creek at foot of mountains; thence
running west to the East Rosebud creek to cen-
ter of township 5. range 18, east; thence east
to Btltclier creek, and ui) Butcher creek to
starting point, including ranches of E. C. Rus-
sell and Michael Murrav.
District No. 12 — Commencing at the inter-
section of the west line of Carbon county with
Stillwater river, thence running east to the
summit of the ilivide between Stillwater river
and Fishtail creek: thence running north on
said di\-ide to the head of Midnight creek, and
down Midm'ght creek to Stillwater river;
thence up Stillwater river to .starting point.
District No. 13. — Beginning at the north-
east corner of section 28, township 4, south
range 18. east; thence west si.x miles; thence
south to Fiddler creek: thence east six miles;
thence north to starting point.
District No. 14. — All of the country be-
tween West Rosebud creek and Stillwater ri\'er
below mouth of Fishtail creek.
District No. 15. — All of townships 2 and 3
in range 20, east, that are in Carbon county
and all of township 3, range 19, east, lying in
Carbon county.
District No. 16. — All of Carbon county be-
tween the East and West Rosebud ri\-ers not
included in district No. 13.
District No. 17. — Township 4, south range
19. east, and all of township 4, south range 18,
east, that lies east of Rosebud river.
District No. 18. — All of the territory be-
tween Stillwater ri\'er and West Rosebud
river that is not includefl in districts 14. 13 and
The reports anil most of the records of
the county superintendents of schools were de-
stroyed in the fire of 1889 when the court
house was burned to tlie ground. From the
state superintendent's report of 1898 the fol-
lowing data was secured :
Total amount of money received for school
purposes. $13,734.94: amount on hand at end
of fiscal year, $742.31; census, male 761. fe-
male, 735: number of teachers employed, 38;
average salary of teachers, male $52.66, fe-
male $41.50; average attendance, 1,027; num-
ber of school houses. 29; \-alue of school houses
and grounds, $14,160.
Mrs. 'M. a. Ke.\rxs, County Supt.
246
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
Tlie report of the county superintendent
for the year 1900 is as follows :
Census, male, 1,160, female, 1,028; en-
rollment, 1,509; average daily attendance, 812 ;
number of teachers, 50; average salary of
teachers, male, $60, female, $42.75; number of
school houses, 39; new school houses, 10; value
of school houses and grounds, %22,,y2o; total
amount apportioned for year, $31,103.13;
amount on hand at end of year, $1,896.75.
Miss Martha Dilworth, County Supt.
Following is the report for the year 1902:
Census, male, 1,255. female, 1,148: enroll-
ment, 1,855; average daily attendance, 796;
average salary of teachers, male, $76, female,
$41.28; number of school houses, 44; value of
schoolhouses and grounds, $26,842 ; total
amount of money collected for school purposes,
$32,479.32 ; amount on hand at end of year,
$4,086.50.
Miss Martha Dilworth, County Supt.
The report of County Superintendent Miss
Agnes B. Ross for the year 1903 is as follows :
Census, male, 1,355, female, 1,208; enroll-
ment, 1,685; average daily attendance, 902;
number of school houses, 47; value of school
houses and grounds, $36,548; amount collected
for school purposes, $33,140.83; amount on
hand at end of year, $4,949.94.
The report for the year 1905 shows a de-
cided increase in nearly every item as fol-
lows :
Census, male, 1,371, female. 1,237: enroll-
ment, 1,614; average daily attendance. 1,152;
number of school houses, 49; value of school
houses and grounds, $39,278 ; number of teach-
ers employed, 64; total amount collected for
school purposes, $44,725.53 ; amount on hand
at end of year, $9,113.86.
Miss Agnes B. Ross, County Supt.
The school report for 1905 shows an in-
crease in the census, but a decrease in the num-
ber enrolled and the average daily attendance.
This year is notable in that it marks the pass-
ing of the log school houses in all parts of the
county, and now all buildings are frame or
brick. The report is as follows :
Census, male, 1.505, female, 1,307; enroll-
ment, 1,418; average daily att^dance, 883;
number of school houses, 51; value of school
houses and grounds, $70,147; amount of
money collected for school purposes, $52,-
988.46; amount on hand at end of year, $18,-
970.16.
Miss Agnes B. Ross, County Supt.
There are 50 school districts in the county
antl -jT, school houses where school is main-
tained during the school year. Districts 45-46
ha\e been consolidated and also districts 30
and 31 at Froml)erg where a central school
will be held. At Joliet and Gebo nine
grades have been taught for several years
and at Bridger two years of the high school
work has been taken up. At Red Lodge the
full three years high school course has been
taught since the completion of the brick high
school building in 1899. A new ward school
house was built in Red Lodge last year at a
cost of $7,500 and the present enrollment in
the Red Lodge schools is 684.
In April, 1905, an election was held for the
purpose of deciding the question of a free
county high school which carried by a vote of
1,238 to 1,148, a majority of 90. The high
school was organized and the upper floors of
the Red Lodge high school building were se-
cured in which to hold school. The enroll-
ment during the first year of the school's ex-
istence was 60 and a material increase is ex-
pected during the coming year. A good corps of
teachers, a superintendent and two assistants,
were secured and already the school has been
placed on the accredited list, that is, any grad-
uate of Carbon county free high schools
is entitled to enter the collegiate department
of any of the state institutions of higher learn-
ing.
The curriculum of the school contains three
distinct courses, the classical, English and
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY
commercial. The equipment of the school
comprises a goodly supply of physical appar-
atus and many useful reference books.
The present county high school board
consists of D. G. O'Shea, A. E. Flager, J.
Mushbach, W. J. Crismas, and Miss Agnes B.
Ross, county superintendent, ex-officio mem-
ber of the board.
CHAPTER V
POLITICAL.
The enabling act creating the county of
Carbon provided for the officers of the new-
county. Those named in the bill to fill the
different officers and who afterward qualified
were: Alvin A. Ellis, Orville E. Millis, and
Robert C. Beattie, county commissioners;
Thomas Hogan, sheriff; Charles E. Bowlen,
treasurer ; Edward J. McLean, county clerk
and recorder; Henry G. Province, assessor;
George \V. Pierson. county attorney ; Henry
G. Newkirk, clerk district court; Lizzie Mc-
Donald, county school superintendent; T. H.
Johnson, coroner; Gilbert Patterson, public
administrator; Charles Printz, county sur-
veyor. The above named officers were to hold
office until their 'successors should be elected
and qualified at the next general election to be
held in November, 1896.
About the middle of March, 1895, these
officials took the oaths of office and on the first
of April entered upon the discharge of their
duties. The building formerly occupied by the
firm of J. H. Conrad & Co., was secured and
fitted up for a court house. The county was
divided into twelve election precincts — Rock-
vale, Joliet, Bridger Crossing, Reno, Merritt
& Roberts, East Red Lodge, West Red Lodge,
Jackson, Fishtail. Morris, Absarokee, and
Bowler precincts. For the first general elec-
tion in which Carbon county as a separate po-
litical division participated, held November 3,
1896, the election officials and their precincts
were as follows :
Rockvale precinct, Roy Nutting, R. H.Ter-
rell and R. Dunn, judges; Joliet precinct, J.
Jacoby, H. Scovel, and A. Black, judges;
Bridger Crossing precinct, A. E. Parker, G.
H. Premo, and F^. Duffield, judges; Reno pre-
cinct, A. Youst, C. Brewer and Nathan
Chance, judges; Merritt & Roberts precinct,
John Kerrigan, Henry Chapman antl W. R.
Crockett, judges; East Red Lodge precinct,
R. L. Davis, John Rose and E. E. Esselstyn,
judges; West Red Lodge precinct, J. A. Vir-
tue, F. W. Draper, George Toff, judges;
Jackson precinct, Anthony Thiel. T. E. Duell,
Ed. Doty, judges; Fishtail precinct, Osmand
Anderson, R. McDonald, Sam Webb, judges;
Morris, Tim George, Wm. Dell, Thomas
Jones, judges ; Absarokee. B. W. Barlow, S. J.
Westcott, S. T. Simonson. judges; Bowler pre-
cinct, John Bowler, J. A. King, J. H. Graham,
judges.
The election returns of the election held
November 3, 1896, show that 1167 votes were
cast for the different candidates and the re-
sult of the election was as follows;
McKinley electors, rep.. 363 ; Bryan elect-
ors, dem., 740.
248
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY,
For Congress — Charles S. Hartman, silver
rep.. 591; O. F. Goddard, rep.. 315.
For Governor — Alexander C. Botkin, rep.,
409; Robert B. Smith, dem. and pop., 667.
For State Senator — C. C. Bowlen, dem.,
682; John G. Clark, rep., 244; H. J. Arm-
strong, ind.. 103.
For Representative — James J. Hart, dem..
623; E. E. Lightfoot, rep., 355.
For Judge 6th. District — Frank Henry,
rep.. 657.
For Clerk of District Court — J. E. Mush-
bach, dem., 606; Charles W. Pratt, rep., 227;
R. A. Martin, ind., 144.
For County Commissioners — \\'. F. Tink-
com, dem.. 569; John Mulkerin, dem.. 409;
Harry Duffield, dem., 618; J. H. Johnson, rep.,
355; E. H. Bowen, rep., 292; L. P. Sickler,
rep., 307; J. N. Tolman. ind.. 106: R. O.
Morris, ind., 149; Sam Young, ind., 113.
For County Attorney — L. B. Reno, dem.,
473; George W. Pierson, rep., 278; George H.
Bailey, ind.. 284.
For County Clerk and Recorder — E. J.
McLean, dem., 616; J. H. Burnside, rep.. 415.
For sheriff — John Dunn, dem., 441 : R.
S. Chappell, rep., 308: Thomas Hogan, ind.,
323-
For Treasurer — W. A. Talmage. dem.,
564; George J. Jackson, rep., 478.
For Assessor — H. C. Jewett, dem., 485;
George B. Stevenson, rep., 544.
F"'or Public Administrator — Gilbert Patter-
son, dem.. 498: \\". H. Close, rep.. 437.
For Coroner — 'M. B. Dutton. dem., 502;
Henry Williams, rep.. 414.
For Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. M.
A. Kearns, dem., 707; Mrs. A. H. Davis, rep.,
336.
For County Surveyor — David Lay, dem..
612: Fred W. Hine. rep., 268; Charles E.
Prinz. ind., 122.
The result of the vote to select a permanent
countv seat was as follows :
Red
No. Precinct. Joliet Lodge
1 Rockdale 62 2
2 Joliet 76 2
3 Bridger Crossing 25 10
4 Reno Ranch i 18
5 Roberts 15 31
6 East Red Lodge 6 350
7 West Red Lodge 8 191
8 Jackson 4 46
9 Fishtail 19 i
10 Morris 7 26
1 1 Absarokee 62 10
12 Bowler 22 o
Total 307 687
j There were three tickets in the field in the
! general election of 1898. Following is the
result of the vote :
I For Congress — A. J. Campbell, dem., 447;
T. C. Marshall, rep.. 432; Thomas Hogan, sil.
rep., 198.
i For Representatives — J. H. Johnson, dem.,
675; E. C. Russell, rep., 471.
For Sheriff — John Dunn, dem., 648 : Wm.
Larkin. rep., 384; Thomas Hogan, sil. rep.,
160.
For Treasurer — R. L. Davis, dem., 613;
.M. W. Potter, rep., 384; C. B. Clark, sil. rep.,
35-
For Clerk and Recorder — E. J. ]\IcLean,
dem., 629; John ^IcCullough. rep.. 521 : T. C.
Benbow, silver-rep., 112.
For Assessor — Henry Rosetta, dem., 484;
H. C. Province, rep., 471 ; F. S. Dunham, sil-
' ver-rep., 198.
For County Attorne\ — L. B. Reno, dem.,
I 522; George H. Bailey, rep., 433; George W.
I Pierson. silver rep., 211.
I For Superintendent of Schools— :Catherine
I E. Feeley, dem.. 712; E. C. McAdden, rep.,
417-
For Coroner — ^L B. Dutton, dem.. 49C;
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY.
249
B. B. Kelley, rep., 508; Lewis Schank, silver-
rep., 117.
For Public Administrator — E. B. Chat-
field, deni., 495; W'm. N. Hunter, rep., 520;
Joseph McAnelly, silver-rep., 96.
For County Surveyor — D. F. Lay, dem.,
525; M. G. Swan, rep., 512; J. C. Blanding,
silver-rep., 102.
At the presidential election of November 6,
1900, the Carbon county vote was divided as
follows :
For Republican electors, McKinley — 900;
Democratic electors, Bryan. 875 ; Socialist-
Democrat, 24; Prohibition, i.
For Congress — C. F. Kelly, ind. dem., 257 ;
S. (i. Murray, rep., 828; Caldwell Edwards,
fus., 677: M. J. Elliot, see. dem., 17.
I'or Governor — Thomas S. Hogan, ind.
dem., 276; David Folsom. rep.. 811; J. K.
Toole, fus., 741 ; J- F. Fox, soc. dem., 18.
iMir State Senator — Wm. A. Talmage, ind.
dem., 325 ; W. F. Meyer, rep., 826; R. A. Em-
mons, fus., 702.
For Representatives — S. F. Simonson, ind.
dem., 244; C. H. Gregor}', rep., 830; T. F.
Polland, fus., 729.
l""or Sheriff — John Dunn. ind. dem,, 447;
]\I. W. Plotter, rep.. 784: James Dougherty,
fus.. 643.
For Treasurer — ("ieorge Pryde, ind. dem..
243; C. E. Wright, rep.. 916; W. J. Deegan,
fus., 633.
1m ir Clerk and Recorder — \'. U. Beeman.
ind. (.lem.. 263: Jesse Smith, rep.. 814: David
Spears, fus.. 654.
I'^.r Clerk of District Court — J. E. Mush-
bach, iiid. dem.. 414: E. E. Esselstyn, rep.,
834: A. N. Whittington. fus.. 575.
For .Assessor — John Ray. Sr.. ind. dem..
278; W. R. Crockett, rep.. 865: Henry Ros-
etta. fus., 655.
For County Attorney — L. O. Casswell,
rep.. 969; L. B. Reno, dem., 723.
For Superintendent of Schools — Miss
Catherine A. Feeley, ind. dem., 339; Miss
Martha Dilworth, rep.. 761 ; Mrs. S. Francis
Cochrane, fus., 687.
For Coroner — JiL B. Dutton, ind. dem.,
246; B. B. Kelly, rep., 852; Rees Davis, fus.,
621.
For County Commissioners — W. F. Tink-
com, ind. dem., 336; Boone K. Fisher, ind.
dem., 272; Harry Duffield, ind. dem., 376; W.
B. Nutting, rep., 848; H. J. Smith, rep., 775;
J. J. Frank, rep., 701; C. C. Bolen, fus., 695;
John Flannigan, fus., 616; C. B. Clark, fus.,
559-
For County Surveyor — George L Lamport,
ind. dem., 344; F. W. Hine, rep., 788; David
Lay, fus., 631.
For Public Administrator — John McKee-
vor, ind. dem., 245; David Smithurst, rep.,
823; B. Rydberg, fus., 623.
The result of the election held November
7. 1902, in Carbon county was as follows:
For Congress — Joseph M. Dixon, rep.,
756; John M. Evans, dem., 496; George B.
Sproule, soc, 29; Martin Dee, lab., 196.
For Representatives — J. N. Tolman, rep.,
623: W. J. Crisman, dem., 544; Alex Fair-
grieve, lab., 395.
For Sheriff— M. W. Potter, rep., 818;
John Dunn, dem., 656; John Bergen, lab., 149.
For Treasurer — Charles E. Wright, rep.,
753; R. L. Davis, dem,, 646; John Penland.
lab., 162.
For Clerk and Recorder — Jesse L Smith,
rep., 664; G. L, iMuley. dem,, 695; George M.
Jones, lab., 205.
For Assessor — W. R. Crockell, rep., 623;
i M. B. Dusinbere. dem.. 603 ; Daniel Mcintosh,
lab., 314-
For County Attorney — F. C. Woodward,
rep.. 640; L. B. Reno, dem.. 640; J. H. Ruber-
son, lab., 278. F. C. Woodward won on the
recount but did not qualify and L. O. Casswell
held over.
Fcr SujierintendeMt of Schools — Martha
' Dilworth. rep.. 570: Agnes B. Ross. dem..
I 767; Francis Cochrane, lab.. 228.
250
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY
For Surveyor — F. W. Hine, rep., 803; M.
W. Dickey, dem., 715.
For Coroner — J. A. Underwood, rep., 703;
E. H. Baldwin, dem., 563; B. Rydberg. lab.,
198.
At the election of November 8, 1904, nearly
two thousand votes were cast in Carbon
county and were divided as follows :
For Republican electors, Roosevelt, 1,100:
Democratic electors, Parker, 464; Socialist
electors. Debs, 304.
For Congress — Austin Gormley, dem.,
581; Joseph M. Dixon, rep., 1,048: John H.
Walsh, soc, T,2T,.
For Governor — J. K. Toole, dem., 812;
Wm. Lindsay, rep., 879; M. G. O'Malley. soc,
299.
For State Senator — S. H. Glidden, dem ,
867; W. F. Meyer, rep., 792: John L. Mar-
gott, soc, 272.
For Representative — E. Huntington, dem..
747; John McCuIlough, rep., 746: Alex Fair-
grieve, soc, 470.
For treasurer — Wm. Woods, dem., go6: J.
W. Johnston, rep., 686; Thomas Northey, soc,
402.
For Clerk and Recorder — G. L. Finley,
dem., 951 ; J. F. Rich, rep., 645: B. F. Woms-
ley. soc, 358.
For Clerk District Court — R. L. Davis,
dem., 729: E. E. Esselstyn, rep., 973: Jay E.
Smith, soc, 273.
For Sheriff — F. S. Bacheldor, dem., 735 ;
M. W. Potter, rep., 849; Joseph Spray, soc.
465.
For Assessor — John Normile, dem., 879;
Swan Youngstrom, rep., 759; Guy D. Moore,
soc, 332.
For County Attorney — Sydney Fox, dem.,
1,1 II ; George W. Burke, soc, 558.
For Superintendent of Schools — Agnes B.
Ross, dem., 859; Jessie Imboden, rep., 780;
Belle Griffith, soc, 323.
For Surveyor— F. W. Hine, rep., 1,049;
David Lay, dem., 622.
For Coroner — E. F. Lutz, dem., 644: J. A.
Underwood, rep., 807; W. H. Allen, soc, 440.
For Public Administrator, E. A. Baldwin,
dem., 624: E. B. Ames, rep., 834; B. Ryde-
berg, soc, 407.
At the special election held on April 14,
1906, held for the purpose of deciding whether
or not Carbon county should adopt the pri-
mary electicMT law, the measure was lost by a
vote of 284 for the measure to 483 against its
adoption.
From the foregoing record it will be seen
that the people of Carbon county are not par-
tisan and party lines are not closely drawn in
the selection of officers to manage the affairs
of the county. Good men have always been
selected and the people of the county have been
fortunate in that no one elected to office in
this county has ever>' betrayed his public
trust.
PART V
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
CHAPTER I
EARLY EXPLORATION— 1743 TO 1863.
When, early in the year 1883, the people
of the western part of Custer county asked the
legislature to divide the county and create a
new political division with the new town of
Billings as the county seat, the (juestion of a
name for the new dxinty arose. Two names
were suggested — Yellowstone and Billings.
After a somewhat wordy dehate hetween the
adherents of the two names, the former was
selected, and the word "Yellowstone" hecame
perpetuated in the name of a county, as it had
already been in the name of a river, a valley,
a national park, a town*, a canyon, a falls, and
numerous other things.
The name was originally applied to the
river, that great stream of water which rises
in the high mountains way to the south of the
national park, flows in a northerly direction
though Yellowstone lake and on to the great
bend at the city of Livingston, and then
changes its course to the east and northeast
and flows for se\-eral hundred miles to its junc-
tion with the Missouri. The derivation of
the name is an interesting studv, and before
*Yellow.stone City was the name of a mining- camp
in Emigrant Gulch (in the present Park County),
founded in 1864, which had a few years' existence.
taking up the history of the county in the
chronological order of events we shall tell how
the word "Yellowstone," as applied to the
river, came into existence.
When Lewis and Clark, early in the spring
of 1805, set out on their westward journey
after having spent the winter among the Man-
dan Indians of North Dakota, they sent back
a report to President Thomas Jefferson, to-
gether with a map of the western countiw,
based on information received from the In-
dians. In that report and on that map the
famous explorers used the words "Yellow
Stone" as the name of the principal triliutary
oi the Jilissouri, undouljtedly the first time
the name ever appeared on an official docu-
ment.
But Lewis and Clark did not originate the
name, nor were they the first to actually call
the stream by that name. David Thompson,
the celebrated explorer and geographer, who
was identified with the British fur trade in the
northwest for so many years, was among the
Mandan Indians on the Missouri river from
December 29, 1797. to Jatiuary 10, 1798.
While there he obtained data from the Indians,
from which he estimated the latitude and Ion-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY,
gitude of the source of the Yellowstone. In
his original manuscript and field notes are to
be found the words "Yellow Stone." in the
same form as used by Lewis and Clark in
1805. Concerning the evolution of the name
as we now know it, H. C. Chittenden in his
excellent history of the Yellowstone National
Park', says :
Xeither Thompson nor Lewis and Clark were orig-
inators of the name. They gave us only the English
translation of a name already long in use. "This river."
say Lewis and Clark, in their journal for the day of
their arrival at the mouth of the now noted stream,
"had been known to the French as the Roche Faune. or.
as we have called it, t'he Yellow Stone." The French
name was. in fart, already firmly established among the
traders and trappers of the Northwest Fur company
when Lewis and Clark met them among the Mandans.
Even by the members of the expedition it seems tn have
been more generally used than the new Englisli fonii ;
and tlie spellings, "Rejone," Rejhone." "Rochejono."
"Rochejohn," and "Rochejhone," are among their var-
ious attempts to render orthographically the French
pronunciation.
Probably the name would have been adopted un-
changed, as so many other French names in our geog-
raphy have been, except for the recent cecession of
Louisiana to the United States. The policy which led
the government promptly to explore, and take "formal
possession of it, its extensive acquisition, led it also,
as part of the process of rapid .Americanization, to
give English names to all of the prominent geographical
features. In the case of the name here under consider-
ation this was not an easy matter. The French form
had already obtained wide currency, and it was re-
luctantly set aside for its less familiar translation.
.•\s late as 1817. it still appeared in newly English
printed books, while among the traders and trappers of
the mountain, it sur\'ived to a much later period.
By whom the name Roche Jaune. or its equivalent
form. Pierre Jaune. was first used, it would be ex-
tremely interesting to know: but it is impossible to
determine at this late day. Like their successor "Yel-
low-stone," these names are not originals, but only
translations. Tlie Indian tribes along the Yellow-
stone and upper Missouri rivers had names for the trib-
utary stream signifying "Y'ellovv rock." and the French
had doubtless adopted them long before any of their
luHiibcr saw the stream itself.
It thus appears that the name, which now has be-
come so celebrated, descends to us, through two trans-
lations, from those native races whose immemorial
dwelling place had been along the stream which it de-
scribes. What it was that led them to use the name is
easily di.scoverable. Seventy-five miles below the ultimate
source of the river lies the Grand Canyon of the Yel-
lowstone, distinguished among the notable canyons of
the globe by the marvelous coloring of its walls. Con-
spicuous among its innumerable tints is yellow. Every
shade, from a brilliant plumage of the yellow bird
to the saffron of the orange, greets the eye in bewild-
ering profusion. There is indeed other color, unparal-
leled in variety and abundance, but the ever-present
background of all is the beautiful fifth color of the
spectrum.
So prominent is this feature that it never fails to
attract attention, and all descriptions of the Canyon
abound in reference to it. Lieutenant Doane (1870)
notes the "brilliant yellow color" of the rocks. Captain
Barlow and Doctor Heyden (1871) refer, in almost the
same words, to "the yellow, nearly vertical walls." Ray-
mond (1871) speaks of the "bright yellow of the clay."
Captain Jones (1873) says that "about and in the Grand
Canyon the rocks are nearly all tinged a bright yel-
low." These early impressions might be repeated from
the writings of every subsequent visitor who has de-
scribed the scenery of the Yellowstone.
That a characteristic which so deeply moves the
modern beholder should have made a profound impres-
sion on the Indian, need hardly be premised. This re-
gion was by no means unknown to him ; and the re-
mote, although uncertain, period of his first acquaint-
ance with it, the name of the river has undoubtedly
descended.
Going back, then, to this obscure fountain-head, the
original designation is found to have been
Mi tsi a da zi. Rock Yellow River.
.\nd this in the French tongue, became
Rouche Jaune and Pierre Jaune ;
and in English,
Yellow Rock and Yellow Stone.
Established usages now writes it
Yellowstone.
So much for the name.
That portion of the state of Montana which
is now designated as Yellowstone county was
at one time inhabited (if we are to believe
those who have made a study of the Indian
tribes) by tlie Bannacks. as was the whole
Yellowstone ^-alley. This was long before
white men had any acquaintance with the
country. Later the Bannacks were driven out
by the Crows, or. as they called themselves i.i
the early days, Absarokees.*
Of much importance to us was the expedi-
tion of the Lewis and Clark party, which, was
•^Which. translated, means crow.
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
253
sent across the continent by Presitlent Jeffer-
son. The story of this famous expechtion has
been told in a preceding part of this volume.
In speaking of Pompey's Pillar, Clark says:
It is nearly 200 paces in circumference, 200 feet high
and accessible only from the northeast, the other sides
consisting of perpendicular cliflfs of a light colored
gritty stone. The soil on the summit is five or six feet
deep, of a good quality, and covered with short grass.
The Indians have carved the figures of animals and
other objects on the sides of the reck, and on the top
are raised two pillars of stones.
Captain Clark says in his journal : "I
marked my name and the day of the month and
year." This inscription is still to be seen at the
point where the ascent to the rcjck is made.
When the Northern Pacific railway was
being constructed, Col. J. B. Clough, the en-
gineer of the Yellowstone division, saw that
Clark's name was being rapid!}- effaced, not
alone by time, but by vandals. In behalf of
the railway company and under Mr. Henry
\'illard's instructions, Col. Clough had a heavy
double iron screen, 30^^ by 24 inches in size,
made and sunk firmly into the rock with lead
anchorings, so as entirely to cover and protect
the name, which is now hard to decipher, for
the irrepressible fool has been there, and has
scratched and cut his various names all aorund
it, and even over some of the letters and be-
tween the lines. — U'licclcr's "Trail of Lczvis
am! Claiic."
We have been able to find an accoiuit of
only one white man ^■isiting■ the future Yel-
lowstone county, except the fur traders and
trappers, during the first half of the century.
That one man was P. J. De Smet, a missionary
of the Society of Jesus. His expedition is
mentioned in the general history of this book.
It is doubtful if many residents of Yellow-
stone county know that at one time the whole
county was included in the Crow reservation,
but such is the case. By a treaty between the
Crow Indians and the United States govern-
ment, made September 17, 185 1, a reservation
was set off with the following boundaries :
"The territory of the Crow nation, commenc-
ing at the mouth of the Powder river on the
Yellowstone; thence up Powder river to its
source; thence along the main range of the
Black Hills and Wind river mountain to the
headwaters of the Yellowstone river; thence
down the Yellowstone river to the mouth of
Twenty-five Yard creek [Shields river] ; thence
to the headwaters of the Musselshell river;
thence down the Musselshell river to its
moutli ; thence to the headwaters of Dry creek,
and thence to its mouth."
It was forty-seven years after Captain
William Clark passed through the Yellowstone
valley before another government expedition
visited this region. On the 24th day of May,
1853, Col. Isaac I. Stevens, who became the
first governor of Washington territory, started
out from St. Paul, Minnesota, under orders
from the United States government to ex-
plore and make a preliminary survey for a rail-
road to the Pacific coast. Stevens and his
party arrived at Fort Union, at the mouth of
the Yellowstone, on August ist. A wide belt
of country was explored by throwing out small
parties on either side of the main body, with
instructions to rendezvous at a given point
ahead. At Fort Union Lieutenant John Mul-
lan, who later built the famous Mnllan road
in Montana, Idaho and Washington, and de-
tailed with a party to survey the valley of the
Yellowstone. He ascended the river to a point
not far from the present town of Billings, and
then, turning northward through the Mussel-
shell country and Judith basin, rejoined the
main party at Fort Benton, near the falls of the
Missouri, which point it reached on September
first.
After the surveying party under Cap-
tain John Mullan had come up the Yellowstone
river as far as the present county of Yellow-
stone in 1853. it was ten years before whites
again visited that part of the Yellowstone val-
ley which is now designated on the map as
254
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Yellowstone county, with the possible excep-
tion of the few fur traders still in the country.
This trip was made in the spring of 1863 by a
party of fifteen men under Jas. Stuart, and
was brought about by the discovery of gold
at Bannack and a few other places in the
mountains of Montana (then Idaho).
The other party which was to have joined
the Stuart party on the trip of exploration,
composed of William Fairweather, Henry
Edgar and others, was turned back by the
Crows. This turned out to be a fortunate cir-
cumstance, for the party on the way back to
Bannack discovered the world-renowned Alder
gulch mines, where X'irginia City was built.
This division having failed to arrive at the
appointed time, the fifteen men under Stuart
started out on the advance to the Y'ellow-
stone country, with the belief that the others
would soon strike the trail and follow. Keep-
ing a generally n(jrtheast course, this little
band of explorers crossed the Madison river,
finding plenty of burnt quartz, and frequently
"raising the color" when prospecting; crossed
the Gallatin valley where it was watered by
two forks ; crossed the divide between the Mis-
souri and Yellowstone, reaching the latter
river on the 25th ; keeping down the river, on
the north bank, two days beyond Boulder creek,
where they fell in with a band of Crows, from
which they narrowly escaped through the in-
trepid behavior of Stuart. It was on the 28th
day of April, 1863, that this trouble with the
Indians arose. From the journal kept by Mr.
Stuart it is impossible to locate exactly the
spot, but it was, doubtless, within the boun-
daries of the present county of Yellowstone.
Mr. Stuart tells of the events of this day
in his journal* under date of April 28th, as
follows :
*Published. with notes by Samuel T. Hauser and
Granville Stuart, in the Montana Historical Society's
contributions.
Aliout an hour before sundown, while lying around
camp resting from the fatigues of the day, we were
startled by hearing several guns fired in a clump of
cottonwoods across the river, and immediately after-
ward we saw about thirty Indians fording across. They
came on a run, vociferating "How-dye-do" and "Up-
sar-o-ka," which means "Crow Indians" in their lan-
guage. By the time they were fairly in camp we had
our horses all tied up and every man prepared for
emergencies.
They first inquired who was our captain, I told
them, and asked which was their captain. They showed
me three, one big and two little ones. The large chief
told me to have all my men put all our things in the
tent and keep a sharp lookout, or we would lose them.
I gave him a small piece of tobacco to have a
grand smoke, and I also found that one of them, a very
small man with a big belly, could talk the Snake
language, and he was 'at once installed as interperter.
They (the interperter and chiefs) sat down in a circle
and requested the pleasure of my company. I com-
plied with the invitation, and our party stood guard
over our horses and baggage, while I smoked and ex-
changed lies with them. It would take me a week to
write all that was said, so I forbear. Meanwhile, the
other Indians began disputing with each other about
who should have our best horses. I requested the chief
to make them come out from among the horses and
behave themselves, which he did. At eight p. m. I put
on double guard, and at ten p. m. all but the guard re-
tired to rest.
The trials of the little band were by no
means at an end. All night long the Indians
wandered about the camp like evil spirits,
stealing everything they could lay their hands
on. Every few minutes somebody would have
to rush out of his tent to rescue some piece of
property that an Indian had stolen out of the
tent, in spite of the watchfulness of the guards
and the fact that it was bright mixmlight all
night. It was the incidents of this trip that
gave the Crows the reputation of being the
most accomplished thieves of all the Indian
tribes of the Northwest.*
*One thing is certain ; they can discount all the
the thieves I ever saw or heard of; in fact, they have
to be seen to realize their superiority over all other
thieves, either white, red or black, in the world. They
would steal the world-renowned Arabs poor in a single
hour. — Jas. Stuart.
I
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
255
Tliis night of unrest was fi.)lknvetl, in the
early morning, by one of the most dramatic in-
cidents ever occurring on Yellowstone county
scjil. in which Captain Stuart, by his masterful
actions, doubtless saved the party from massa-
cre. In his journal he thus modestly describes
the vent:
At daylight I aroused the party, and we proceeded
to ascertain our losses, which were too numerous to
mention, everybody having lost something. In case we
stood them off without a fight I thought it best to pack
up and go about eight miles before breakfasting, for
I knew that before we could get something to eat we
would probably have half their village to watch, and
judging from their last night's haul, that would be too
good a thing for the thieving scoundrels.
.'\s soon as we began to pack up, they at once pro-
ceeded to forcibly trade horses (always taking much
the best of th« bargain), blankets, etc., and to appro-
priate everything they wanted. I saw that the time had
come to die or do ; therefore I ordered my men to be
ready to open fire on them when I gave the signaL
With one hand full of cartridges and my rifle in the
other, I told the Indians to mount their horses and go
to their camp, telling them that they were thieves and
liars : in fact, calling them everything mean that I could
think of under pressure. I ordered them to leave im-
mediately, or we would kill all of them.
They weakened, got on their horses, and left.
Pretty good for the chivalry of the Crow nation to be
driven off by fifteen white men !
Two of the chiefs, however, very politely requested
to be allowed to go with us to where we would stop
and take breakfast with us. I told them that was played
out : that the whites were now mad and would not
give them anything to eat. They took the chances on
that and went along.
CHAPTER II
LATER EXPLORATION AND EARLY SETTLEiAIENT— 1864 TO 1882.
bracts applying the context of the preceding
chajjier led to the conclusion that the futin^e
Yelliiwstnne county, and, in fact, the whole
of the Yellowstone valley, was, up to the early
si.xties, a country as little known as are the
Arctic regions today. It w?is a country given
o\'er entirely to the savage red men. True, a
a few trappers and explorers had penetrated
the country, but the extent of the general
knowledge of this vast empire was simply that
there was such a country as the Yellowstone
valley, extending from the [Missouri river in
a generally southwesterly direction for a dis-
tance of several himdred miles into an equally
unknown country. So little was known of the
country that such a body of frontiersmen as
the James Stuart party had difficulty in deter-
mining the exact location in 1863, Mr. Stuart
declaring that had the party followed the
directions of the government maps, they never
would have found the Yellowstone river.
Truly, it was a terra incognita !
Had it not been for the discovery of gold
in the mountain country to the west of this val-
ley there is reason to believe that the future
Yellowstone county and the whole of the Yel-
lowstone valley would have remained in this
unknown condition for a much longer period.
Prior to the discovery of gold there was abso-
lutely nothing in the country which is now
Montana to attract anybody except trappers
and fur traders. But with the unearthing of
the precious metal at several points in the
mountain country came a new order of things.
Although these discoveries were far to the
west of the county whose history we are writ-
ing the settlement of the mountain country had
an effect on the Yellowstone valley. With the
rush to' the points of discovery came the be-
lief that gold existed in other parts of the coun-
256
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
try and the determination to find out. From
American Fork, Bannack, and later from Vir-
ginia City and Helena, went out parties to all
parts of Montana to prospect for gold. Such
an one was the Stuart party, who came to the
Yellowstone and Big Horn valleys, as we have
told in the first chapter.
In order to get into the known gold fields.
it was necessary to traverse vast stretches of
unsettled and heretofore unknown country,
and this fact alone led to knowledge of differ-
ent parts of the present state of Montana which
must, otherwise, have been left marked on the
map as "unknown region" for years to come.
Of more importance to the Yellowstone valley
than any other event in the early history of
Montana was the oi)ening of the Bozeman
route from the east to the mining camps, over
which several trains passed in 1864 and later
years.
Beginning with the year 1865, and for
several years thereafter, the Yellowstone river
became quite well known and popular highway
for people going from Montana back to the
states.
Between the date of the first arrival of emi-
grants through the valley and the settlement
of that part of the valley which is now Yellow-
stone county, many stirring events took place.
An event of the year 1868 should have its
place in the history of Y^'ellowstone county, al-
though at the time its effect on the territory of
the future county was nil. This was a treaty
between the United States government and the
Crow nation concluded at Fort Laramie. Dak-
ota, on May 7, 1868. By the terms of the
treaty the Crow reservation was cut down to
that part of Montana south and east of the
Yellowstone river river and west of the 107th
degree of longitude (which is still the eastern
boundary of the reservation). This removed
from the Crow reservation (which had been
created in 1851) all that part of the county
which lies north of the Yellowstone river, but
left in it that part which lies to the south of the
river, which latter portion was opened by sub-
sequent treaties, the last one only a short time
ago. As there were no settlers in any part of
the present county in 1868, or any prospects of
any, the immediate effects of this treaty were
not apparent, but when, a few years later, a
few settlers took up homes in this part of the
valley, the wisdom of the treaty was apparent;
those who sought to build themselves homes
in the valley had a legal right to hold land on
the north side of the stream.
In the preceding chapter we told of the pre-
liminary survey of a part of the Yellowstone
valley by Captain John Mullan, of the Stevens
party, in 1853, ^or ^ Pacific railroad. The next
attempt to survey a line for this road in the
valley was made in 1871. In the fall of that
year Mr. Muhlenberg, a Northern Pacific en-
gineer, accompanied by a force of cavalry from
Fort Ellis, commanded by Captain Ball,
started out from Bozeman, and ran his lines
easterly to a point near the mouth of Pryor's
creek, a point known among the early visitors
to the valley as the "Place of Skulls." Here
Mr. Muhlenberg was forced to abandon the
work on account of a heavy fall of snow. There
are no records to the effect that this party en-
countered any hostile Indians. In fact, there
was little danger of this at the time of year in
which the survey was made, as the Sioux and
other war like tribes were generally out of the
Yellowstone valley by the time cold weather
set in.
By the terms of the charter granted to the
Northern Pacific railway company, the United
States government bound itself to afford all
necessary protection against hostile Indians to
the parties engaged in making the survey of
the route, as well as in the construction of the
road. It was in carrying out these obligations
that the troops under Captain Ball accom-
panied these surveyors in 1871.
The Northern Pacific company desired to
carry on its surveys on an extensive scale dur-
ing 1872, and in the spring of that year called
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUx\TY.
257
upon the government to again furnish protec-
tion for its surveyors. It was the intention to
run hues over the vast region stretching from
the base of the Rocky mountains to the Mis-
souri river at Bismarck — a country whicli was
in complete possession of the hostile Sioux.
Two surveying parties were to take the field,
one to begin at the Missouri river and extend
itsexplorations westward, the other on the up-
per Yellowstone and proceed down that stream,
take up the work where it had been abandoned
the fall before, near the mouth of Pryor's Fork,
and complete the survey of the valley to the
mouth of Powder river, where it was expected
to meet the eastern corps.
l"or the protection of the surveying parties
the government furnished troops.* For the
party which started westward from the Mis-
souri river an escort of nearly 1,000 men, com-
manded by Col. David S. Stanley, 22nd infan-
tr}-, was furnished. As this division of the sur-
ve^'ors had nothing to do with the history of
Yellowstone county we shall pass the story of
its operations with this brief mention.
But the other party played an important
part in the early history of Yellowstone
county. To Col. John Gibbon, 7th infantry,
commanding the district of Montana, was as-
signed the duty of providing from his troops
a suitable force for the protection of the Yel-
lowstone valley corps of engineers. For this
purpose the colonel selected companies C, E,
G, and I, 7th infantry, from Fort Shaw, and
and troops F, G, H, and L, 2nd cavalry, from
I'^ort Ellis. The command of this force which
* In his report for 1872, General Hancock says :
"On the 29th of June I received instructions from the
lieutenant genera! to prepare two commands as es-
corts for two surveying parties of the Northern Pacific
railroad, one to proceed from Fort Rice on the Mis-
souri river about 240 miles and return, the other to
start from Fort Ellis, Montana, proceed to the mouth
of Powder river, 310 miles, and return by way of the
Musscllshell river."
numbered about 400 men, was given to Major
Eugene M. Baker, of the 2nd cavalry.
These soldiers marched from their respec-
tive forts, and on the 13th of July the\' assem-
bled on Shields river (in the present Park
county), where they were joined by Col. Hay-
den with his corps of surveyors. The march
down the valley was at once begun. By easy
stages the forces continued down the valley,
without encountering hostile Iridians or seeing
signs of any, and went into camp at the point
where the survey of the year before had been
left off. arriving at this place in the first part
of August. The soldiers were taking life
easy in camp while Col. Hayden was making
his arrangements for taking up and continuing
the survey. The location of the camp, which
became the scene of a bloody battle, was on
the north side of the river, not far from the
point where Pryor's Fork puts into the Yellow-
stone from the south side, and not far from the
present village of Huntley. There seems to
have been little apprehension that there were
Indians in the vicinity, and no special precau-
tions were taken to guard against attack. The
presence in the neighborhood of two or three
Indian dogs, iKnvever, conveyed to some of the
]iarty the belief that redskins might not be far
off ; but the general feeling was one of con-
tidence and security.*
Xow while tlie troops were slowly making
their way down the valley a heavy force of
Sioux warriors, variously estimated at from
800 to 1,000 strong, was ascending the river
upon a hostile incursion against the Crows,
and about the 12th of August discovered
through their scouts that they were in the pre-
* not only were no especial precautions
taken by the force to guard against an attack, but on
the very night fixed for it he [Col. Baker] permitted
himself to become unfitted for the proper performance
of his duties by an over-indulgence in strong drink. —
Lieutenant Jas. H. Bradley.
258
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
sence of Baker's command. This unexpected
feature created a division in their councils,
many being anxious to give over their former
designs and measure powers with the troops,
while the more prudent minority was disposed
to avoid so hazardous an enterprise and con-
tinue their advance on the less prepared and
unsuspecting Crows. At length, however,
tempted by the large spoils in horses which
they hoped, by -dexterous management, to se-
cure at little cost to themselves, they declared
in favor of an attack upon the troops, and
fixed upon the morning of August 14th for
carrying the plan into effect.
The camp of the soldiers was an ideal one
and could have been guarded against surprise
had proper precautions been taken, but this
was not done, and that the result was not dis-
astrous was due largely to the officer of the
guard.*
The designs of the savages were well
planned. Several hundred warriors were
posted close on the lower side of the camp,
where they were wholly screened from view by
the timber and willows growing in profusion
at the lower extremity of the slough, while the
remainder of their force was to seek, by an at-
tack upon the landward side of the camp, to
draw the troops in that direction, when the
*Says Lieut. Jas. H. Bradley, who has written
entertainingly of this battle, his information having
been received from interviews with soldiers, citizens
and Indians taking part, and who visited the site in
1876: "The camp was pitched upon ground favorable
for defense, being located on the margin of the stream,
with a timbered slough sweeping in a semi-circular di-
rection around it so as to form in connection with the
river what may be termed an island of two or three
acres area, the whole at long rifle range from the ad-
jacent bluffs. To have rendered the position wholly
secure, however, it would have been necessary to guard
the slough that it could not be occupied by the enemy
as a preliminary to their attack ; but this was not done.
Fortunately, it was rather the purpose of the Indians
to^ get possession of the animals of the command with
as little fighting as possible than to gain any decisive
advantage over the troops, and their plans were laid
accordingly."
ambushed swarms would burst from their con-
cealment, sweep over the camp, cut loose the
horses, throw the troops into confusion by at-
tacking their rear, and at the worst escape with
the heril. With such caution and success did
they, under cover of the darkness on the night
of the 13th, reconnoiter the camp previous to
the attack that they were enabled to steal sev-
eral saddles out of the tents of a party of pros-
pectors, who had joined the command, while
their owners lay within them asleep, cut from
their lines and make off with six mules picketed
near the tent of the commanding officer, and
kill a dog that threatened to betray their pres-
ence in the camp.
Although Colonel Baker had not made
special arrangements for a guard on the night
of the 13th, Lieut. Wm. Logan, who had com-
mand of the guard (consisting of 26 men),
was one who suspected the presence of the Li-
dians, and he made all the preparations to
guard against surprise that were possible un-
der the circumstances. His guard was posted
on the flank of the camp, away from the river
and some 300 yards distant therefrom, his sen-
tinels covering the camp as far as possible,
while the herds of beef cattle and mules of
the government and contractors' trains, which
had been left out to graze, were held well un-
der cover of the guard of the island-like loca-
tion of the camp, with a squad of herders over
them to prevent straggling or stampede. The
horses of the cavalry were tied at the picket
lines within the limits of the camp.
About three o'clock in the morning of Au-
gust 14. the officer of the guard made the
round of his sentinels and found all quiet, the
animals having ceased to graze and having
lain down in the space between the guard tents
and the timber growing along the slough.
Only a little while after this tour of inspection
the Lidians made their attack. We give the
account of the battle which followed in the
words of Lieutenant Bradley. He wrote :
"From the timber at different points along
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
259
the landward side of the slough the Lidians
opened fire and advanced upon the Island to
attempt the capture of the herd. In a moment
the boldest of them were mingled with the
animals, but the few men posted over the
herd stood their ground manfully, opening a
rapid fire upon their assailants at close range,
and at the same time endeavoring to put the
herd in motion toward the corral. The guard
was instantly under arms, and by judicious
management the animals were driven gently
to the rear, the Sioux who had sought to
stampede them being forced by the fire of the
guard to fall back. A few moments sufficed
to enable Lieutenant Logan to throw the entire
guard between the Sioux and the herd, where,
deployed as skirmishers and lying down in the
long grass, the men opened fire upon the mov-
ing forms dimly seen before them through
the gloom. After the first volley the Sioux
maintained a scattering fire, but the unexpect-
edly hot reception given them by the guard
soon caused them to retire from the timber
to the open ground beyond, and, within a few
moments after the attack began, the ground
was cleared of them and their fire had sub-
sided into a few straggling shots.
"^Meantime the herders conducted the ani-
mals to the rear, where without confusion they
were driven into the corral and rendered secure
none having been lost except fifteen head of
beef cattle which stubbornly refused to move
with the herd and fell into the hands of the
Sioux. When the firing began the citizen
prospectors, some twenty in number, seized
their guns and took an advanced position on
the left of the guard, where, with Lieutenant
Jacobs at their head, they took cover and
opened battle on their individual account. The
Sioux speedily recovered from their first re-
pulse and returned to the attack reoccupying
the timber and appearing in considerable num-
bers on the open ground in front of the gxiard.
.But the citizens with Lieutenant Jacobs poured
in a rapid fire upon their flank while the guard
received them firmly in front, handling their
breech loaders with such effect that again the
Indians speedily withdrew.
"At the first alarm the troops had promptly
formed in their company streets, and awaited
the orders of the officer in command. As soon
as the infantry batallion was under arms Cap-
tain Rawn, its commander, reported to Major
Baker for orders and found him still in bed,
stupified with drink, skeptical as to the pres-
ence of an enemy, and inclined to treat the
whole alarm as a groundless fright upon the
part of the guard. It was difficult to get any
order from him, but at last he directed Captain
Rawn to hold his men in camp; and, disgusted
and angry, that officer returned to his com-
mand and upon his own responsibility deployed
companies E (Lieutenant Reed) and G (Cap-
tain Browning) in line on the lower side of the
camp, facing the thicket in which the ambus-
cade had been formed. Lieutenant Reed oc-
cupied the right, with his right flank resting
on the stream, and thus posted the men of both
companies lay down in the tall grass. As bul-
lets were flying freely through the camp, the
remainder of the command was ordered to
lie down in their company streets.
"Captain Thompson, officer of the day, had
gone to the front to ascertain the cause of
alarm, and nearly lost his life by advancing
recklessly too far beyond the guard. Finding
the attack real, he so reported to the command-
ing officer, and a reinforcement of about thirty
ca\-alrymen under Lieutenant Hamilton was
sent forward to Logan's support. Captain
Rawn at last received tardy orders to deploy
his command, and Thompson placed company
C (Lieutenant Quinton) in position on the left
of the line already formed and his own com-
pany, I, on the left of C, and then by extending
intervals to the left caused the four infantry
companies to cover about one- half the front,
the citizens and cavalry continuing the line to
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
the left till it enveloped the camp. This deploy-
ment was affected within on-half an hour
after the beginning of the attack.
"As yet the Indians ambushed on the lower
side of the camp had not betrayed their pres-
ence by a sound. It was now growing light,
and seeing the movements of the troops to-
wards the point of attack, but ignorant that
while it was yet dark two whole companies had
taken position directly in their front, they im-
ag'ined that their stratagem had succeeded,
and that the way was open to the picket lines
where the horses were tied. They began,
therefore, to make their way cautiously for-
ward, but ere they emerged into view Lieuten-
ant Reed discovered the movement in the sud-
den rustling and swaying of the willows in his
front, and promptly swept the covert with his
fire, pouring three volleys by company into the
timber with the regularity and precision of
the drill ground. This sudden and unlooked-
for storm of bullets full in their faces filled
the Indians with astonishment and dismay,
Without waiting to return a shot, they
swarmed from the timber like bees and spurred
their horses away from the bluffs in headlong
flight. As they passed the remainder of the
line, Companies C, G, and I also opened fire
and completed their utter discomfiture. True
to their Indian custom, they carried with them
their killed and wounded slung across their
horses in their front, and Lieutenant Quinton,
who occupied a favorable position for observ-
ing their movements, counted eighteen thus
borne from the field.
"The slough with its timber belt was now
in possession of the troops and afforded them
excellent cover from the desultory fire which
the Indians maintained for the next three or
four hours from the bluffs. After the repulse
of the latter from the ambuscade, they at-
tempted no movement of consequence, but re-
mained for the most part gathered in crowds
upon the distant bluffs. Occasionally some of
the bolder warriors careened on horseback ai
full speed along the line, a few of whom were
wounded for their pains.* About 8 o'clock
a. m. they suddenly disappeared, and a recon-
noisance by Captain Ball's company of cavalry
showed them in full retreat.'"
The soldiers were eager to pursue the
Sioux, and it seems probable that a decisive
victory could have been secured over the In-
dians, had the advantage been followed up.
The savages were generally demoralized, and
afterwards admitted to having lost over forty
killed and a large number wounded, all but
three of the dead warriors being carried from
j the field. They fled in great precipitation and
marked their line of retreat with abandoned
[ effects that would have impeded their flight.
Major Baker's first intention seems to
have been to pursue the Indians, as he
ordered two companies of infantry and
! two of ca\-alry to be put in readiness for
i the chase: but he later forgot the order or
changed his mind, as nothing of the kind was
attempted. In the engagement only one man
was killed. Sergeant McLaren, of Company C,
7th infantry. One of the citizens, Francis, was
severely wounded and died three days after the
j engagement. There were three soldiers se-
verely wounded — Privates O'Mally, Company
E, -th infantry: Ward, Company L; and Cox,
Company F, 2nd cavalry.
After the battle the troops and surveyors
continued on their course slowly down the
north bank of the Yellowstone. On August
20, just four days after the battle, when at a
point about six miles above Pompey's Pillar
the whole command turned off toward the
♦Omce in a while a young warrior would make a
brave ride from one point to another. These were tar-
gets for many rifles, and during the morning two of
them were killed while indulging in this pastime. But
one young warrior rode slowly back and forth for
probably twenty times, all the time taunting the soldiers
with language and gesture. A thousand shots must
have been fired at him. but he went through un-
scratched. — Topping's "Chromcles of the yeUoit.'stonc"
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
261
Musselshell. The survey was carried across
the future Yellowstone county to the Mussel-
shell and up its south fork. The expedition
was disbanded on September 25, the troops
returning to the posts from which they were
taken. Why the original plans were aban-
doned will probaldy never be satisfactorily set-
tled. The soldiers laid the responsibility (in the
surveyors and vice versa.
When the survey of the Yellowstone valley
was taken up about the middle of July, 1873,
Red Cloud, chief of the Sioux, who had said
that the railroad should not be laid across his
country, was on hand to oppose the progress
of the surveyors. With the sur\-eyors was a
force of 1,500 men and an abundance of am-
munition and supplies, with Gen. D. S. Stan-
ley in command. The troops of the 7th cav-
alry, which formed a part of the force, were
in command of General Custer, and to this
brave commander was assigned the duty of
preceding the main bod}' on its march up the
Yellowstone, looking- out a practical road for
for the supply trains and artillery. Near the
mouth of Tongue river on the 4th of August
Custer was attacked and an atterript made to
draw him into an ambuscade, which failed, he
being rescued from a perilous position by the
main Ixxly. The Sioux then moved on up the
Yellowstone. Custer, with 450 cavalrymen,
following. On the night of August 9. his
command was attacked by 800 warriors. After
a fight lasting some time the redskins were
defeated and driven back, with a loss of forty
killed and wounded. The troops lost one man
killed and one severely wounded.
.'\fter this second attempt to arrest the ad-
vance of the expedition, the Indians did no
more than hang upon the trail of the troops
to annoy them. The sur\-ey was carried to
the point near Pompey"s I'illar where it had
been left ofY the year before, and on September
15 the expedition turned north and went to
Fort Peck, and from thence returned home.
There was another expedition made
through the Yellowstone valley in the year
1873, which should be recorded in the history
of Yellowstone county. The party which
made this trip was composed of 149 mountain-
eers, under command of Col. Brown. A com-
plete outfit was carried, including seventeen
wagons, and the object of the expedition seems
to have been to prospect for mineral and fight
Sioux. The expedition started from Bozeman,
and has been labeled "the best managed expe-
dition of the west." It descended the Yellow-
stone as far as the Big Horn river, having a
skirmish with the Sioux a short distance be-
low, and crossing the country to the Rosebud
river, had several days' and nights' terrific
fighting with many Sioux and Cheyennes, and
thoroughly defeated them. A gun accompan-
ied the expedition which had been used on a
march from the Platte to Bozeman in 1870. It
\vas loaded with horse-shoes cut in fragments
for the purpose, and performed deadly work
among the Indians, who followed and fought
the expedition from the Little Horn (later
called Custer River) back by Fort Smith and
the Bozeman road to the Yellowstone. This
piece of ordnance was known as the "Big
Horn Gun," and was held in reverence by all
the early explorers of the Yellowstone valley.
Only one man was killed on this trip.
The vear 1873 was also a memorable one
because of. the first efforts to navigate the Yel-
lowstone. When the surveying party and es-
cort, above referred to, made the trip up the
river, tlie supplies were brought up the Yel-
lowstone as far as the mouth of Glendive
Creek. One boat, the Key West, ascended the
stream as high as Wolf rapids, some distance
below the present site of Miles City. A move-
ment was made by the people of Bozeman to
: open a wagon road from that frontier village
to the head of navigation and to build a
steamer to run to the mouth of the Yellow-
stone from that point. It was also determined
to make an efifort to get aid from the govern-
ment in improving the river. The movement
262
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
that year resulted in nothing but plans, and no
expedition was sent out to bring atout the
accompHshment of the project.
But the scheme of the Bozeman people was
not abandoned, and again, early in 1874, the
opening of a road through the Yellowstone
valley became a "live issue." The fact that
steamers had ascended the Yellowstone to a
considerable distance in 1873 determined them
to make a strenuous effort to bring about the
accomplishment of their designs.
It was about the first of January. 1874,
that active preparations were begun. It was
determined to send a large expedition down
the river for the purpose of opening a wagon
road to the head of navigation (and the expe-
dition was to determine where that point was ) ,
where connection would be made with a line
of steamers which would navigate the Yellow-
stone and Missouri rivers to the then terminus
of the Northern Pacific railroad; the expedi-
tion was also to build a stockade and form a
settlement for the purpose of holding the coun-
try and proposed road against the hostile In-
dians.
The expedition was well armed and pro-
visioned, there being over two hundred horses
and mules, twenty-eight yoke of oxen and
twenty-two wagons, with supplies of provi-
sions for four months. Two pieces of artillery j
were carried, with about 150 pounds of shell
and canister. All the men were armed with
the best breech-loading rifles, and were sup- I
plied with over forty thousand rounds of 1
metallic cartridges. j
The objective point was the mouth of I
Tongue river, near which place was supposed !
to be rich mines of gold ; here also was sup- '
posed to be the head of navigation of the Yel-
lowstone.
The expedition was absent from Bozeman
three months, and had traveled 600 miles. It
had taken part in four battles with the Indians
none of which was in the present county of Yel-
lowstone— but had escaped with only one man
killed and two men wounded, owing to their su-
periority as fighters. Besides the loss in men, the
party lost 17 horses killed and 20 wounded.
The Indians fared much worse, according to
the account of those who took part in the ex-
pedhion, about fifty being killed and nearly 100
wounded.
The expedition failed of its purpose,
though its reports were of some use to the
country.
It seems scarcely possible that anyone would
attempt to build a permanent home in that part
of the Yellowstone valley which later became
; Yellowstone county during this time when
hostile Indians held the country in full control.
But such is the case, and we find that in the
year 1875 several men had taken up a perman-
ent residence here.
The first of these came as a result of the
removal of the Crow agency. It was in Feb-
ruary, 1 875, that orders came from the Interior
department to remove the agency from its lo-
cation on Mission creek, in the present Park
county, to a point some eighteen or twenty
miles up the Stillwater, near the present town
of Absarokee, in Carbon county. Agent Clapp
at once set about the removal, and by April the
old quarters on Mission creek were deserted,
and the agency buildings on the Stillwater
were built.
Horace Countryman, who since 1873 had
kept a trading post for the Crows on the north
bank of the Yellowstone, opposite the mouth
of Mission creek, found that his trade would
be lost with the removal of the agency, so he
packed his stock of goods and moved down the
river to a point on the north bank, about three
miles west of the present town of Columbus and
a little above the mouth of Stillwater. Here
Mr. Countryman built a spacious log house, put
in quite a stock of goods, and was soon enjoy-
ing a flourishing trade with both the Crow
Indians and the trappers and hunters. This
was the first house built between the old Crow
agencv on Mission creek and Fort Buford,
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
263
near the moutli of the Yehowstone, a stretch
of nearly 500 miles.
With Horace Conntr^-nian came his son,
C. H. Countryman, and William H. Norton.
who were interested in a trading post, either
in partnership with Horace Countryman or
in a separate venture. In 1877 C. H. Country-
man located the ranch where the town of Co-
lumbus is now situated.
Scarcely had the Countrymans and Norton
settled at this point than Hugo Hoppe, who
had been engaged in the saloon and hotel busi-
ness at Benson's Landing (near the present
city of Livingston), removed his stock and fix-
tures to the new settlement opposite the mouth
of the Stillwater, and there reopened his busi-
ness.
While these traders were establishing them-
selves as the first permanent residents of the
future county, a government expedition was
on the way up the river for the purpose of
making a complete exploration of the Yellow-
stone river with reference to its navigability,
and also for the selection of sites for forts in
eastern Montana. The expedition was started
under orders from General Phil Sheridan, and
General Forsyth was the commander.
The start was made from Bismarck. Dakota,
in the steamer Josephine on May 2^,, 1875, and
the mouth of the Yellowstone was reached two
da}-s later. Up to this point the command had
consisted of one company of infantry, but at
Fort Buford two additional companies were
taken on. The mouth of the Big Horn was
reached June 2 without difficulty, and then be-
gan the more difficult task of navigating the
river above that point, the steamer going to a
point ten miles from the present site of Bil-
lings, reaching there June 17.
The trip proved the feasibility of steam-
boat navigation for a distance of 400 miles up
the Yellowstone. No Indians were encount-
ered except a large party of Crows, which was
going on its summer hunt. The Crows bad
a three days' fight with the Sioux in the Big
Horn country in July.' Sites for military posts
were selected at the mouth of Tongue river,
where a little later I'"ort Keogli was estab-
lished, and at the mouth of the Big Horn,
wdiich, however, never became the site of a
government post.
The Josephine, in charge of that veteran
of northern river navigation. Captain Grant
Marsh, passed to a point just opposite the pres-
ent city of Billings, and tied up to a, large cot-
tonwood tree on which was carved the steam-
er's name and date of arrival. This landmark
remained several years and then was swept
away by high water.
The year 1875 was a prolific one in the
matters of historical interest for the Yellow-
stone valley and the future county of the same
name. The most interesting e\'ent of the
whole year was the expedition under F. D.
Pease, which came down the Yellowstone
river, founded a fort and colony at the mouth
of the Big Horn, and then abandoned it. The
scheme of leading a party of settlers down the
river and establishing a permanent settlement
at the Big Horn was conceived by F. D. Pease,
until a short time before agent of the Crow
Indians.
The account of the resources of the Big
Horn country brought back to Bozeman by the
members of the expedition of the preceding
year determinefl Mr. Pease and others to es-
tablish themselves in that country and to lend
their aid to all persons following their example.
It w-as believed that steam-boating would soon
become a regular feature of the Yellowstone
and that the mouth of the Big Horn would be-
come an important point, as it was near the,
if not the, head of navigation.
In the spring of the year a party of nearly
fifty men from Bozeman and other points in
the vicinity, under the command of Mr. Pease,
gathered at Benson's Landing, which at that
time was an important point on the upper
ri\er. Four mackinaw boats were built and
loaded with artillery, arms, tools, and supplies
264
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
for the founding and maintaining of a settle- 1
ment in the new country. Misfortunes at-
tended tlie expedition. Two boats were ]
swamped by overloading in the rapid stream,
and a large portion of the supplies, tools and
ammunition was lost.
But the spirit of the pr(.)moter was not
daunted by these misfortunes, and the party
finally landed at the mouth of the Big Horn.
On the east side of the river, where in 1863
the Jas. Stuart party had laid out the town of
Big Horn City, Fort Pease was erected, a rude
but strong fort. It was built close to the
bank of the Yellowstone on a high bottom
about ten to fifteen feet above the water of the
ri\-er. It was constructed like the majority of
frontier posts of the time, being- a combina-
tion of log buildings and palisades, enclosing
a space about 200 feet square. The log cabins
formed three sides of the enclosure, while the
fourth was guarded by poles set in the ground.
Loop-holes were made in both the buildings
and palisades, commanding the interior as well
as the exterior of the port. The famous Big
Florn gun, \\hich had done such valiant duty
in former campaigns, was mounted at I'ort
Pease, and the place was put in as good a con-
dition of defense as was possible. The goods
which had beer, brought down the river to
meet the demands of the expected tratle were
stored within the stockade: there were no buy-
ers. It has been said that several of the more
enthusiastic located farms and laid out a town-
site, in anticipation of the coming greatness oi
the place.
For a short time the affairs progressed
favorably for the little band of frontiersmen.
But the times were not propitious for such an
enterprise, and Fort Pease was doomed to a
troubled life and, finally, abandonment. The
contemplated establishment of a military pnst
here did not materialize; no steamers came to
ply the waters of the Yellowstt)ne, bringing
new recruits for the settlement ; the Sioux
w-ar broke out. and swarms of hostile redskins
came to make life miserable for the little band.
On the night of the loth of July Fort Pease
was attacked by the Sioux, and thereafter for
several months those Indians declared unre-
lenting war upon the fort and its little band of
40 men, and night and day beleagured the
place, seeking occasion to ply their murderous
work. The life of the garrison became a series
of skirmishes, the crack of rifles handled with
deadly intent became a familiar sound, and
now and then the heavy boom of the Big Horn
gun roared over the valley, startling the echoes
in the neighboring clififs.
This life of incessant warfare told severely
on the little garrison. .Many an Indian was
matle to bite the dust, but six of their own
number laid down their lives in the defense,
while nine more were suffering from wounds ;
and as the Indians hung a1x)ut them in accumu-
lating swarms, the dread apprehension fell on
the survivors that they might all perish. Their
numbers were now reduced to twenty-eight
men, and it was resolved to appeal to the com-
manding officer of Fort Ellis to send down a
force to relieve them and enable them to get
out of the country.
Soon after the founding of the fort Mr.
Pease, with a few companions, had gone east
to interest capital in the venture. The com-
mand was then invested in Captain Paul Mc-
Cormick. When it was decided to send to
Bozeman for relief Captain McCormick asked
for \-olunteers to carry a mail through to that
town, apprising their friends of their danger,
and asking for relief from Fort Ellis. Sam
Shively, Nelson Weaver and Pat Hyde vol-
unteered their services and set out on the peril-
ous journey, but did not succeed in getting
the message through.
Soon after this failure to get word to Boze-
man Elias Carter off'ered to go to Bozeman
and get assistance, if furnished with two
horses. They were given him, together with
a letter from Captain McCormick, who de-
tailed the alarming situation. Carter was bid-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY,
265
den farewell by his comrades, who never ex-
pected to see him again, but he, nothing
daunted by the dangers which threatened, rode
up the river on his lonely route, with a deter-
mination to reach Bozeman or die in the at-
tempt. Adopting the plan that had l->een put
in force by Major Pease's party, he traveled
by night and rested by day. After six days
and nights that were doubtless fraught with
dread and apprehension, he reached Bozeman
and acfjuainted its citizens with the situation
at Fort Pease.
The necessary orders for the relief of Fort
Pease were issued by General Terry, and, on
the 22nd of February, 1876, Major Brisbin,
at the head of four companies of the 2nd cav-
alry, left Fort Ellis for their release. Prior
to his arrival at the fort the Indians, tiring at
the stubborn defense, retired from the vicin-
ity, applauding the courage of the garrisoa
and asserting that they were done with them
and that they might stay as long as they
pleased. But the few men left in the fort were
glad to accept the opportunity to take safe
leave of the scene of so much strife and anxie-
ty, and the fort was abandoned on March 4.
The colors of the fort were left flying where
they had so often waved defiance to encircling
Sioux, and it was also the design to leave the
walls and buildings entire, but a discontented
member of the party secretly set one of them
on fire, which was burned without injury to
the rest.
Of the forty-six men who were in l-'ort
Pea.se at the time of the first attack by the In-
dians, six were killed, eight wounded, and thir-
teen had left to try and make their way to the
settlement, so that only nineteen were left
when Cieneral Brisbin's aid arrived.
Lieutenant Jas. H. Bradley, wlin was a
member of a force going down the ri\er to take
part in the Siuux war. was at the fort on April
21, 1876, — a short time after its abandonment.
On that date he wrote in his journal : "We
found the fort in the condition it had I>een left.
and it is evident that the Sioux have not since
been in the vicinity and are ignorant of its
abandonment." The next month the Sioux
discovered that the fort had been abandoned
and destroyed the buildings by fire.
In telling the story of Fort Pease we ha\ e
advanced into the year 1876. Now let us re-
turn to the closing days of the preceding year
and tell of some of the incidents that took
place in the territory of the present day Yel-
lowstone county. We have already told of the
arrival of the few settlers opposite the mouth
of Stillwater during the year 1875. These
were the only permanent settlers in what i'^
now Yellowstone county that year. But there
w ere a few others whom we may, for the want
of a better word, term temporary settlers.
These were trappers and wolfers, who estab-
lished camps ( in one or two instances, log
cabins), from which they operated. These
were all in the eastern part of the county, in
the vicinity of Fort Pease, and their presence
here was due largely to supposed protection
that the fort would give them against hostile
Indians. One of these camps was Geo. Her-
endeen's place, at Baker's battle ground, which
became a sort of headcjuarters for the wolfers.
Another was a log cabin built by David Ken-
nedy and John Williamson, and known as
Topping's camp, on the west side of the Big
Horn and about three miles above the mouth
of that stream. The adventures of some of
these pioneers make interesting reading.
In November, 1875, E. S. Topping, author
of "Chronicles of the Yellowstone," built a
mackinaw at Bottler's ranch, on the upper
river in the present county of Park, and with
a load of specimens from the National park,
started down the river on his way to the Phil-
adelphia Centennial. David Kennedy, an ex-
soldier from Fort Ellis, accompanied him on
the trip. A day's run brought them to Ben-
son's Landing, and finding there Jack McKen-
zie and Billy Smith preparing to take a st(3ck
of o-oods down the river, thev waited there
266
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
until the third day, when the fleet of four
boats started down together.
McKenzie's boats were not weU handled
and were turned over several times on the trip.
At least one-half of his merchandise was lost
and nearly all the remainder was carried in the
large boat. When near Fort Pease the
weather turned cold, and Topping, seeing that
the river was going to freeze up, concluded to
stop near tlie fort for the winter and wolf, so
just above the mouth of the Big Horn he left
some provisions, ammunition and bedding and
ran the boat down to Pease. Here David
Kennedy and John Williamson, who had
joined at Baker's battle ground, walked back
and packed their things about three miles up
the Big Horn, and built there a small log
house, then went to hunting and putting out
wolf baits.
On the morning of the 15th of December,
Orin Mason, Jefif Thompson and Billy Castro
left Baker's battle ground for the Big Horn
river, to take a part in the winter's wolfing.
They had their riding horses and five pack ani-
mals loaded with provisions, ammunition, etc.
Their intention was to go to Topping's camp,
but, not knowing its exact location, they went
too high up and came in sight of the river
about ten miles above its muutli. As they
came to the edge of its bottom, about 100
Indians came dashing from coulees on each
side and in front. They saw at once that all
they had to hope for was to save themselves
so they left their horses and ran to a little
washout nearby, and from it fired at every
Indian that showed his head. About fifteen
minutes after the fight commenced, Orin ^la.-
son, while raising his head to take aim at an
Indian, was hit in the forehead by a bullet and
instantly killed. The others escaped without
injury.
Among the trappers in the vicinity during
the winter of 1875-76 were James Parker,
William Smith and a man named Squires, who
was stopping during December with George
Herendeen, at Baker's battle ground. On the
26th of the month they concluded to go up
Pryor's creek on a wolfing expedition : so
packing their three horses — themselves being
afoot — they started. During the afternoon of
the28ththey arrived at and camped on Pryor's
creek, and, picketing their horses on a bluft'
near by, prepared supper. An hour after-
wards, while they were smoking their after
supper pipe, they heard on the bluff the sound
of animals running. Thinking it to be buffalo,
they picked up their guns and ran toward the
hill. They were not more than fifty yards on
their way when a large party of mounted In-
j dians came dashing over the hill shooting and
I yelling. Each of the three fired a shot and
I then ran to the brush, which was quite thick
at this point, the Indians followed them
\ery closely, and for an hour were scouring the
brush, several times passing near to the place
' in which the three lay concealed. Just at dark
! Parker tried to get into camp to secure some
ammunition that had been put in the edge of the
j brush when they first unpacked. When near
! the place he was fired on by several concealed
savages, who were so near him that he was
powder-burned, though untouched by bullets.
He ran back, and the three worked carefully
toward the creek, and about ten o'clock they
! crossed the stream, and, choosing a time when
the moon went under a cloud, they made a
I run across the flat and found refuge in a
coulee, several miles from their camp, where
j they remained until the next night.
j They saw the Iildians several times during
the next day, who did not succeed in finding
them. At night they resumed their journey
toward Herendeen's, but in the darkness did
not take the right course, and came to the Yel-
\ lowstone about six miles above the present lo-
cation of Billings. Finding a cave, they built
a fire and stopped there until sunrise in the
morning, when they again struck out. When
, four miles down the river, some Indians came
in sight and made signs that they wished to
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
267
talk. Tlie boys refused to have anything to
do witli them, and waved them back. Tliree
of the reds persevered and came on. When
they were about three hundred yards distant
Smith took careful aim and fired. The center
Lidian was supported and carried off by his
two companions, either killed or wounded. The
Lidians now commenced firing at long range
on the three whites, who lay down in a buffalo
wallow and returned the fire. In about thirty
minutes the firing" ceased and the Indians left.
The worn out and hungry wolfers continued
their course, and soon came opposite Heren-
deen's cabin.
The same day on which these men had
started on their trip, "Skunkum Joe," Ed
Forest and Ben Walker came to Herendeen's
place to spend New Year's day. Latein the
afternoon of the 29th, a party of fifteen Crow
Indians came to the same place and concluded
to spend the night. They made a little wicky-
up between the two dugouts, and were given
flour and coffee and dishes to cook them in.
Early the next morning, as they were prepar-
ing to leave, Herendeen found that they had
stolen some choice wolf skins from a number
that were hanging to a scaft'old near by, and,
leveling his rifle at the leader of the party, he
forced him to have them hunted up. When
the missing articles were found the transgres-
sors were allowed to depart.
In about half an hour after their departure
heavy firing was heard up the river, and two of
the boys at the dugouts went up and brought
the horses to camp. By the time this precau-
tion had been taken Squires and companions
had coiue to the opposite side of the river,
which was npen at this place, but was frozen
across about one and a half miles below. The
three desired to have the horses brought over,
but the running ice rendered the exploit haz-
ardous, and they were told to go down the
river to the ice bridge and the party at the
cabin would walk down on the opposite side
and protect them from the Indians who might
be in the bluff's. This program was carried
out, and without being attacked they came
into safety and rest.
All the trappers in this section beliex'ed that
the attacking party in this case was Crows,
who did not wish to see their reser\-ation in-
vaded. The three horses captured by them
on Pryor's creek were killed, which would not
have happened had they been Sioux. And it
is known, also, that a Crow warrior (brother
of Good Heart) was killed near here during
the winter, and it was supposed that he re-
ceived his death wound from this party. The
second attack was probably made by the Crows
that had stayed at the dugout the night before,
as they were generally incensed at the humili-
ation of being forced to surrender the stolen
wolf skins, and had left muttering vengeance.
So far as Yellowstone county is concerned,
there were very few incidents of importance
during the year 1876; but only a short dis-
tance to the southeast, within the boundaries of
the present Rosebud county, occurred, on June
25th, the most noted Indian battle of the west,
in which the gallant Custer and his command
met death at the hands of the hostile Sioux.
The continued hostility of that nation during
the early part of the year had the effect of driv-
ing out of the country about the mouth of the
Big Horn those trappers and wolfers who the
winter before had made their headquarters in
the neighborhood of Fort Pease.
Lnder such conditions, it was only natural
that there should be no further settlement of
the future Yellowstone county. The trading
post opposite the mouth of the Stillwater still
continued to hold its place on the map, how-
exev. A force of soldiers who traversed the
upper Yellowstone valley in the spring on the
way to take part in the Sioux war report hav-
ing passed the Countryman ranch, "the last
occupied house on the Yellowstone."
The command above referred to was a
force of 2y officers and 42 irien, besides a de-
tachment of Crow scouts, under command of
268
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY,
General Gibbon, which was proceeding down
the Yellowstone from Fort Ellis. The route
was on the north side of the river, and the
whole length of the country was traversed in
the journey to find the Sioux and take part
in the battles against them.
Following the tragic annihilation of Gen-
eral Custer and his command on the 20th of
June, 1876, came a relentless war against the
Sioux nation.
The members of that tribe were chased
from pillar to post ; they were defeated in de-
tail : their power was broken ; no more were
they to strike terror to the whites who wished
to make settlement in the Yellowstone valley
and other parts of the northwest.
The effect of the chastening of the Sioux
on the territory of the present Yellowstone
county was good. Before, the settlement in
the county had been confined to the few men
in the extreme western end of the county. Li
1877, after the power of the Sioux was
broken, we find that settlers to the number of
a score or more had built homes all along the
river, on the north side, within the present
county from the mouth of the Stillwater to
the mouth of the Big Horn. Not only was this
the case in the future Yellowstone county, but
the whole length of the Yellowstone river.
These settlers began arriving immediately
after the Custer massacre of 1876. One of
the first was H. A. Frith, who took up a ranch
on the Yellowstone near Baker's battle ground.
Another settler of 1876 was Henry Kiser, who
built a cabin on the creek in the western part
of the county, which creek has since borne his
name. Early in the winter 1876-77 the Mc-
Adow brothers, of Bozeman, realizing that
with the cessation of Indian hostilities the rich
and fertile valley known as Clark's Fork bot-
tom would soon be settled, located a large
amount of land in that part of the valley near
the present city of Billings. Here they estab-
lished a store, which was run by P. W. Mc-
Adow, who became one of the leading citizens
of Billings when that fiourishing town was
built.
On of the nmst ci\-ilizing events of the year
1877 was the establishment of a mail and stage
line along the north bank of the river from
Bozeman to Miles City, a distance of 340
miles, which was put on in the summer. Gen-
eral W. T. Shedman, who made the trip up the
\ alley in Jul\-, wrote to the secretary of war:
"We found ranches established all along down
the Yellowstone, and the mail contractors have
already put on a line of two horse spring
wagons, so that soon the route we passed over
will fill up with passes." This line connected
with another at Miles City, which continued to
Bismarck, Dakota territory, the terminus of the
Northern Pacific railroad. The dream of the
people at Bozeman was finally realized, and
the Yellowstone valley became the thorough-
fare to the east. We find that in 1877 no less
than fourteen steamboats ascended the river
above the mouth of the Big Horn. These
brought freight and passengers destined for
Bozeman and points further west, and from
the head of navigation the freight was hauled
by wagons up the river to its destination. It
was expected that the boats would be able to
ascend the river to within 150 miles of Boze-
man the next year, but this was not accom-
plished.
Of the operations of this stage line Dr.
Wm. A. Allen in "Twenty-fi\-e Years in the
Rockies" wrote :
I soon tired of life in Bozeiuan and found employ-
ment on the stage line running from Bozeman to Miles
City, a distance of 340 miles. We had no regular time
for making trips, for it was impossible to forsee what
might happen to detain us upon the road. At every
station we would stop to get a fresh team, but often
found that the horses had been stolen, the man in
charge frightened away, or, worse still, that the station
house was in ashes.
This was the case only during the Nez
Perce attack in September.
With the establishment of a stage line
came the bulk of the settlers of the year 1877.
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
269
These settlers were for the most part keep-
ers of the stage stations, those who had charge
of the handling of freight, and men who en-
gaged in the store and saloon business for the
accommodation of the passengers, freighters
and hunters, who made the station their head-
quarters. We shall now tell of some of the
settlers of this year.
Alonzo J. Young was the first settler on
the upper Clark's Fork bottom, coming in the
spring of the year. Fie kept one of the stage
stations. Isaac M. Hensley took up a ranch
where Rapids station is now located. Near
Canyon creek H. H. Stone and Elliot Rouse
took up a ranch and established the Canyon
Creek stage station. Two miles down the
river fnjm this p<.)int Bill Brockaway had a
ranch.
Down the river a short distance from this
settlement was one of the best known points
in the early days. This was Baker's battle
ground, opposite the location of the present
day village of Huntly. Here in 1877 Black
and Daniels kept a supply depot for their trains
going up and down the river. The same year
Omar Hoskins and Thos. McGirl established
a stage station, which became oire of the most
noted on the whole route. Says Dr. William
A. Allen of this place in his "Twenty-five
Years in the Rockies :"
This was the best stopping place along the line, and
was a favorite resort for the hundreds of hunters and
trappers in the territory, owing to the genial qualities
of the proprietors and the plentiful supply of well
cooked food always on hand. Hunting and trapping
were lucrative employment. Meat, skins and furs found
ready sale, and outfits were made up daily for a so-
journ in different parts in quest of game.
Being the headquarters for the trappers of
this vicinity, qnite a little settlement grew up
at Hoskins and McGirl's place, which was
christened Huntley by the many hunters gath-
ered there. There were many scenes of vio-
lence enacted in that frontier village.
Further down the river than Hoskins and
McGirl's place, on the north side of the river
and just west of the mouth of the Big- Horn,
was established in June of this year a little
trading post by a man named William Taylor.
Soon afterward Paul McCormick located there
and quite a little village sprang up. This was
first known as Terry's Landing, l)Ut the name
was soon changed to Junction City. The trade
was with the river men, soldiers and .miners
of the Maginnis district. T. C. Graham and
J. H. Graham located here in 1877 and en-
gaged in the freighting business from this
point to iMaginnis and other places.
The establishing of the trading post at Ter-
ry's Landing was brought about by the estab-
lishment of the Cantonment Terry, a depot of
supplies, just across the river, by the army
then operating in this field. We can tell of the
establishment of the supply depot no better
than by quoting extracts from two letters writ-
ten by General \Villiam T. Sherman to Sec-
retary of War McCrary in July and August,
1877. He wrote:
On the Steamer Rosebud, Big Horn River,
July 25, 1S77.
* * * The location of this post [at the mouth
of the Little Big Horn] is in the very heart of the
Siou-x country. With this one and the one at the mouth
of the Tongue river, occupied by strong, enterprising
garrisons, these Smux can never regain this country,
and they will he fi.rced to remain at their agencies or
take refuge in the British possessions. At present there
are no Indians here or hereabouts. I have neither seen
nor heard of any. General Sheridan saw none nor any
trace of ;iiiy. so that the principle end aimed at by the
con^iructiiiri nf these posts is already reached, and it
is niily t^' iiKike this end permanent that we should per-
sist m their completion. The one at Tongue river
can be supplied by steamboats. This one at the mouth
of the Little Big Horn, cannot depend on this river,
the current being too strong to be navigated by ordin-
ary boats with a fair cargo. General Terry and his
quartermaster. General Card, are at this moment re-
connoitering to select some point near the mouth of the
Big Horn whereat to establish a supply depot, at which
all freight destined for this port can be landed and
hauUd up there.
We have on board a company of infantry to guard
this depot and we are nearly agreed that the best place
will be a point on the Yellowstone proper, three miles
above the mouth of the Big Horn, where the hauling
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
will be about thirty miles by ox teams. These can be
hired here, and will do the work more surely and bet-
ter than the steamboats, for they have been sometimes
two weeks in working up the Big Horn and have left
their loads strung along the banks at points har-d to
reach by wagons. I am convinced that this is the wisest
course, and thus we can maintain a strong military
post in the very heart of the hostile Sioux country,
with only a haul of twenty miles, which is insignificant
as compared with most of our posts south of this. The
country, west of this is a good country and will rapidly
fill up with emigrants, who will, within the next few
years, build up a community as strong and as capable
of self defense as Colorado.
I have company L, of the second cavalry. Captain
Norwood, which belongs at Fort Ellis, Montana Ter-
ritory, now camped on the west bank of the Yellowstone
opposite the mouth of the Big Horn, to escort me up
to Ellis. As soon as we have decided on the merits
of the point mentioned as a supply depot for this post,
I will land and start for Ellis, leaving General Terry
with this boat to report in full al! the matters to the
adjutant general, so that this letter is only preliminary.
W. T. Shekm-\n, General.
Fort Ellis, M. T., August 3, 1877.
Dear Sir: I wrote you last from the steamer Rose-
bud, coming down the Big Horn in company with Gen.
Terry and others on the 2-5th of July. We had con-
cluded that the current of the Big Horn was too swift
to be managed economically, and that the garrison at
Post No 2, at the mouth of the Big Horn, could best
be supplied by establishing a depot on the Yellowstone,
just above the mouth of the Big Horn, where stores
could be hauled thirty miles to the new post. A com-
pany of the nth infantry was left there to establish and
guard the depot, when the steamer Rosebud dropped
down to the point just below the mouth of the Big
Horn, where company L, second cavalry. Captain Nor-
wood, was camped with an outfit. This consisted of
six Indian horses, two light spring wagons, and one
light baggage wagon. The Rosebud landed us at 2
p. m., when she started down the river, leaving us to
begin our real journey. In a few minutes the escort
saddled up, and we started on horseback up the Yel-
lowstone.
The valley is strongly marked, about three miles
wide, fiat, with good grass, the banks of the river and
the streams well wooded with cottonwood trees. In
this valley, the Yellowstone, a broad, strong stream,
meanders back and forth, forming on both sides strong,
perpendicular bluffs of rock and clay, forcing the road
constantly out of the flat valley over the points, and
causing wide deflections in the road to head the ravines
or "coolies," which flow to the river. There is a
strongly marked wagon trail, but no bridge or cuts, a
purely natural road, with steep ascents and descents.
and frequent gullies, about as much as wagons could
pass. We sometimes shifted into our light wagons, to
save the fatigue of travel.
We found ranches established all along down the
Yellowstone, and the mail contractors have already put
on a line of two-horse spring wagons, so that soon the
route we passed over will fill up with passes. The
land is susceptible to cultivation on a small scale, but
admirably adapted to cattle raising.
W. T. S>
;m.\x. General.
Another settler of the year 1877 was iilajor
Pease, who in tlie fall of that year built a trad-
ing store opposite the mouth of the Stillwater,
the first cabin erected on the present townsite
of Columbus. Here he traded sugar, flour and
a few other staple articles to the redskins for
hides and furs.
Thus we find that during 1877 the "pale
faces" for the first time in history had posses-
sion of the future Yellowstone county. Where
before no man's hfe was safe for a moment,
now were ranches and little settlements, the in-
habitants of which lived in comparative safety.
No longer did the Sioux warwhoop resound
along the Yellowstone valley.
But we have one more Indian outrage to
record before we leave the people of the future
county of Yellowstone in peace and security.
This was perpetrated by a band of bad Indians
foreign to the Yellowstone valley — the Nez
Perces, whose homes were far away, in Idaho
and Oregon. It is not necessary to go into de-
tail of the breaking out of the Nez Perce war.
Suffice it to say that that tribe, under the lead-
ership of Chief Joseph, went on the war path
in Idaho in the summer of 1877, were attacked
by the United States troops and volunteers,
made their escape, and were followed by the
soldiers for hundreds of miles, making the
most famous retreat in the history of Indian
warfare.
The few years following the events of the
year 1877, were fraught with fewer incidents
of a hair-raising nature than those that had
preceded, but they were interesting times,
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
27J
nevertheless. The future Yellowstone county
was being- reclaimed from the savage state in
which it had been since the beginning of time.
Settlers did not pour in as they did a few years
later when the railroad was built up the Yel-
lowstone valley, but a number came, took up
stock ranches and became permanent settlers ;
others found employment in the freighting and
staging businesses, and other occupations. The
sta,ge line did a prosperous business. \Vith
its establishment came the opening of postof-
tices, and around these points sprang up little
trading points and villages. These places were
Coulson, two miles down the river from the
present site of Billings; Stillwater (now
Columbus), opposite the mouth of Stillwater
river; Huntley, headquarters for the trappers
and hunters in the vicinity, located on Baker's
battle ground, across the river from the pres-
ent village of Huntley; and Terry's Landing,
or Junction City, a short distance above the
mouth of the Big Horn, on the north bank of
the river.
In 1878 nine steamers plyed the waters
of the Yellowstone in a total of fifteen trips,
as high up as Sherman, and some of these
went up as high as Terry's Landing, and one
to Camp Bertie, near Pompey's Pillar. The
arrival of these boats made business for the
freighters, hauling up the valley to Bozeman,
and for the stage lines.
Among the settlers of 1878 was a party
from the Gallatin valley, who came in the
spring and builded homes in the new country.
This party consisted of R. W. Clark, O. N.
Newman, A. T. Ford and a Mr. Kinney. The
last named settled near Young's Point; the
others came farther down the river and settled
upon land extending from the Josephine in-
scription to the Coulson stage station. An-
other settler that year was John R. King, who
in the fall settled near Coulson. Mr. King had
been in the Yellowstone valley on different
missions as early as 1873. During 1875 and
1876 he had been engaged in helping build the
Crow agency on the Stillwater ; had run mack-
inaw fleets down the Yellowstone ; and had
carried dispatches through the valley. Chas.
Deal was another settler of the future Yellow-
stone county in the spring of 1878. W. H.
Claussen also came and settled in what is now
the extreme western part of Yellowstone coun-
ty; Olof Lafverson was a settler near
Stillwater.
In 1879 came Charles R. Rugg, who lo-
cated a ranch near what is now Park City;
Sidney H. Erwin, who engaged in business on
Canyon creek and several others.
Several more came the next year, and that
part of the county lying along the north side
of the Yellowstone became dotted with cabins.
According to a census taken in 1880 by Lieu-
tenant O. F. Long, of the 5th United States
Infantry, the population of the Yellowstone
\-alley from Benson's Landing (near the pres-
ent city of Livingston) and Fort Keogh (Miles
City) was 588. Of this number 215 were men
engaged in farming or other business, 158
were hired laborers, ^t, were women, and 142
were children. The same authority gave the
number of buildings in this stretch of country
as 429; stated that there were 1,713 acres un-
der cultivation; and there were 23,435 head,
of cattle on pasture ranges, 645 horses and
8,201 sheep. In the lower valley, between
Miles City and the mouth of the Yellowstone
there were 54 settlers.
Another census taken in 1880, published in
Warner. Beers & Co.'s "History of Montana,"
but the authority for which is not given, placed
the population of the upper valley (not stat-
ing how far down the upper valley was sup-
posed to extend) at 199, and that of the lower
valley at 427. This census (probably an esti-
mated one) gives the population of the valley
by localities. From it we learn that Baker's
battle ground and Huntley had a population of
Ti/ ; Clark's Fork bottom, 150; Coulson, 50;
272
HISTORY OF YELLOW'STONE COUNTY.
Junction City, and Sage Brush, 41. No figures
are given :for the settlement at Stillwater.
These figures show that there was quite a set-
tlement in that part of the valley, which three
years later became Yellowstone county, but
probably not so large as a first glance at the
figures would indicate. Separate figures are
given for Clark's Fork bottom, Coulson, and
Baker's battle ground and Huntley, while it
is probable that the populations of the last two
named places are included in that of the first
named.
An idea of the change that to^k place in
this part of the valley during the next two
years may be gained from the munber of votes
cast at the November election of 1882. The
census of 1880 disclosed the fact that there
were in the neighborhood of 200 men, women
and children in that part of the valley which
later became Yellowstone county; at the elec-
tion in 1882 nearly 1,000 votes were cast in
the precincts of Custer county which were set
ofif the next year into Yellowstone county.
This marvelous growth was the result of one
agency — the building of the Northern Pacific
railroad up the Yellowstone valley.
When the construction of the road began
from its western terminus at Bismarck, people
flocked into the country through which the
road was to build by the thousands. These
would come by rail as far as the road was
constructed, and would then travel overland in
all sorts of conveyances to get to the land of
promise. The effect on the future county of
Yellowstone was magical ; land claims were
taken at all points along the river; the little
trading posts became centers of population and
took on the airs of cities; new towns sprang
up on the prairie; Billings, the "Magic City,"
arose from the alkali plains to a city of 1,500
or 2,000 people almost in a day; people made
fortunes in the traffic of towrt lots, on sites
which a few years before no white man had
ever trod; the chimes of church bells replaced
the war whoops of the savages. Such was the
eff'ect of the approach of the railroad.
Let us now consider for a moment this
most wonderful agency in the reclamation of
the all but uninhabited portion of the terri-
tory of Montana — the building of the North-
ern Pacific railroad through the Yellowstone
valley. In early portions of this history
we have told of the early surveys for this road
through the valley, so now we shall take up the
story of the actual construction.
Under the charter granted to the Northern
Pacific company by the United States govern-
ment, the railroad company had legal rights to
build through the Crow reservation, and the
Interior department recognized this right. But
the officials of the road thought it would be
wise to satisfy the Indians, so terms were
made with the Crows, by which their consent
was gained to traverse certain portions of the
reservation by the payment of $25,000. This
was done in 1881, under the brief reign of A.
H. Barney as president of the company.
By the spring of 1881 the road had been
pushed on to Glendive. That spring work
was begun there on the Yellowstone division,
and in December the track had been completed
to Miles City, a distance of 78 miles. The grade
had been completed a few miles beyond that
point during the winter, but no track laying
was done. Work was actively prosecuted dur-
ing the spring and summer of 1882, and late
in the summer the track reached Billings. The
Billings Herald of August 10, 1883, thus mod-
estly announced the arrival of the track to the
railroad bridge just east of the city: "It is
with infinite gratification that we chronicle this
week the most important event that has thus
far occurred in relation to this community. At
4:17 o'clock on the afternoon of Thursday,
August 10. the Northern Pacific track reached
the bank of the Yellowstone river opposite the
town of Billings." Again, on August 17, the
Herald said : "This afternoon at 5 130 the first
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
273
passenger train will reach the bridge, and each
day thereafter the trains will run regularly to
Billings."
It was August 22. however, before trains
were running into the town. The work was
pushed forward all that fall and winter. The
track reached Livingston in December, and
Bozeman on March 14, following. The whis-
tle of the locomotive through the Yellowstone
valley closed an important epoch in the history
of the future Yellowstone county and began
another one.
CHAPTER 111
SINCE COUNTY ORG ANIZATION— 1883 TO 1907.
So far this history has had to deal with the
events that took place in the territory ot Yel-
lowstone county before the county was formed.
Now we are to tell of the creation of the
county and the events that have taken place
since that time.
Yellowstone county was carved out of a
region which only a few short years before
had been wrested from the possession of hostile
Indian bands. The country that was taken to
form the county may be said to have been ir-
rigated with human blood. Before the time
of the arrival of white men to this territory,
even before the coming of the Crows and
Sioux Indians, we are told that predatory
bands of western savages came to these plains
and fought one with another; later the Sioux,
Crows and other nearby tribes repeated the
dreadful drama among themselves ; then when
white men came to the country the bloody
scenes were continued ; the savages turned their
weapons upon the whites, and the whites re-
taliated.
But these dreadful days were brought to
a close. The race of civilization won the coun-
try. The hostile savages were whipped into
submission. The railroad built into the coun-
try, bringing with it thousands of settlers to
18
build homes in this land that had been drenched
in blood — the land that now became the won-
der of all who saw it. To one unaccustomed
to the ways of the west conditions can hardly
be realized. Here was a country, which in
1873 had not a white soul in its boundaries,
asking in 1883 for the formation of a county
— and getting it — claiming to have a popula-
tion of several thousand people and an assessed
valuation of nearly $2,000,000.
Unattended by the scenes of strife which
marked the birth of so many of Montana's
counties, Yellowstone county came into being .
without a fight-to-a-finish campaign. Custer,
the parent county, was the largest in the United
States at that time. It was far too large for
the comfort and convenience of the people of
the fast settling Yellowstone valley. The long
distances of travel to and from the county seat
made a heavy expenditure for mileage of wit-
nesses, jurors and others who were obliged to
make the trip to Miles City on official business.
In a speech in the house of representatives,
when the bill was being considered, Repre-
sentative P. W. McAdow stated that when
Custer county was attached to Gallatin county
for judicial purposes it had been often neces-
sary to travel from 700 to 900 miles in going
to and returning from the county seat of Boze-
274
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
man ; tliat even now, with Miles City as the seat
of government, the trip was a long and tedi-
ous one of 200 to 400 miles; that this made
court proceedings very expensive and was the
principal source of the debt that then burdened
the county; that many of the witnesses drew
from $60 to $80 for mileage alone.
These facts made the formation of a new
county a positive necessity, according to the
people of the west end of Custer county. Hap-
pily the people of Miles City and the eastern
part of the county to a great extent agreed.
The plans for the erection of the new county
were laid in the summer and fall of 1882. The
matter was discussed fully at both the Demo-
cratic and Republican conventions, which were
held at Miles City before the November elec-
tion. Both conventions decided that it would
be best for all concerned to have the county
di\'idetl. Therefore this agreement was
reached : The west end of the county should
have the naming of the members of the legis-
lature on both tickets, while the east end should
supply the candidates for all the county offi-
cers, so that wheil the new county was formed
it would not be necessary for Custer county
to supply the vacancies that would be caused
by the division of territory.
This was done, so far as members of the
lower house was concerned, Messrs. P. W.
McAdow and J. J. Alderson, Democrats, and
S. H. Erwin and F. H. Foster, Republicans,
being nominated. Messrs. McAdow and
Erwin were elected. For council, C. G.
Cox, Democrat, defeated Walter Burleigh, Re-
publican. Although Mr. Cox hailed from the
east end. he did not oppose the division.
Thus the friends of the proposed county
were given the reins. There were -not hard
feelings and jealousies manifested as there
have been in more recent division agitations;
in fact, the press of Billings took no more than
common interest in the proceedings — which
is an unusual proceeding in a movement of
this nature.
One of the principal matters of discussion
while the bill was being drafted was the ques-
tion of a name for the new county, and more
entliusiasm was worked up over the selection
of a name than any other feature of the bill.
The name first proposed, and by C. A. Wus-
trum, was "Yellowstone," and that gained a
pretty general advocacy. But there were some
who favored the name "Billings," and early in
January a petition was circulated in Billings,
directed to the Montana legislature, asking that
"Billings" be the name of the new county.
The petition was extensively signed by the
prominent citizens of the proposed county
seat town, which made it appear the more pop-
ular one. However, the friends of "Yellovv-_
stone" won the day, and that was the name in
the l)ill when the act passed and became a law.
A message announcing the passage of the
l)ill by the council was received in Billings
about half past two on the afternoon of the
23rd. Immediately flags were himg out, bon-
fires lighted, and anvils fired. An impromptu
mass meeting was held at the opera house, in
which speeches were made by Messrs. Mathe-
son, Ouivvy, Bates and others. Arrangements
were made for a formal ratification meeting
to be held at the court house on the following
day.
Billings was named the county seat. John
H. Gerrish, Fred H. Foster and Paul Mc-
Cormick were named a board of county com-
missioners, who should have charge of affairs
until after county officials should be elected on
the second Monday in April, and this board
was empowered to create election precincts for
the election. The boundaries of Custer and
Gallatin were changed to conform with this
act. The new county was prohibited from
contracting any indebtedness exceeding two
and one-half per cent of the assessed valuation
and the salaries of the county officials were
specified. The manner of bringing about a
settlement with Custer county was provided ;
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY,
275
and provisions was made for transcribing rec-
ords from the Custer county books.
Yellowstone county's birthday is March 3,
for on that day in the year 1883, Messrs. John
H. Gerrish and Fred H. Foster (Paul McCor-
mick iDeing absent) met for the first time as
a board of county commissioners in Billings.
The first official action was the selection of Mr.
Gerrish as chairman of the board. Election
precincts were created, polling places named,
and judges of election selected for the election
of April 9, in accordance with one provision
of the enabling act.
One of the first things to be considered was
the settlement with Custer county, and at this
initial meeting of the board a resolution was
passed to the effect that the toard should meet
with the Custer county board at Miles City
on ^ilarch 5 for this purpose. John McGinnis
was employed as legal adviser to the Yellow-
stone county commissioners. The Northern
Pacific railroad furnished passes for this trip,
for which the board was extremely grateful.
Tlie Yellowstone board met at Miles City on
March 5, 6 and 7, there being no quorum of
the Custer county board until the last named
date. The two boards could not agree on a set-
tlement, and it was decided to postpone action
until a later date. Now the act creating Yel-
lowstone county stated that the settlement
should be made on a certain date, but pro-
\k\ed f<jr no further action in case a settlement
could not be made on the date specified, and
therefore the act, in that particular instance,
was defective. The matter hung fire for a long
time. Custer county finally brought suit for
the collection of $57,547, alleged to be the
amount due from Yellowstone county. The
case was tried before Judge Coburn in Decem-
ber 1885. The court held that it was not a
matter for the courts to decide, luit rather a
case for legislative action. Judge Coburn left
the case e.xactly as he found it, and it was years
before a settlement between the two counties
was brought about.
Soon after the new officers went into pow-
er, succeeding the election of April 9, 1883,
the question of a court house was considered.
At a meeting on May 7 \Vm. B. Webb, one of
the commissioners, was instructed to contract
with the Minnesota & Montana Land & Im-
provement company for the "building formerly
occupied by H. Clark & Co." for a rental not
exceeding fifty dollars per month for a term
of six months, and longer if desired, to be used
for county offices. The next day, however,
these instructions were rescinded, and Mr.
Webb was instructed to lease of Geo. B. Hulme
the "lot on which the court house now stands"
for a rental not exceeding $150 per year. The
same official was also instructed to purchase
the building known as the court house building
at a price not to exceed $200 in county war-
rants. He was also authorized to purchase
furniture for county offices not to exceed $250
in value . In this modest manner Yellowstone
county began its existence ; now it is housed
in a $100,000 court house, the finest in the
Yellowstone valley.
A more pretentious structure was the jail
erected later in the year. The contract for this
was let on August 20, 1883, to Nelson, Crowe
& Gagnon for $5,845. The total cost includ-
ing cells, was about twice the contract price of
the building.
The tax levy for the year 1883 was 18
mills, divided as follows : Territory, i mill ;
county, 12 mills; poor, i mill; school, 3 mills;
road, I mill. The assessed valuation was $1,-
663,553, which was the smallest of any county
in the territory. The indebtedness was also
the smallest, being $7,728.66, which, however,
did not include the undetermined amount due
Custer county.
The year 1884 was a noteworthy one in the
history of Yellowstone county from a histor-
ical standpoint. There was a slight reaction
at this time from the prosperous years of 1882
and 1883, during which the county settled down
toa normal standard. The prevailing hard times
276
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
of the year, however, were feh but shghtly in
this new country. The assessed vahiation of the
county showed an increase over the first as-
sessment, amounting to $1,930,470. The
county's indebtedness March i was $4,354.50.
Very few Indian troubles are to be recorded
in the history of the Yellowstone valley after
the building of the railroad, but there was one
incident occurring in February. 1885, that re-
called the early times.
Five Piegan Indians made a raid, from
their reservation, crossed the Yellowstone at
Clark's Fork river, to the Crow reservation,
and stole fifty-three ponies from Plenty Coves,
a Crow chief. They ran off these ponies, and
picked up a small number more belonging to
white men near Park City. Plenty Coves and
three other Crows, accompanied by Joseph
Tate, Chauncey Ames. Philip Sidle, Lee ]\I.
Owens, and three other white men, pursued
and overhauled them at Hailstone basin, near
Painted Robe creek, forty miles northwest of
Billings. A fight ensued, in which Chauncey
Ames and Joseph Tate were killed, and Owens
and Sidle wounded. Four of the Piegans were
sent to the happy hunting grounds. The fifth
was wounded, but managed to escape. The
horses were recaptured.
The county's assessed valuation in 1885
had risen to over $2,000,000. Its indebtedness,
according to the April statement of that year,
was $12,151.82, which did not include the still
undetermined amount due Custer county.
Some idea of the condition of the county may
be gained from the fact that 53,084 head of
cattle were listed with the assessors.
For m.iny years the assessed valuations of
the county showed a yearly increase. The fig-
ures for the first nine years of the county's
history are as follows :
1883 $1,663,553
1884 1,930,470
1885 (estimated) 2,000,000
1886 2,295.697
1887 2,025.248
1888 $2,316,072
1889 2,802,080
1890 3.046,160
1891 3.831.73^
These figures tell the story of advancement
made during these years. During the late
eighties and the first few years of the nineties
the prosperous times that prevailed throughout
the country at large also prevailed in Yellow-
stone county. The citizens turned their atten-
tion to securing trade from outside points, and
for this purpose interested themselves in rail-
road building. A pet scheme was the build-
ing of a railroad from Billings to the Clark's
Fork mines. The Billings, Clark's Fork &
Cooke City Railroad company was organized
to construct the road, but failed to connect the
metropolis of the county with the mining coun-
try. In February. 1889, a railroad was com-
pleted from Laurel to Red Lodge, which was
an event of some importance.
Yellowstone county was continually on the
lookout for more territory, and the building
of the railroad to Red Lodge offered an excuse
to try for the "pan-handle" of Park county,
in which was the coal mining country of which
Red Lodge was the center. The railroad put
the new mining town in closer touch with Bil-
lings than it was with its county seat, Living-
ston. So at the 1889 session of the legislature
a bill asking for that part of Park county east
of East Rosebud creek was introduced by
Councilman W. .\shby Conrad, representing
Yelliiwstone and Dawson counties. Park
county, of course, fought the bill, putting forth
as argument the fact that the Park county as-
sessment levy was only 15 i-io mills, while
that of Yellowstone was 26 6-10 mills; also
that a strip of the Crow reserve intervened be-
tween this "pan-handle" and Yellowstone
county. The people of the Red Lodge country
were not unanimous in their desire for annex-
ation, and the bill was defeated.
Despite the fact that the people residing in
Yellowstone county were enjoying prosperous
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTOXE COUNTY.
277
I
times, a poor showing was made at the 1890
census. There were at the time residing in the
Cdunty only 2,065 people, of which 1,242 were
males and 823 females ; i ,670 were native
born and 395 foreign born ; 2,036 were whites,
14 negroes, and the other 15 Indians and
other colored people.
Again in 1891 was there an attempt to
change boundary lines and extend tlie limits
of Y'ellowstone county. The people of Red
Lodge decided to ask the legislature for the
creation of a new county. Failing to secure
encouragement in this, they again asked for
annexation to Yellowstone county. A bill to
that entl was introduced, but before action
could be taken another event occurred which
i.pset all calculations.
This was the approval by ci ingress on
March 3, 1891, of a treaty with the Crow In-
dians, made December 8, 1890, throwing open
to settlement that part of the reservation lying
west of the divide between Pryor's creek and
Clark"s h'ork. which included all that part of
the present counties of Sweet Grass and Car-
bon not already open to settlement. When
this treaty was ratified by congress, only two
days remained before it would be necessary
fnr the Montana legislature to adjourn by limi-
tation, and a struggle was precipitated for the
])osscssion of these lands between Pai^k and
^'ellowstone counties.
A l)ill was introducetl in the senate divid-
ing the lands between the two counties, giving
almost all the land to Yellowstone county, and
March 3 — the same day that congress ratified
the treaty — it was passed by a vote of 10 to 4.
It was taken immediately to the house and
there referred to the committee on federal re-
lations. This committee promptly amended
the bill by giving a greater portion to Park
county, making the dividing line run due south
from the junction of the Yellowstone river
with the west lioundary line of Park county to
tlie Wyoming line. The amended bill was re-
ported on March 4th and a motion that the
report be not adopted called forth a lively dis-
cussion. The motion was lost and the bill
placed on general orders. Later in the day
the bill was passed. On the same day it went
back to the senate with the house amendment
favorable to Park county. The senate would
not concur and the house was asked to recede.
The lower house would not recede, and the
bill was lost.
Xow. it will be remembered, the legislature
of 1885 had passed an act providing that that
part of the Crow lands lying west of the Big
Horn river should become a part of Yellow-
stone county when it was thrown open to set-
tlement and attaching that country to Yellow-
stone county for judicial purposes while yet it
was Indian land, so the failure of the 1891
legislature to provide for the disposition of the
ceded lands was a victory for Yellowstone
county.
By proclamation of President Harrison in
1892 these lands were thrown open to settle-
ment, which gave 1,800,000 acres of territory
to Yellowstone county, making the total area
3,988,800 acres. It threw nearly one-half of
the county on the south side of the Yellow-
stone river, the ceded portion extending from
the divide between Pryor's creek and Clark's
Fork to the Boulder river and south to the
"pan-handle" of Park county. At the next
session of the legislature an attempt was made
to take some of these lands in forming a new
county to be known as Sweet Cirass, but the at-
tempt failed, and Yellowstone county con-
tinued to enjoy the possession of this big tract
until 1895, when it lost nearly all of the land
it had gained in 1891.
What was colloquially known as the
"hard times" period, beginning with the panic
of 1893 and continuing for several years, fell
upon Yellowstone county as it did all other
parts of the state, and country at large. Busi-
ness suffered from the general stagnation inci-
dent to the financial crisis. Prices for farm
products were extremely low, as well as for
278
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY,
wool, slieep, cattle and other products of an
agricultural and stockraising country. Fortu-
nately, the banks of the county remained firm
and thus prevented the disasters that follow
the failure of the financial institutions. But it
was not long before it became evident that the
intervening body which was obscuring the light
was slowly passing from the disc of the finan-
cial sun.
An event that assisted largely in the pass-
ing of the "hard times" period was the exten-
sion of the Burlington & Missouri River rail-
road from Sheridan, Wyoming, to Huntley
(Billings was the actual terminus), a distance
of 145 miles. The welcome news that the road
was to be extended was received in Billings
in April, 1894, and at 4:30 p. m. on Thursday,
October 4th, of the same year, the first train
was run into Billings over that road.
At almost every session of the legislature
since the county's organization Yellowstone
county had been interested in legislation effect-
ing the boundaries of the county — either on a
himt for more territory or defending its own.
By the creation of Carbon and Sweet Grass
counties in 1895 Yellowstone county lost prac-
tically all the Crow lands it had secured by the
failure of the legislature of 1891 to divide the
lands between Park and Yellowstone counties,
as well as a small piece of its original territory
north of the river. Carbon county took $478,-
318 of the assessed valuation of Yellowstone
county and assumed $11,986.28 of its indebt-
edness ; Sweet Grass county took $290,800 in
assessed value, and assumed $7,760 of indebt-
edness. Through their representatives Yel-
lowstone county fought the formation of these
counties, but the representatives at Helena did
not have much aggressive assistance from
home, and they \vtre powerless to prevent the
legislation.
The forming of Sweet Grass county, which
was taken from Yellowstone, Park and Mea-
gher counties, left a small section of Meagher
county territory on its southeast corner at-
tached by only a narrow strip of land, and by
an act approved March 5, 1895, the land in
question was given to Yellowstone county.
The legislation of this year left Yellow-
stone county with territory as follows : North
of the Yellowstone river the boundaries were
the same as they are today; south of the river
a small triangular piece of territory — repre-
senting what was left of the ceded Crow lands
— was retained for Yellowstone county. This
piece of land extended from the divide between
Pryor's creek and Clark's Fork river and the
Carbon county line.
By an act approved March 5, 1897, all that
portion of the Crow Indian reservation in the
state of Montana, lying between the
south boundary line of the reservation and
the Yellowstone river, and west of the mid-
channel of the Big Horn river, was bestowed
upon and riiade a part of Yellowstone county.
This legislation was of very little importance
at the time, as Indian reservations \vithin the
boundaries of a county are considered rather
in the light of burdens than assets. But when
a portion of these lands were thrown open a
few years later, the boundaries of Yellowstone
county were considerably extended.
\\"ith practically the same boundaries in
1900 as it had in 1890 Yellowstone county
showed a big increase, according to the federal
census — a gain of over 200 per cent. In 1890
the population was 2,065 5 i" ^9'^ ''^ ^"''^^ 6,212.
The matter of building a courthouse
suitable to the needs of the county was decided
at a special election June 6, 1903, when, by a
vote of 447 to 190, the people authorized a loan
of $75,000 for a courthouse and jail. The
handsome building was completed in 1905 at a
cost of about $100.000 — the finest court house
in eastern Montana.
An item of great importance to Yellow-
stone county was the approval of an act of
congress on April 27, 1904, providing for the
purchase of 1.053,000 acres of the Crow reser-
vation. The territory thus bought back into
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
279
the possession of the L'nited States is described
as follows :
Beginning at the northeast corner of the said Crow
reservation, thence running due south to a point lying
due east of the northeast corner of the Fort Custer
Military reservation ; thence running due west to the
northwest corner of said Fort Custer MiUtarj' reser-
vation ; thence due south to the southwest corner of the
said Fort Custer Military reservation ; thence due west
to the intersection of the line between sections 10 and
II. township 2 south, range 28 east of the principal
meridian of Montana; thence due north to the inter-
section of the Montana base line ; thence due west to
the intersection of the western boundary of the Crow
reservation ; thence in a northeast direction following
the present boundary of the reservation to the point of
beginning.
Now, by the provisions of the legislative
act of March 5, 1897, that part of these lands
lying west of the Big Horn river became a part
of Yellowstone county, so, when, in the sum-
mer of 1906, these lands were formally thrown
open to settlement Yellowstone county made a
valuable addition to its territory.
At the 1907 session of the Montana legis-
lature Yellowstone county was again called
upon to defend some of its territory. .V bill
was introduced bv Senator Annin for the cre-
ation of Roosevelt county from p<_:)rtions of
Yellowstone, Sweet Grass and Carbon coun-
ties, with Columbus as the county seat. That
portion which it was proposed to take from
Yellowstone county was to the west of a north
and south line drawn one mile west of Park
City, the assessed valuation of which terri-
tory was $1,365,000. Protests were made
from Yellowstone county, as well as from the
other counties interested, and the bill did not
become a law.
Perhaps no other county in the west has
made the rapid strides forward that Yellow-
stone county has in the last few years. Its
growth has been marvelous. People have
poured into the county as they never did in the
toom days of 1882 and 1883. Its population
has doubled and doubled again. Billings, the
county seat, has grown from a town of 3,221
people to a city of 12.000 or 13,000 in the last
seven years; the other towns of the county
have increased in population at a correspond-
ing rate of increase. Irrigation has been the
secret of its advanceme,nt, the story of which
will be told in later chapters. The county's
assessed valuation for 1906 was $11,550,125,
an increase of about 25 per cent, over 1905.
CHAPTER IV
POLITICAL.
Although Yellowstone county did not come
into existence until the year 1883, we
may go back of that date some little time for
the beginning of the county's political history.
There are no records to the effect that the few
people living in the territory which later be-
came Yellowstone county took any part in the
selection of officers of the territory or Custer
county prior to the campaign of 1882. Before
that time, as we have shown in previous chap-
ters, the permanent settlers of that part of the
Yellowstone valley lying in the present Yel-
lowstone county nuiubered only a few — for the
most part traders. If there were elections held
in this part of Custer county, the records do
not tell of it.
But when the campaign of 1882 came theie
had I)€en a big change in conditions. Settlers
28o
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
liad poured into the future Yellowstone county,
and the result was that about a thousand votes
were polled in those precincts of Custer county
which, a few months later, were set off into the
new county of Yellowstone. For the accom-
modation of these voters the county commis-
sioners of Custer county, at a meeting held in
September, 1882, created the following elec-
tion precincts, named the polling places antl the
judges who should preside:
No. 8. Junction City — AlcCormick & Car.
lisle's store. C. D. Brown, Burns Smith.
Henry Kiser.
No. 9. Huntley — Smith & Flagey's store.
George Smith, Thomas ^IcGirl, W'm. Hamil-
ton.
No. 10. Coulson — Peasley's store. George
B. Silverberg, Samuel Alexander, Alexander
Pratt.
No. II. Billings — Star & Bullock's store.
James Muldowney, George Town, Henry
Cahn.
No. 12. Canyon Creek — Erwin's store.
Sidney Erwin, Edward Fauks, E. B. Brockney.
No. 13. Young's Point — School House.
J. W. Cole, A. J. Young, William Mitchell.
The record of the vote cast at the election
in November, 1882, does not show that there
was any election held in Ytnmg's Point pre-
cinct ; but there are recorded the votes cast in
Woodliff's Ranch and Park City precincts.
As before stated, nearly 1,000 votes were cast
in these seven precincts. The Democratic
nominee for delegate to Congress received a
fair sized majority over his Republican rival.
On the other hand, the Republican candidate
for the council and those for the lower house
of the territorial legislature received larger
votes than did the Democratic nominees. So,
it was hard to tell just what the political com-
plexion of the new county would be. Following
is the vote of those seven precincts on delegate
to Congress, members of the territorial council
and members of the lower house :
Delegate
Council-
Congress
man
1
ll
•=
|i
1.
i
il
PRECINCT
H
il
-P
l|
o£
0^
nS
^^
Sa
X^
s-
<~'
0-
^-
■^^
Junction Cit}'
31
46
3
07
17
7
68
17
Huntley
.■).=)
n
12
51
30
10
49
66
Coulson
3c
!<:
30
97
34
■^7
■',5
W
Billings
^0^
'?m
1(1(i
3fi7
270
115
317
Canyon Creek
n
^^
45
23
46
25
Woodliff's Ranch..
85
f^
5
3f
6
(i
37
37
68
52
30
90
49
68
T
542
435
248
685
452
220
660
498
The result of this election had much to do
with the future history, political and otherwise,
of the county whose history we are writing.
The two members elected to the lower house
of the legislature, Messrs. P. W. McAdow
and S. H. Erwin, were favorable to the crea-
tion of a new county with Billings as the
county seat, and it was largely through their
efforts that Yellowstone county was formed
at the 1883 session.
The act creating Yellowstone county
became a law on the 26th day of February,
1883, when the Governor attached his signa-
ture to the bill. Under the provisions of the
act three citizens of the new county were named
as a board of county commissioners, who
should attend to the affairs of the new county'
until after the first election, which was to be
held on April 9. These commissioners were
John H. Gerrish, Fred H. Foster and Paul Mc-
Cormick. They met for the first time on
Alarch 3. when ]\Ir. Gerrish was selected chair-
man. No otlier officers were named on the bill,
the legislature believing that none would be
necessary until after the election in April. But
the commissioners found that it would hz
necessary to have a county treasurer before the
election, and at their meeting on March 12,
they appointed Herman H. Mund to that posi-
tion, giving him authority to act until his sue-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
281
cesser, elected on April 9, should qualify. Mr.
]\Iund's bonds were placed at $2,000 and his
sureties were John Tully, H. W. Carter and
James Ferguson.
One of the first acts of the commissioners
was to provide for the election of April 9.
For this purpose the board at its first meeting,
March 3, divided the new county into twelve
election precincts, designated the voting places
and appointed the judges of election as fol-
lows :
1. Junction City — Paul :McCormick's
store. C. D. Brawn, H. C. Williams, John
Roberts.
2. Huntley — Smith &: Hagey's store.
Thomas McGirl, Wm. Coad, William ILamil-
ton.
3. Coulson — National Hotel. James T.
Westbrook. T. S. Ash, S. Vanwagoner.
4. Billings — Court House. George D.
Rice, H. W. Carter, George W. Reed, Sr.
5. Canyon Creek — Erwin's store. W. D.
Brockway, J. J, Walke, Samuel Saulsbury.
6. Park City — Lee's store. J. W. Cole,
Perry Whitsett, Lee.
7. Rapids — Hensley's house. Lsaac Hen-
sley, ■ Tucker, John Ailing,
8. Stillwater — Countryman's hotel. Hor-
ace Countryman, William Jud(l, E. C. Culver.
9. Merrill — Porter's house. S. W. Porter,
Edward Cardwell, Summers.
10. Musselshell River — Olden's ranch.
W. A. Olden, William Linton, T. J. Brew-
ington.
11. Musselshell River — Ramsey's ranch.
John Ramsey, Shannon, E. J. Golden.
12. ]\Iusselshell River — Reed's ranch.
Lawrence Reed. Chas. Ohlson, John Falig.
Preparations were at once made for the
approaching campaign, and both parties lie-
came active in an endeavor to secure control
of the political machinery of the new county.
The time was short, and a short, active cam-
paign was made necessary. The Democrats
met in convention at Billings on Tuesday,
?\Iarch 15, and placed a complete set of candi-
dates in nomination. Alexander Devine, pro-
prietor of the Billings Herald, was chairman
of the con\ention and Warren Stilson was sec-
retary. The following delegates participated
in the deliberations of the convention :
Junction City, Jas. Reed; Huntley, W^m.
Hamilton, E.W. Dunn ; Coulson, 'Wm. Schultz ;
Billings, Warren Stilson, J. Breuchaud, J.
Hopkins, Wm. Filer, Alex. Devine, Wm,
Lutz, Thomas Wheeler; Canyon Creek, Frank
Bell ; Park City, T. O. Taylor, Chas. Moore ;
Stillwater, W. C. McFarland; Rapids. Isaac
Hensley; Merrill. C. D. Fox; Musselshell
(Olden's ranch), S. F. Mitchell; Musselshell
(Reed's ranch), L. Reed.
The Republicans met at Billings on Marcii
22 and selected a county ticket. Unfortun-
ately, we are unable to secure details of this
first convention of the Republican party of
Yellowstone county.
The highest vote cast for any one office
was 1,162. The result of the election was an
overwhelming \-ictory for the Democrats, that
party electing every officer, with the exception
of one commissioner, by majorities averaging
300. Following is the official vote of Yellow-
stone county's initial election :
Sheriff — Jas. h^rguson, dem., 785; John
Tinkler, rep.. 369.
Treasurer — J. Breuchaud, dem., 699: J. R.
Marks, rep.. 452.
Clerk and Recorder— H. H. Bole, dem..
710; E. B. Covely, rep., 452.
Probate Judge— John McGinnis, dem ,
717; J. D. Matheson, rep., 431.
Assessor — Robt. Peters, dem., 724; John
I^amsey, rep., 434.
Coroner — Dr. .\. J. Hoag, dem., 701 ; L,
Nutting, rep., 453.
Surveyor — G. T. Lrmiport, dem.. 726; W.
J. Allason, rep., 433.
Superintendent of Schocils — J. S. Hendry,
dem., 752; W. F. :\layer, rep., 402.
Commissioners — Wm. B. Webb, dem..
282
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
■/2T,: E. S. Tutt. dem., 670: O. E. Millis. dem.,
436; C. E. Barney, rep., 464: Paul McCor-
mick. rep.. 395; F. \\'. Lee. rep., 51.2.
The successful candidates took their oaths
of office on the ist of May, and the organiza-
tion of Yellowstone county was completed.
There were a few changes in the personnel
of the county officers before the next election.
At a meeting of the board of commissioners on
May 7. 1883, E. S. Tutt was elected chairman.
That gentleman positively refused to act, but
upon the urgent request of Alessrs. Webb and
Lee he consented to act only at the
one meeting. The records state that Mr.
Tutt formally resigned the chairmanship on
June 4, and that Wm. B. Webb was on that
date chosen by his associates. Superintendent
of Schools J. E. Hendry departed for Livings-
ton in the spring of 1883 to enter the newspa-
per business there, and on June 5 his office was
declared vacant, and Rev. B. F. Shuart was
appointed to the vacancy. The office of cor-
oner was also declared vacant on Dec. 5. 1883,
and Walter Matheson was ap])ointed by the
board;
The next election in which the voters of
Yellowstone county took part was in Novem-
ber, 1883, when delegates were chosen to the
constitutional convention of 1884. The county
was entitled to two delegates. F. L. Greene
and F. M. Proctor, Democrats, defeated H. H.
IVIund and J. R. Goss, Republicans. One dele-
gate was also chosen from the first judicial
district, of which Yellowstone county was a
part. •\\'alter Cooper, Democrat, carried the
county against A. F. Burleigh, Republican.
The election of 1884 brought about a com-
plete reversal in the political conditions of the
young county. Without a single exception, a
complete set of Republican candidates was put
into office, where the year before all except one
had been Democrats. This change was brought
about largely by the action of a set of men,
who were termed by the regular Democrats
"mugwumps," but who labeled the tickets they
put in the field "Ta.x Payers" and "Peoples."
The convention of these factions was held at
Billings, October 6, 1884, and those who took
part in the convention were E. W. Dunne,
John McGinniss, J. J. Alderson, S. R. ^filler.
Thos. McGirl, Chas. O'Neal, Eugene Richard-
son, R. W. Peters, J. Hopkins, Jas. Grady,
Jas. Ferguson, Fred Sweetman, G. L. Lamport
and A. Hansen. Most of the candidates put
in nomination had already been put in nomina-
tion by the Republicans, but a few others were
named on the "Tax Payers" and "Peojjles"
ticket.
There was a decided falling ofY from the
vote of the preceding year, only 949 votes be-
ing cast for the office of delegate to congress,
the highest vote for any office. Following is
the official vote :
Delegates to Congress — Hiram Knowles,
rep.. 512; Joseph K. Toole, dem.. 437.
District Attorney — Henry N. Blake, rep.,
495; Robert P. Vivian, dem., 426.
Councilmen (Yellowstone and Dawson) —
Franklin L. .Green, rep., 542; James G. Ram-
sey, dem. and peoples, 288; P. W. McAdow,
tax payers, 51 ; scattering, 7.
Representative — Wm. H. Norton, rep.,
367; S.'F. Mitchell, dem., 258; C. E. Warner,
peoples and tax payers, 261.
Commissioners — Omar Hoskins, rep. and
tax payers, 531; Olney Taylor, dem., 209;
Geo. Breckenridge. peoples, 140.
Proliate Judge — James R. Goss. rep.,
peo. and tax payers. 601 : F. M. Proctor, dem.,
281.
Treasurer — E. B. Camp, rep., 472 ; H. W.
Rowley, dem., 230; G. T. Lamport, peo. and
tax payers, 176; scattering, 4.
Sheriff — J. R. King. rep.. 344: J. D. Finn,
dem., 175; J. M. Ramsey, tax payer, 290; Jas.
Ferguson, peoples, 69: scattering, 2.
Clerk and Recorder — F. W. Lee, rep.. 312;
H. H. Bole, dem.. 279; G. T. Lamport, i;
HISTORY OF YELLO\\"STOXE COUNTY
283
John AIcGinniss. peoples ami tax payers, 289.
Assessor — Joseph Reed, dem., 278; F. ;\I.
French, rep. and peo., 600; scattering, 3.
Surveyor — S. R. Oldaker. rep, peoples and
tax payers, 588: J. C. Isaaci, dem.. 296.
Superintendent of Schools — B. F. Shuart.
rep., peoples and tax payers, 599; B. S. Scott,
dem.. 285.
Coroner — Alex Countryman, i ; J. H.
Rhinehart. rep., peoples and tax payers. 660:
Joseph Lawler. dem.. 221.
For the Constitution. 448 : against the
Constitution. 42.
The election of November 2. 1886. brought
out 968 votes for the head of the ticket — dele-
gate to congress — while for tlie other offices
balloted on less than 900 votes were cast, about
the same as at the preceding election and some
less than at the first county election. So far
as the two political parties are concerned the
election was a "stand-off." The Repul)lican
nominee for deleg-ate to congress. Wilbur F.
Sanders, carried the county by nearly a hun-
dred majority, while the vote of the county lor
joint councilman was a tie between Messrs. E.
C. Waters and Alfred Myers. The Republicans
elected their nominee for representative, both
county commissioners, surveyor, superintend-
ent of schools and coroiier. while tlie Demo-
crats put into office their candidates for coun-
ty attorney, probate judge, treasurer, clerk and
recorder, sheriff and assessor. Following is
the vote :
Delegate to Congress — ^\"iIbtu' F. Sanders,
•"^P-. 531 • Joseph K. Toole, dem.. 437.
Joint Councilman — E. C. Waters, rep..
44T ; Alfred Myers, dem.. 441.
Representati\-e — E. N. Harwood. rep..
481 : N. C. Bachelor, dem.. 384.
County Attorney — ^^'. F. Myers, rep.. 403;
Sam \Vildy. dem.. 411: O. F. Goddard. 12:
scattering. 4.
Commissioners — A. L. Babcock. rep.. 488;
Frank S. Whitney, rep., 425; Robert Lyons,
dem.. 384: John Westbrook, dem.. 382: Thos.
Hanlon, 25.
Probate Judge — Jas. R. Goss. rep., 382;
John McGinnis, dem., 487.
Treasurer — S. R. Oldaker. rep.. 393 ; A.
S. Douglas, dem., 484.
Clerk and Recorder — F. W. Lee. rep.. 324;
Geo. M. Hays. dem.. 549.
Sheriff — S. H. Erwin, rep., 408: Jas. M.
Harris, dem.. 461.
Assessor — Horace Countryman, rep.. 309:
Lewis Sweet, dem.. 561.
Surveyor — A. S. Shannon, rep., 450; Geo.
T. Lamport, dem., 425.
Superintendent of Schools — J. H. Rhine-
hart, rep.. 410: Alfred Brown, dem.. 286;
Anna S. Shuart. Lid., 173.
Coroner — B. B. Kelley. rep.. 459; J. Henry
Bloom, dem., 409: J. Westbrook. 2.
There was a slight falling off in the vote in
1888, only 925 being polled for the head of
the ticket, while for county offices the average
vote was about 870. The Republicans secured
the bulk of the offices, although the Democrats
captured a few plums. The Republicans carried
the county for delegate to congress by a large
majority and elected representative, commis-
sioner, attiirney, sheriff, treasurer, assessor,
public administrator, coroner and superintend-
ent of schools. The Democrats carried the
county for their nominee for joint councilman
and elected clerk and recorder, probate judge
and surveyor. The vote :
Delegate to Congress — Thos. H. Carter,
rep.. 556: William A. Clark, dem.. 369.
Joint Councilman — E. C. Waters, rep.,
403; W. A. Conrad, dem.. 462.
Representative — F. S. \\'hitney. rep.. 538;
Andrew Campbell, dem.. 324.
Commissioner — J. H. Roseau, rep.. 469;
W. P. Whitsett. dem.. 398.
County Attorney — J. R. Goss. rep.. 513;
Gib A. Lane. dem.. 354.
Sheriff — James Spendiff. rep., 457; J. M.
Cox. dem.. 413.
284
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Treasurer — L. Whitney, rep., 491 ; A. S.
Douglas, dem., 380.
Clerk and Recorder — Fred H. Foster, rep.,
407; Geo. M.. Hays, dem.. 466.
Assessor — S. K. Deverell, rep., 503; Chas.
D. Moore, dem., 368.
Probate Judge — H. D. Arkwright, rep.,
389; John McGinnis, dem., 478.
Public Administrator — C. E. Barney, rep.,
495 ; Leslie Bates, dem., 372.
Coroner — B. B. Kelley. rep., 495 ; B. S.
Scott, dem., 375.
Superintendent of Schools — Martha Rod-
gers, rep., 482; W. B. George, dem., 386.
Surveyor — A. S. Shannon, rep., 415; F. L.
Mann, dem., 455.
The next election in which the electors of
Yellowstone county participated was a special
election held on Alay 14, i8Sg. for the selec-
tion of three delegates (jointly with Dawson
county) to the constitutional convention. Un-
der the law providing for the convention not
more than two delegates from any one district
should belong to the same political party. So
each of the parties named two candidates.
Following was the vote of Yellowstone county :
O. F. Goddard, rep., S37 • H. J. Haskell,
rep., 293; Alfred ISlyers, dem., 183; D. O.
Cowan, dem., 140.
After the constitutional convention had
concluded its labors a special election was
called to be held on October i, 1889, to adopt
or reject the constitution as framed and to
choose the- first state officers and a complete
set of county officers under the state govern-
ment. In Yellowstone county the constitution
received 457 favorable votes, and 21 were cast
against it.
Ever since the formation of Yellowstone
county there had been a falling off in the total
vote cast, and this election was no exception to
the rule. Only 681 votes were cast for gover-
nor— the highest vote polled^and the vote for
other offices was only a little smaller. The
Republicans made almost a clean sweep in Yel-
lowstone county, the only Democrat securing
office being the nominee for the new office of
clerk of the district court. Following is the
vote :
Go\ernor — Thomas C. Power, rep.. 400;
J. K. Toole, dem., 281.
Judge Seventh Judicial District — Walter
A. Burleigh, rep., 377: Geo. R. Milburn, dem.,
299.
Congressman — Thomas H. Carter, rep.,
415; Martin McGinnis, dem., 265.
Senator — A. L. Babcock, rep., 437; Wm.
B. Ten Eyck, dem., 242.
Representative — Wm. H. Norton, rep.,
389; Lorenzo P. Williston, Jr., dem., 290.
Clerk District Court — Geo. M. Hays, dem..
392; John Tinkler, rep., 283.
Sheriff — James A. Church, dem., 287: John
]\I. Ramsey, rep., 391.
Commissioners — Wm. A. Boots, rep., 400;
Allen B. La Mott, dem., 325; Lucius Nutting,
rep., 372; Seth W. Porter, dem., 237; Henry
W. Rowley, dem., 297; Charles Spear, rep.,
337-
Treasurer — Flenry Oldam, dem., 285 ; Lu-
cius Whitney, rep., 391.
Clerk and Recorder — Fred H. Foster, rep.,
381 ; John H. Wilson, dem., 292.
County Attorney — James R. Goss, rep.,
430; Gilbert A. Lane, dem., 239.
Assessor — Samuel K. Deverell, rep., 402;
John J. Walk, dem., 274.
Superintendent of Schools — Mattie J,
Crampton, rep., 618.
Surveyor — Frank L. Mann, dem., 313;
John A, L. Snyder, rep., 356.
Coroner — Jas. H. Rinehart, rep., 451;
George L. Yaeger, dem., 219.
Public Administrator — Charles E. Barney,
rep-, 375; Joseph M. V. Cochran, dem., 285.
At the November election in 1890 the only
candidates voted for in Yellowstone county
were those for congressman, state senator and
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
285
public administrator. As a result only a small
vote was cast, 568 being the highest recorded
for any office. The vote :
Congressman — Thos. H. Carter, rep., 310;
Andrew L. Corbly, pro., 7; W'm. M. Dixon,
deni., J30; W'm. T. Field, lab., 5.
Senator — O. F. Goddard, rep., T,;i2\ Edwin
Stanley Tutt, dem., 236.
Public Administrator — Ernest H. Gagnon,
dem., 232; Eugene S. Holmes, rep., 314.
In 1892 the voting strength of the county
recovered to nearly its old time figures, 907
votes being polled for representative, the can-
didates for which office polled more votes than
any other. This was the first time in its his-
tory that Yellowstone county had the privilege
of participating in a presidential election, and
the result showed the county to be Republican
by no. The Harrison electors received 479
votes, and the Cleveland electors 369. The
Peoples party entered the field in this cam-
paign, but developed very little strength. It
placed a county ticket in the field, most of the
candidates having been taken from the Dem-
ocratic ticket ; a few from the Republican. The
result of the election was a complete victory
for neither party, although the Republicans se-
cured a majority of the offices. The Demo-
crats carried the county for district judge and
elected the nominees for clerk of the district
court, one commissioner, treasurer, superinten-
dent of schools and county attorney. The
Republicans secured, the other offices. The
official vote :
President — Republican electors, 479;
Democratic electors, 369; Peoples party elec-
tors, 23; Prohibition electors, 18.
Governor — Timothy E. Collins, dem., 383;
\Vm. Kennedy, pp., 24: John E. Rickards,
rep., 459; J- iM. Waters, pro., 16.
Judge Seventh Judicial District — Geo. R.
Milburn, dem., 482; Jason W. Strevell, rep.,
397-
Representative — A. L. Babcock, rep., 480;
I. D. O'Donnell, dem. and pp., 427.
Congressman — Benj. R. Atkins, pro.,
22,; Wm. W. Dixon, dem., 382; Caldwell
Edwards, pp., 26; Charles S. Hartman, rep.,
4-W-
Clerk District Court — F. L. Mann. dem.
and pp., 451 ; Fred B. Mitchell, rep., 431.
Commissioners — John C. Bond, rep., 417;
Edward Cardwell, rep., 489; C. O. Gru-
well, dem. and pp., 468; Geo. Herbert, dem.
and pp., 401; Robt. J. Martin, rep., 351;
Benj. W. Toole, dem. and pp., 395.
Treasurer — Sidney F. Morse, dem. and
pp.. 461 : Lucius Whitney, rep., 409.
Clerk and Recorder — Uri E. Frizelle,
rep., 432; E. L. Peck, pp., 36; Wm. M.
Tompkins, dem., 427.
SheritT— H. A. Frith, pp., ^2; John jM.
Ramsev, rep., 492; Samuel R. Salisburv, dem.,
382.
Surveyor — Geo. T. Lambert, rep.. 525;
Chas. S. ]McFarlin, dem. and pp., 354.
Superintendent of Schools — INIattie J.
Crampton, dem. and pp., 461 ; Julia Soule,
rep., 413.
Assessor — Samuel K. Deverell, rep., 526;
Charles H. Smith, dem. and pp., 364.
Coroner — Henry Chappie, rep., 523;
James E. Free, dem. and pp., 357.
Public Administrator — Peter H. Smith,
dem., 401 ; Andrew J. Wilkinson, rep. and pp.,
465.
Attorney — Hallowell F. Clement, rep.
and pp., 415 ; John B. Herford, dem., 471.
There was a wonderful increase in the
1894 vote, 1,478 votes being polled in the comi-
ty on the question of location of the state capi-
tal, which was several hundred more than had
ever before been polled in the county. The
peoples party was again in the field and made
a much better showing than it had two years
before. The Republicans elected every candi-
date with the exception of county treasurer,
which office went to the Democrats. The vote :
State Capital — Anaconda, 647 ; Helena,
831.
286
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Congressman — Hal S. Corbett, dem., 307;
Chas. S. Hartman, rep., 861 ; Benj. F. Maiden,
pro., 18; Robert B. Smith, pp., 226.
Senator — Albert L. Babcock, rep., 926;
Ernest H. Gagnon, pp., 89; L D. O'Donnell,
dem., 445.
Representative — Henry A. Frith, pp.,
82; Pat Lavelle, dem., 368; Christian Yegen,
rep., 960.
Clerk and Recorder — Tlios. C. Armitage,
dem., 351; Uri E. Frizelle, rep., 884; Frank
"SI. Lambert, pp., 175.
Sheriff — Geo. A. Berkey, rep., 661 ; John
B. Herford, dem., 552; Fred Sweetman, tax
payer, 187; John J. Walk, pp., 60.
Treasurer — John B. Barnish, pp.. 108;
Sidney F. Morse, dem., 709; Wm. H. Nor-
ton, rep., 602.
Superintendent of Schools — W. E. Burr,
pp., 121; Lucy S. Railsback, dem., 358;
Martha E. Shoemaker, rep., 901 ; Florence
Snyder, ind. rep., 55.
Surveyor — Albert A. Morris, rep., 1129.
Assessor — Leslie Bunnell, dem., 215;
Elmer E. Summers, pp., 575 ; Frank S. Whit-
ney, rep., 640.
Coroner — Henry Chappie, rep., 1022; Jas.
E. Free, dem., 349.
Public Administrator — Eugene S. Holmes,
rep., 1 167.
Attorney — Robt. T. Allen, rep., 736; Gib.
A. Lane, dem., 637.
One of the most exciting elections ever held
in Yellowstone county was that of 1896, when
the free silver forces, combining the Demo-
cratic and Peoples parties, swept the Western
states. William Jennings Bryan carried the
county for President over William IMcKinley
by a vote of 575 to 429. The free
silver issue also had its effect on coun-
ty politics and swept into power the ma-
jority of the Democratic and Peoples party
candidates. The Republicans, however, car-
ried the county for their candidate for district
judge and elected one of the commissioners.
sheriff, public administrator and coroner.
There was a falling off from the vote of 1894,
the highest number of votes polled for any of-
fice being 1024, for sheriff. The vote:
President — Republican electors, 429;
Democratic electors, 575 ; Prohibition elect-
ors, 5.
Congressman — O. F. Goddard, rep., 420;
Cnas. S. Hartman, dem., 503.
Governor — Alexander C. Botkin, rep.,
444 ; Robert B. Smith, dem., 542.
Representative — Joseph H. Rinehart, rep.,
453 ; Thomas C. Armitage, dem., 537.
Judge Seventh Judicial District — Charles
PL Loud, rep., 506; C. D. Middleton, dem.,
462.
Commissioners — Charles Spear, rep., 481 ;
E. A. Baldwin, rep., 424; J. B. Annin, rep.,
488; Orson N. Newman, pp., 511; Patrick
Lavelle, dem., 487; Charles ]\L Jacobs, dem.,
485.
Clerk District Court — Thos. B. Hill, rep.,
467 ; Thos. A. Williams, dem., 508.
Attorney — Fred H. Hathhorn, rep., 454;
\\'m, M. Johnston, dem., 556.
Clerk and Recorder — U. E. Frizelle, rep.,
441 ; Sidney F. Morse, dem., 557.
Sheriff — Geo. A. Berkey, rep., 536; Geo.
W. Hubbard, dem., 488.
Treasurer — Maxwell G. ]\Iains, rep., 455;
Wm. B. George, dem., 536.
Assessor — Wm. O. Parker, rep., 449; E.
E. Summers, pp., 548.
Public Administrator — E. S. Holmes, rep.,
507; C. F. Burton, dem., 468.
Coroner — E. P. Townsend, rep., 554;
scattering, 9.
Superintendent of Schools — ]\Iartha E.
Shoemaker, rep., 409; Gwen F. Burla, dem.,
571-
Surveyor — Charles A. Dewar, rep., 453;
Geo. F. Lamport, dem., 516.
Again in 1898 did the fusion forces sweep
the county, leaving to the Republicans only
two officers on the countv ticket bv small ma-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
287
jorities, those for treasurer and public admin-
istrator. Fusion not being brought about
on the. congressional ticket, the Republicans
carried the county by a plurality. There was a
gain of 115 votes over the election of 1896, for
the office of sheriff, 1,139 votes being jjolled.
The vote :
Congressman — A. J. Campbell, dem., 431 ;
Thomas S. Hogan, pp. and sil. rep., 133;
Thomas C. Marshall, rep., 517.
Senator — C. O. Gruwell, dem. and pp.,
670; John E. Edwards, rep., 440.
Representative — J. D. Losekamp, dem. and
pp.. 647; \Vm. H. Norton, rep., 471.
Treasurer — Wm. B. George, dem. and pp.,
527; W. L. Ramsey, rep., 592.
Clerk and Recorder — Nat G. Carwile, dem.
and pp., 728; W. J. Stratton, rep., 368.
Sheriti' — Geo. W. Hubbard, dem. and pp.,
626; J. C. Bond, rep., 513.
Attorney — W'm. JNI. Johnston, dem. and
pp., 644; James R. Goss, rep., 464.
Surveyor — Geo. T. Lamport, dem. and pp.,
577; A. A. Morris, rep., 523.
Coroner — V. Lieberg, dem. and pp., 538;
E. P. Townsend, rep., 527.
Public ■ Administrator — ■ Henry Terrell,
dem. and pp., 528; Chas. Spear, rep., 542.
Assessor — R. C. W'ells. dem. and pp., 647;
F. D. ;\IcCormick, rep., 421.
Superintendent of Schools — Gwen F.
Burla, dem. and pp., 740; W. D. White, rep.,
339-
Fifteen hundred and seventy-three votes were
cast for governor in 1900, the largest vote
polled in the county up to that time. William
McKinley carried the county over W^ J. Bryan
by a vote of 827 to 654, the other national po-
litical parties receiving 27 votes in the county.
Conditions were complicated in state politics,
there being many tickets in the field, and
the Republicans carried Yellowstone county for
congressman and governor. In county poli-
tics there were five tickets, or parts of tickets,
in the field, and a combination was brought
about against the Republican ticket. The lat-
ter elected representative, two commissioners,
treasurer, assessor, attorney, superintendent of
schools and surveyor, while the fusion forces
elected the other officers. The vote :
Congressman — C. E. Edwards, dem., -pp.
and pp., 687; Geo. C. Stull, rep., 768; Pat
C. F. Kelley, ind. dem., 48; M. J. Elliott, soc.
dem., 10.
Governor — J. K. Toole, dem., pp. and lab.,
657; D. E. Folsom, rep., 774; Thomas S.
Hogan, ind. dem., 63 ; J. F. Fox, soc. dem.,
16.
Judge Seventh Judicial District — Charles
H. Loud, dem., rep. and pp., 1,434.
Representative — ^J. D. Losekamp, dem.
and pp., 687; Geo. C. Stull, rep., 768; Pat
Lavelle, ind. dem., 59.
Commissioners — P. H. Smith, dem., pp.,
and lab., 700; C. M. Jacobs, dem., pp. and lab.,
710: L. A. Nutting, dem., pp. and lab., 658;
S. K. Deverell, rep., 783 ; W. O. Parker, rep.,
']Ty2\ H. B. Drum, rep., 702.
Sheriff — G. W. Hubbard, dem., pp. and
uid. dem., 915 ; Thomas S. Linton, rep., 626.
Treasurer — Clayton Warner, dem., pp. and
ind. dem., 654; Eugene S. Holmes, rep., 844.
Clerk and Recorder — Nat. G. Carwile,
dem., pp. and ind. dem., 897.
Clerk District Court — Thomas A. ^^'il-
liams, dem., pp. and ind. dem., 892.
Assessor — Chas. S. McFarlin, dem., pp.
and ind. dem., 661 ; A. P. Smith, rep., 842.
Attorney — H. A. Frith, dem., pp. and ind.
dem., 515; F. H. Hathhorn, rep., 970.
Superintendent of Schools — N. McCrary,
dem., pp. and ind. dem., 549; ^Marguerite M.
Strong, rep., 929.
Coroner — Andrew Clark, dem., pp. and
ind. dem., 622; James Chappie, rep.. 852.
Public Administrator — Henry Terrell,
dem.. pp. and ind. dem., 785 ; Geo. F. Benning-
hoff. rep., 672.
288
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Surveyor — A. A. Morris, rep., 941.
The highest vote polled in 1902 was 1,540
■ — for the office of sheriff — which was a slight
decrease from the vote of two years before.
The Democrats succeeded in electing only two
officers, the candidates for sheriff and treas-
urer, and the vote for representative was a tie.
The Republicans carried the county for the
other officials by majorities' ranging from a
very few up to several hundred. The official
vote :
Congressman — John ]\I. Evans, dem., 572;
Joseph M. Dixon, rep., 809; Geo. B. Sproule,
soc. 59; Martin Dee, lab., 17.
Senator — C. O. Gruwell, dem., 756; Chris.
Yegen, rep., 774.
Representative — S. F. [Morse, dem., 735 ;
Chauncy C. Bever, rep., 735.
Sheriff— Geo. \V. Hubbard, dem., 859;
Wm. B. Calhoun, rep., 681.
Treasurer — Gwen F. Burla, dem., 829; S.
K. Deverell, rep., 693.
Clerk and Recorder — Nat. G. Carwile,
dem., 709; John W. Fish, rep., 785.
Attorney — J. D. Matheson, dem., 681;
Charles L. Harris, rep.. 791.
Assessor — A. B. La]\lott, dem., 624; War-
ren A. Evans, rep., 864.
Superintendent of Schools — Lucy A. Rails-
back, dem., 490; Marguerite M. Strong, rep.,
984.
Coroner — Andrew Clark, dem., 497: J. H.
Rinehart, rep., 966.
Surveyor — A. A. Morris, rep.. 1,034.
Public Administrator — H. G. Williams,
dem., 690: O. D. Hogue, rep., 723.
A special election was held December 20,
19.02, to elect a representative, the vote at the
general election having been a tie between
Messrs. S. F. Morse and Chauncy C. Bever,
each receiving* 735 votes. The vote at the
special election was nearly as close as at the
general election, the canvassing board declar-
ing that 580 votes had been cast for Bever,
the Republican nominee, to 579 for Morse, the
Democratic nominee.
'Sir. Morse protested against counting the
vote of Junction precinct upon the grounds of
a vote being cast and counted when the elector
was not registered in that precinct. Bever's
counsel claimed that the board of canvassers
had no authority to throw out the precinct but
to count the vote as they found it. The ma-
jority of the board concurred in this opinion
and a certificate of election was given to Mr.
Bever. The vote in Junction stood eight for
Bever to four for Morse, so that if the pre-
cinct had been thrown out Morse would have
had three majority.
The largest vote ever polled in Yellowstone
county was cast at the general election on No-
A-ember 8, 1904. when 1,833 ballots were cast
for the office of county treasurer. Theodore
Roosevelt carried the county over Alton B.
Parker for president by the decided vote of
1.249 to 449- The Democrats elected three
officials. W. M. Johnston, representative; Gwen
F. Burla, county treasurer: and Fred H. Fo.>-
ter. clerk district court. The Socialists had a
part of a ticket in the fiekl and polled a small
vote. Following is the official vote :
President — Republican electors. 1.249;
Democratic electors, 449 ; Peoples party elec-
tors, 14, Socialist Labor electors, 4; Socialist
electors, 66; Prohibition electors, 6.
Congressman — J. M. Dixon, rep.. 1,160;
A. C. Gormley, dem., pp. and lab., 554; J. H.
Walsh, soc, 56.
Governor — Wm. Lindsay, rep., 1,009; J-
K. Toole, dem., pp. and lab., 759; ^1. G.
O'Malley, soc., 52.
Judge Seventh Judicial District — Chas. H.
Loud, rep., 864; J. B. Herford, dem., 859.
Representative — C. C. Bever, rep., 850;
W. "SI. Johnston, dem., 919; A. F. Scirving.
soc. 43.
Sheriff— W. P. Adams, rep., 1,096; G. W.
Hubbard, dem.. 677; Chas. Trott, Soc, 56.
Treasurer — Henry White, rep.. 792; Gwen
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
i,ooi ; Milo C. Roberts,
soc.
Fish, rep.,
rep., 964;
. 1,146
-11, soc.
F. Burin, dem.
40.
Clerk and Recorder — John \\'
1,275; Geo. Boyde, soc, 68.
Attorney — Harry L. \A'ilson.
Harry A. Groves, dem., 791.
Assessor — Warren A. Ewans,
Henry Klenck, dem., 559; John
44-
Clerk District Court — Cass Prudh<imnie,
rep., 799; Fred H. Foster, dem., 949.
Superintendent of Schools — Marguerite
M. Strong, rep., 1,206; Eliza D. Matheson,
dem., 536.
Surveyor — P. M. Gallaher,
Henry Gerharz, dem., 808.
Coroner — J. H. Rinehart, rep.
P. Murphy, dem., 799.
Public Administrator — W. F.
rep.. 990; J. M. V. Cochran, dem., 684.
The vote in 1906 fell ot¥ to 1,641, whicii
number was cast for sheriff. The Republicans
^\■ere again generally successful, but as usual
the Democrats succeeded in electing a few
officials. Their candidates elected were sheriff,
surveyor and one commissioner. The Social-
i.sts had a full ticket in the field and polled a
larger vote than at the pre\-ious election. The
vote :
Congressman — Chas. N. Pray, rep., 901 ;
Thos. J. Walsh, dem., 578; John Hudson, soc ,
76.
Senator — J. B. Annin, rep., 765; C. O.
Gruwell, dem., 715; Adam F. Skirving, soc,
119.
rep., 905 ;
936; John
Svh-ester,
Representative — Albert A. Morris, rep.,
7^,6; J. B. Herford, dem., 698; Alford R.
Jensen, soc, 103.
Sheriff— Wm. P. .\(lams, rep., 674; Jas.
T. Webb, dem., 916; Nils C. Roberts, soc,
51-
Treasurer — ^John W. Fish, rep., 759: Xat.
G. Carwile, dem., 752; Jesse F. Gilchrist, soc,
68.
Clerk and Recorder — Ira L. Whitney, rep.,
1,150; Geo. Boyd, soc, 104.
Assessor — A. P. Smith, rep.. 1,083; E. W.
Keene, dem., 380; John Home, soc, 58.
Attorney — Harry L. Xilson, rep., 895; F
S. Hogan, dem., 658.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. M. M.
Strong, rep., 842; Ella L. Hayden, dem., 661.
Coroner — G. Herman Smith, rep., 934; J.
J. Mahoney, dem., 436; E. A. Cobb, soc, 80.
j Public Administrator — W. F. Sylvester,
rep., 742; S. R. Salsbury, dem., 591; L. H.
Cardwell, soc, 98.
Surveyor — B. C. Lillis. rep., 669; Henry
Gerharz, dem., 762.
Commissioner (six year term) — Geo. F.
j Benninghofif, rep., 489 ; G. F. Burla, dem., 965 ;
j A. J. Lundborg, soc, yS.
I Commissioner (four year term) — M. W.
Cramer, rep., 752; J. D. Losekamp, dem.,
658; Ben Ogley, soc, 76.
Commissioner (two year term) — Chas. H.
Newman, rep., 791 ; C. M. Jacobs, dem., 581 ;
John Powers, soc, 82.
CHAPTER V
BILLINGS, THE "MAGIC CITY.
When Billings came into existence in the
sunimer of 1882 and had, within a few months,
gained a population of between one thousand
and two thousand people, housed principally
in shanties and tents, had reared itself on an
alkali flat which a few years before had not
been trod by white man, it was styled the
"Magic City." The sobriquet was appropri-
ate; the rapid building and populating of Bil-
lings was magical. The name still clings to
Billings, and is as appropriate now as it was
in the first few months of its history. Now
the population of the city increases by thou-
sands every year; now-, instead of the shacks
and shanties of the 1882 period, are erected
brick, stone and marble structures, three, four
and five stories high. The improvements of
the "magic" city of 1882 would not compare
very favorably with those of the year 1907,
when one million dollars is being expended to
make the city a Greater Billings.
In an earlier chapter of this history we
quoted from the writings of Mr. Addison M.
Quivey, who passed through the Yellowstone
valley in 1874, as follows: "The country is
valuable for neither agriculture, grazing nor
minerals, but may be interesting to the geolo-
gist or naturalist. The country is undoubtedly
a marine formation, and from its present ap-
pearance I should think it admirably formed
for the last home and burial place of the horri-
ble monsters of the earliest animal creation."
The country so described in 1874 is the one in
which is now located the city of Billings, the
metropolis of eastern Montana.
Billings is the county seat of Yellowstone
county. It is located on the north side of the
Yellowstone river on a gently sloping plain
near the eastern extremity of what is known as
Clark's Fork bottom, a valley sixty-five miles
long" and from four to ten miles wide. The
plain, or second bottom, as it may be called,
is high enough to be out of reach of the occa-
sional freshets to which the low lands border-
ing the river are sometimes liable. On the
north and south rise precipitous bluffs and
rugged cliffs of a yellowish sandstone forma-
tion, possibly once the banks of a greater Yel-
Imvstone river. \\'estward the valley is framed
])y the perpetual snow-capped peaks of the
Rocky mountains, apparently not more than
twenty or thirty miles distant, but in reality
many times that distance. The elevation of
the city, according to the Northern Pacific sur-
vey, is 3,1 19 feet alx>ve sea level; according to
the authority of the weather bureau, it is two
feet less than this. Billings is 892 miles west
of St. Paul, via the Northern Pacific railroad ;
by the same route it is 238 miles east of
Helena, the capital of the state : by the Bur-
lington route the city is about 900 miles north-
west of Omaha, Nebraska.
Billings occupies a strategic position in
Northwestern commerce. The four zones of
commercial influence are centered in St.
Paul, Billings, Spokane and Seattle. The
capital of Yellowstone county is. on
the main line of the Northern Pa-
cific railroad, and is the terminus of the
Burlington & Missouri River railroad ; it is
also the terminus of the roads that run to Red
Lodge and Bridger, in Carbon county. Four-
teen passenger trains leave Billings daily, and
the city is both freight and passenger division
point for all roads. The freight yards of the
Northern Pacific and Burlington roads have
the largest trackage here of any city between
St. Paul and Portland. Being the junction
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
291
point of the two great systems, Billings is the
natural gateway to the entire northwest.
The "Magic City" is today a city of hetween
] 2,000 and 13,000 people, and the population
is increasing at a rate that promises well for
its future greatness. Its citizens are wont t)
announce it as the second city of Montana in
point of population and commercial import-
ance. If it has not yet quite reached that stage,
it is fast approaching it, and such cities as
Helena, Great Falls and ]\lissoula must looh
well to their laurels, or they will be distanced.
Billings' supremacy is due to its admirable
location, its ideal climate, its splendid railway
service, the broad slope and natural wealth of
its tributary territory, drawing trade 150 miles
from the north and south and -j^ miles from
east and west ; its cheap fuel and power, and,
above all, to the enterprise and public spirit
of its business men. This latter resource is a
\-aIuable asset to the city.
Agriculture, jobbing, manufactures and
railways are the four factors that are the back-
bone of Billings' commercial life. A few years
'ago, a typical frontier village. Now a city of
beautiful homes, wide shaded streets, splendid
schools, palatial public buildings, hospitals,
libraries, churches, clubs, substantial business
and office buildings, and everything that goes
to make up an ideal home and business city.
The history of Billings dates from the
spring of 1882, there never having been a
building erected on the townsite prior to the
month of IMay of that year. But two miles
down the Yellowstone from the present busi-
ness portion of Billings, about where the
Northern Pacific railroad bridge spans the
river, there had been a little village for sev-
eral years previous to the founding of the
"Magic City." This was Coulson, and, as its
history is inseparably linked with that of the
newer town, we shall tell its story before tak-
ing up the history of Billings proper.
Early in the winter of 1876-77 P. W. Mc-
.Adow came to this location, took up a land
claim, and a little later opened a store, he be-
ing the first settler in the vicinity. Also in
1877 came J. J. Alderson, Joseph Cochran,
Henry Colwell, Clinton Dills, Milton Summer
and Johnny Hoor, who settled in the vicinity.
The stage line through the Yellowstone valley
was established that year, and one of the sta-
tions was at the point where Mr. McAdow had
his store. The station was kept by Mr. Aider-
son, who operated a hotel in connection. X
postoffice was established, and ]\Ir. Alderson
was made postmaster, a position he held for
three years. The place became known as
Coulson, and consisted of a little cluster of
buildings about Mr. McAdow's store. Its
growth during the late seventies was slow,
but it became a well known stopping place
among- those who passed over the stage line
and others who took up residence in the vi-
cinity. The importance of the place was
added to in 1S78 by the construction of a
sawmill by Mr. McAdow.
A number of capitalists, believing thai
Clark's Fork bottom was destined to become
a place of great importance, associated them-
selves under the name of the Minnesota &
Montana Land & Improvement company,
bought a large tract of land on the bottom from
the railroad company in March, and made prep-
arations for the building of a town. Negotia-
tions were begun with the proprietors of the
Coulson townsite for the purchase of the lands
there, but satisfactory arrangements could not
be made. The owners concluded that they
could make more money by holding than by
disposing of the property at the figures of-
fered. So the deal fell through; the company
laid out the Billings townsite a short distance-
up the river ; and it was not long before Coul-
son was distanced completely in the race for
supremacy.
It must not be imagined that Coulson went
out of existence immediately upon the found-
ing of the "Magic City." In fact, it contin-
ued to be a village of some importance even
292
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
after Billings had readied tiie height of its
boom. Beiiag the older town, it had some ad-
vantages over the new one. For several
months, owing to the proverbial slowness of
the national government in acting, it held the
postoffice, while Billings, a town of 1,000 or
1,500 people, had none, and the residents of
the latter city were obliged to make the trip
down to the old town for their mail : even the
Billings newspapers were entered at the Conl-
son postoffice. An idea of the size and im-
portance of Coulson in the fall of 1882, after
Billings had taken its place as the principal
town in the vicinity, is gained from an article
in the Billings Herald of October 22, 1882.
On that date it stated that there were in Coul-
son a brewery, hotel, three general stores, five
saloons and about thirty other buildings.
Now let us go back and consider the early
history of the town of Billings proper. Bil-
lings might be said to be a fiat town. The
Northern Pacific railroad company issued its
fiat that a town should be builded in this vi-
cinity, and Billings was the most remarkable
instance on the whole Northern Pacific line of
a considerable town coming into immediate
life and vigor on the strength of orders issued
from the railway headquarters in New York
City.
The company which founded the town and
which for many years played an imjwrtant part
in its history was the Minnesota & Montana
Land & Improvement company, organized un-
der the laws of Minnesota in i88r. The com-
pany was made up largely of officials of the
railroad company, Heman Clark being pres-
ident anfl Hon. Frederick Billings being in-
terested.
It appeared to these men that a town
builded on Clark's Fork liottom would
command the trade from an mimense
surrounding territory — and their beliefs
have been verified. So the company
purchased from the railroad company all
of the latter's holdings on Clark's Fork
bottom from Young's Point to the old
town of Coulson. eml)racing upwards of 60,-
000 acres, the most fertile tract of land in the
Yellowstone valley. After the decision was
reached to build the town on Clark's Fork bot-
tom the question of the e.xact location arose,
and the little insignificant Alkali creek, which
puts into the Yellowstone at Billings deter-
mined the corporation to build near the lower
end of the \alley. Of this selection Mayor
Fred H. Foster has written : "The fact that
.-Mkali creek commands the only practicable
northern outlet from the Yellowstone valley
caused Heman Clark and Frederick Billings
to locate Billings on its present site rather than
at Canyon Creek or Laurel. This insignifi-
cant rivulet, daily seen by our people, has built
Billings."
The original townsite was platted in
INIarch, 1882, lots placed on sale early in April,
but the filing of the plat was not made in the
Custer county records until June i. The town
was named in honor of Frederick Billings,
who was the president of the Northern Pacific
Railway company from May 24. 1879, until
June, 1 88 1.
At the time of the platting-, in Marcn,
1882, there was not a building on the townsite,
and it remained in this condition until late in
April. The first structure was a building of
considerable size, built by the Northern Pa-
cific Railway company for the accommodation
of the locating engineers, which was completed
on the first day of ]\Iay, and located on M(in-
tana avenue, between Twenty-eighth and
Twenty-ninth streets. Only a few days later
was completed a store building for the town-
site company, and a store was opened by H.
Clark, president of the company, at the corner
of Minnesota avenue and Twenty-ninth street.
The third structure erected at about the same
time, was the residence of F. B. Kennard.
These three buildings constituted the town of
Billings in the early days, of May, 1882.
Then began the boom. The events of the
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
293
next thirty days have probably never been
equalled in western town building. By the
first of June there were five hundred people in
Billings; there were scores of business houses
in operation ; there had been over a hundred
Ijuildings erected, and many more were in
course of construction. People were coming
in afoot, horseback and in wagons, bringing
merchandise, lumber and supplies. They came
from all points of the compass, and had this
rapid growth continued to the present time
Billings would be the metropolis (jf the north-
west. It was during this first thirty days of
its history that Billings became known as the
"Alagic City."
As soon as the town was platted, -Mr. (ien.
B. Hulme, the agent of the compan}-, starteii
from New Y'ork City to take charge of the
sale of the lots. Before he reached Billings
many of the lots had been bought up by cap-
italists in St. Paul, IMinneapolis and other
points, who recognized the advantages of the
location of the coming city. Inside of four
weeks nearly 5,000 lots were sold, and in every
instance the order for the land was followed
by the required cash payment. The only diffi-
culty seemed to be to satisfy the eager hasteof
the applicants.
The pace set during the month of May was
continued during the whole summer. All was
rush and hustle and excitement in this magic
citv of cheap buildings and tents, and traffic-
ing in town lots constituted a large share of
the business and amusement of the population,
in which enterprise many small fortunes were
made. People continued to pour in from the
end of the railroad to such an extent that the
Herald complained that it took "a very likely
reporter nowadays to 'keep track' of all the
arrivals in Billings." Not a day passed that
did ni->t witness the arrival of men of means
and business experience, who came to cast
their lot with the people of the new town.
These .generally expressed themselves as satis-
fied with conditions as thev found them, and
would immediately go to work in the territory
of their adoption. The first act of the new
arrival would be, invariably, to draw from his
pocket a well-wrinkled and jjerhaps dirty plat
of the town, and the second act would be to
hunt for "his lot." In another day or two lum-
ber would be on the ground, and in less than a
week, on an average, a new building would
make its appearance in Billings, would be oc-
cupied, and the owner in happy possession of a
lucrative business. Such was life in the early
history of Billings.
One of the serious drawliacks to the life
in the boom town that summer was the lack of
water, and the gravity of the situation was
fully realized by the pi'operty owners. The
condition of affairs as told by the following
excerpt from the Herald of June 29 pre\ailed
until the irrigating ditch was completed the
next year :
Tlie question of most serious import tliat now
agitates the people of Billings is that which concerns
the water supply. The water carts that in a desultory
manner make their daily rounds serve an excellent
purpose, and as a substitute for a better water system
are welcomed by every householder. W'hile the users
of water are, however, glad to open their purses and
their water barrels to these itinerant dispensers of the
precious Yellowstone fluid, they also realize the fact
that should a fire break out in our midst, the water
barrel would be an indifferent source of protection.
Early in June the citizens of the town
united in a mammoth petition to the postoffice
department, which set forth the disadvantages
under which they were laboring,, asked that a
postoffice be granted to Billings, and that L.
Whitney be commissioned postmaster. Fa-
vorable action was taken by the department^
and on July 8 Mr. Whitney received notifica-
tion of the establishment of the postoffice and
his appointment as postmaster, the commis-
sion being dated June 13. It was some little-
time, however, before the red tape could be un-
wrapped and the Billings postoffice became a
fact. Then, when all the legal requirements
had been met, the postoffice was opened under
294
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
very unsatisfactory arrangements ; but the best
was made of the conditions, and soon every-
thing was in "apple pie" order.
On the 22nd day of August the first rail-
road train crossed the bridge at Coulson and
entered the city of Billings. On that date the
estimated population of the town was 800, but
by the first of the year it had increased to 1600,
according to one estimate. Immediately fol-
lowing the advent of the road came a quick-
ening of the business activity of the little city.
Work was commenced on the construction of
the company's roundhouse, machine shops,
turn table and other buildings of a division
point, furnishing employment to quite a force
of workmen.
The matter of incorporating the town was
taken up in the fall of 1882, but was dropped,
and incorporation was not brought about un-
til 1885.
On JMay 20, 1882. there was organized the
Billings Street Railway company, with a capi-
tal of $40,000. The line of the proposed road
tvas to be two miles in length. Every-
lx)dy was enthusiastic over the building
of the line, antl nine hundred shares of
the stock were subscribed at once. The road
was completed in the summer of 1883 — the
first street railway in the territory of Montana.
The cars were, of course, drawn by horses,
the trip to Coulson being made in twelve min-
utes.
The venture was not a success from a
financial standpoint. The line continued in
operation a few years, and then the operation
of the railway was discontinued.
The ^Minnesota & Montana Land & Im-
provement company was heartily denounced
for its many shortcomings, and much of the
censure was doubtless deserved. But if the
company did nothing else that was good, the
building of the irrigating ditch irtust stand as a
monument of its worth.
The water was taken from the Yellowstone
at the head of Clark's Fork bottom, at Young's
Point, carried for a distance of thirty-nine miles
along the rim-rock bluff at the north, and then
discharged into the Yellowstone again. The
beginning of the ditch at the west was two feet
below the Yellowstone. When the river was
let into the ditch there was at once a canal
twenty-two feet wide, about two feet deep, car-
rying nearly 10,000 inches of water, and irri-
gating about 20,000 acres of land. From the
completion of the "Big Ditch," as it is com-
monly called, dates the era of improvement and
prosperity which has marked this favored sec-
tion of ^Montana.
Up to the first of November there had been
shipped from Billings over 1,000 car loads of
cattle, or about 20,000 head; besides this ship-
ment about 7,000 head of sheep had been sent
to market from the same point. The freight
receipts from imports averaged $5,000 per day,
or nearly $150,000 per month. Excepting
Fargo, there was no other station on the line
of the Northern Pacific that made a Ijetter
showing.
In its issue of October 22, 1882, the Bill-
ings Herald gave some statistics of an interest-
ing nature, showing the exact number of busi-
ness houses, and containing other information.
From that article we learn that there were 155
business houses in existence, and ten in course
of construction : ninety-nine residences, and
thirteen in course of construction; si.x railroad
buildings, one church, and one in course of
construction ; and twenty-five tents.
The early population of Billings embraced
all classes and conditions of men, but it seemed
to include more of a far-seeing, enterprising
and thrifty class of business men than usually
fell to the lot of tow^ns along the line. The
pioneers of Billings reached out after the trade
through an immense area of territoiy, and got
it. Their example has been followed by the
later comers, and Billings' prosperous condi-
tion today is due to a large extent to this trait
of going after the things that help to make a
better town.
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
295
Wlien the Minnesota & Montana Land &
Improvement company pnrchased the raih^oad
lands on Clark's F"ork bottom it entered into a
contract with the raih"oad company to do many
things toward the improvement of Bilhngs and
the surrounding country, and the sale of lands
on the bottom and of lots in the town was
based on these promises. Among other things,
the improvement company agreed to erect a
passenger depot at a cost of $60,000. Appar-
ently, the company paid very little attention
to this promise, and it became a matter of opin-
ion among the residents that it did not intend
to fulfill this part of the contract. No steps
toward the carrying out of the contract had
been made at the close of the year 1882, but
there were abundant promises.
Finally, in the falb of 1883, the iiuprove-
nient company erected a depot building at a
cost of about $10,000. This the Northern
Pacific refused to accept in fulfillment of the
contract. After its completion the building
stood empty, being used "principally as a dance
hall," as one of the residents of the town ex-
pressed it. When passenger trains came in
"Billings'" would be announced, the train
hrdtetl before the deserted edifice and then
pulled along to the Northern Pacific hotel,
\\hich was the actual passenger depot. The
halt was made at the new depot, presumably,
in fulfillment of the agreement on the part of
the railroad company. So matters continued
in this deplorable state for some time. The
people generally lost confidence in the good
intentions of the IMinnesota & Montana Land
& Improvement company, and that corporation
earned the ill-will of a large portion of the pop-
ulation. This feeling of the people of Bil-
lings, as well as of the railroad company, is
illustrated in a letter published in the local
press in June, 1883. It was written by R. J.
Anderson, of the Windsor hotel. ^Nlr. .\nder-
son said :
I have brought suit against the Montana & Minne-
sota Land & Improvement company, of which H.
Clarlc is president, for non-fulfihnent of contract, said
suit being for $20,000 damages. The company referred
to have not fulfilled their agreement to build the pas-
senger depot according to their plans in the original
plat. They further agreed and guaranteed to me to
have the depot built upon the originaly proposed loca-
tion, and open for public use and occupation by the
time the first train arrived — when the railroad was com-
pleted to Billings. They also guaranteed to everyone
else who bought lots from the company in the vicinity
that the depot would be built as originally projected
on the plat. * * * In my opinion and in the opinion of
numerous other? who hold property here, it has brought
finan.-i;il ruin and disaster to numerous men of limited
caiDtal wli. i liavc been induced to invest their all here
upon prunn-ej of great improvements.
Only a short time since Henry Villard, when pass-
ing through Billings, remarked in the presence of a
number nf citizens that H, dark had done nothing
which he agreed tn, and .:i:ir:rall\ iih|uired where the
three thousand emigrants .iial Soandnia-, lans were which
Clark agreed to have at Billnigs this spring. Since
his arrival in New York President Villard has coin-
menced suit against H. Clark for the forfeiture of
60,000 acres of railroad land on Clark's Fork bottom
obtained by Clark on condition that he should sell them
to actual settlers. Clark induced the Ripon colony to
come to Billings to the number of 500, assuring them
that they could have all of this land wdiich they wanted
at $2.60 per acre, and a free townsite thrown in. When
they arrived they could not get the land for less than
$5 to $10 per acre, according to location. This turn
in affairs disgusted the greater number of the colon-
ists, and they returned to their former homes without
catching on. Since then the railroad lands on Clark's
Fork bottom are lying in primeval solitude, totally un-
occupied and unimproved.
The period of activity in the summer and
fall of 1882 was followed by several compara-
tive dull months.. This was no more than was
to be expected. When the railroad pushed its
way westward man>- of the boomers and much
of the floating population went with it : other
towns sprang into existence and went through
the same feverish excitement that had attended
the founding of Billings. There were men,
however, who had the foresight to realize that
Billings, because of its location, was bound to
be a city of permanency, and they remained to
found permanent homes. To their wisdom,
foresight and energy is due much of the pres-
ent prosperity of the city.
296
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
The dull winter months were followed by a
continuation of the boom in the spring of 1883.
From the time of the founding of the town
the great drawback had been the poor water
supply. Doubtless many prospective settlers
abandoned the idea of locating here because of
the poor showing made on this account. Here
was to be seen nothing but alkali dust, with no
seeming possibility of growing trees or grass,
and the water, taken from the Yellowstone
river and distributed in tanks, probably decided
many that this was a poor place in which to
locate.
The citizens of Billings realized this de-
fect, and at once set about remedying it. It
was decided to bore an artesian well, and the
Artesian Well company was incorporated in
April, 1883. Before active operations were
commenced by this company the stress was
relieved somewhat by the completion of the
irrigating ditch. On the morning of Septem-
ber 1 5 the water was turned on, and a copious
stream was flowing through the main ditch,
which ran through the town. This was re-
ceived gratefully by the citizens. Boring for
the artesian well was begun early in '1884.
Much money was expended and great perse-
verance was shown, but with deep regret the
promoters were forced to acknowledge defeat
after sinking a hole to the depth of 900 feet;
no water was found.
Another event of interest in the spring of
1883 was the organization, on Saturday even-
ing. March 12. of the Billings Board of Trade,'
an organization devoting itself to the upbuild-
ing of the city.
The second attempt to secure incorpora-
tion for Billings was made in 1883. The mat-
ter was taken before the district court,' which
issued an order calling for an election to be
held on November 14, when the people should
decide by ballot whether they wished incor-
poration or not. The election was a quiet one,
and incorporation was defeated.
One of the earlv considerations was the
matter of a suitable school building. Bonds to
the amount of $8,000 were voted in July, and
to this sum was added $4,000, donated by
Hon. Frederick Billings. The building was
completed that fall.
The population of Billings increased in
1883 to about 1.500, and the number of build-
ings in the city that year was between 400 and
500. Nearly $100,000 was "expended during
the year in public and private improvements.
Twenty thousand head of cattle were shipped
during the year, and Billings became quite a
wool market, an industry which became a
mammoth one in a short time.
The abnormal conditions that prevailed
during the years 1882 and 1883 could not last
forever, and we find a new era beginning in
1884. Instead of the rip-roaring, everybody-
get-rich-quick town of the first two years, we
now find Billings settling down to a more solid
and sane policy.
The stock growing industry of the sur-
rounding country was of vast benefit to Bil-
lings, in 1884 Yellowstone county ranking
fifth among the counties of Montana in nunibei
and value of cattle. Nearly 35,000 head were
shipped from Billings that year. Freight busi-
ness was large, also. During the year there
were received at Billings 42,653,768 pounds,
the charges on which amounted to $161,747.-
71 ; there were shipped from this station 22,-
817,166 pounds, on which the charges
amounted to $114,015.59. This made a total
of 65.470.934 pounds shipped to and from
Billings with total charges of $275,763.30.
The sale of tickets from the Billings office
brought into the company's coffers $22,513.
One of the best remembered events of the
year was the big fire of July 14, resulting in
the destruction of block no with a property
1( ss of nearly $50,000. with insurance of less
than one-half the loss. This block was the
portion of the town that was first built, and
most of the buildings were mere shells built
of the roughest lumber. Some of these occu-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
297
pied only half a lot, and had been put up hur-
riedly and cheaply to be occupied during the
boom period at enormous rent. The fire broke
out about daylight in AIcKee's saloon, located
near the middle of the block, and spread rapidly
in both directions. Billings did not at the time
ha\e a fire company, and only a limited supply
of water, so that the efforts of the citizens to
check the spread of the flames were without
avail. Tlie block was a square of smouldering
ruins within a few hours.
.Vithough the buildings destroyed were
cheap frame buildings, it was thought that the
fire, coming as it did during a dull season,
would prove a serious blow to Billings. Such
was not the case, however. Just as soon as the
insurance was adjusted contracts were let for
the erection of new buildings to replace those
destroyed.
Another result of this fire was the estab-
lishment of a fire company, which was organ-
ized on August 6. Although without fire fight-
ing apparatus of any kind except buckets and
axes, the company undertook the duty of pro-
viding protection from future fires.
h^rom a business directory of the city of
Billings, compiled in 1S84, we learn lli.it there
were over an hundred firms doing l;u>iness in
the little city.
Early in 1885 the question of incorporation
\vas again taken up and this time the territor-
ial legislature was asked to grant municipal
gTA-ernment to the town. L'nder the provisions
of the act the charter was to be submitted to
the voters of the town in April for approval
or rejection. The land to l)e incorixirated was
defined as follows: The south (nie-half of sec-
tion 33, township one udrth, range 26 east,
and the southeast one- fourth of the southeast
one-fourth of section 32. township one north,
range 26 east, and section three in townshij)
one south, range 26 east, containing an area
of 1,000 acres. Peter Larson, Albert L. Bab-
cock, Sidney H. Erwin, Louis A. Fenske and
John \V. Ramsev were named as commission-
ers to act until the first board of aldermen
should qualify.
The election for the adoption or rejection
of the city charter was held on Thursday, April
2. There was very little interest manifested
o\-er the result, and only 122 votes were cast,
a majority being in favor of incorporation
under the charter granted by the legislature.
A few days later the election for the selection
of the first officers of the city was held, and
municiiml government began April 10. Fol-
lowing are the names of the officers who have
served the city since its incorporation up to
the present time :
1885— Mayor, John Tully ; aldermen, Lucius Whit-
ney, L. H. Ftnske, J. J. Walk, W. H. Rowley, S. H.
Erwin, C. C. Westbrook : marshal, Henry Terrell ; as-
sessor, treasurer and collector, Fred Sweetman : clerk
and city attorney. E. N. Harwood ; policeman. W. F,
Leroy: police judge. J. D. Matheson.
1S85* — Mayor. Walter Matheson : aldermen. C. E.
Foot Note.
Westbrook, L. H. Fenske, W. H. Rowley, C. H. Wal-
cott, Thomas Hanlon, C. H. Walcott.
1886— Mayor Walter Matheson: aldermen. C. H.
Walcott. J. j' Walk, L. T. Field, H. W. Rowley. L.
H. Fenske. Thomas Hanlon ; clerk and city attorney,
E. N. Harwood : assessor, collector and treasurer, Geo.
M. Hays : marshal, Henry Terrell.
,887— Mayor. Jas. R. Goss : aldermen, J. C. Bond,
Jos. Zimmerman, C. C. Brown, M. B. Rademaker, U.
E. Frizelle. J. J. Walk: clerk and city attorney, E. N.
Harwood: treasurer. Lesley Bates: marshal, Henry
Terrell.
1888 — Mayor, E. B. Camp : aldermen, Joseph Zim-
merman, C. E. Barney, A. P. Hart, M. B. Rademaker.
J. C. Bond, C. C. Brown : clerk and City attorney, H.
D. Arkwriglit ; ,r-^i.ssor and treasurer. Chas F. Burton;
marshal, li.nrx Ihiflhl,!
,889— ,Ma\wr. I'n.l H. Foster: aldermen. W. B.
TenEyck. Robert Hannah, U. E. Frizelle. C. E. Bar-
ney, A. P. Hart, William F. Filers : 'clerk and city at-
torney, Gib A. Lane: assessor and treasurer. Chas.' F.
Burton : marshal, Henry Terrell.
1890 — Mayor. Joseph Rhinehart : aldermen, William
F. Filers, E. S. Holmes, Henry D. Chaflin. U. E. Friz-
elle, Robert Hannah. W. B. TenEyck: clerk and city
attorney, Robert T. Allen: assessor, Chas. F. Burton;
marshal, Henry Terrell.
1891 — Mayor, Geo. A. Griggs : aldermen, Peter
Smith, John D. Losekamp. E. S. Holmes, William F.
Filers, John Staffek. M. B. Rademaker: assessor. W.
*Chosen at. a special election Jul;
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUXTY
B. George; clerk and city attorney, Andrew Campbell;
marshal, Bernard Schneider.
1892— Mayor, Harry K. Fish; aldermen. J. \V.
Vaughan, Willinm A^ Hetifner, D, E. Boyken, M. B.
Rademaker, Peter Smith. J^lm D. Losekamp ; clerk and
city attorney, (.ili A. L.iiie: assessor, W. B. George;
marshal. Bernard Schneider.
1893 — Mayor, Fred H. Foster; aldermen. J. \V.
Vaug'han, Chas. A. Dewar. George M. Hays, Silas B.
Sawyer, Benjamin W. Toole, J. D. Losekamp; clerk and
city attorney, Gib A. Lane ; treasurer, W. B. George ;
marshal, Alexander Frazer.
1894— Mayor, Fred H. Foster; aldermen, J. H.
Rhinehart, Horace D. Williston, Christian Yegen, Chas.
A, Dewar. J. D. Losekamp, Benjamin W. Toole ; clerk
and city attorney, Gib A. Lane; marshal, Henry Terrell-
1895 — Mayor, Geo. A. Griggs ; aldermen. Chas. W.
Forester, M. B. Rademaker, O. C. Finke'.enberg, Chris-
tian Yegen, J. H. Rhinehart, H. D. Williston ; clerk and
city attorney, John B. Herford ; police magistrate, Alex-
ander Frazer ; treasurer, W. B. George.
i8g6 — Mayor, Geo. A. Griggs ; aldermen, W. H.
Donovan, Geo, A. Robinson. J. H. Rhinehart, M. B.
Rademaker, O. C. Finkelenberg, C. W. Forester; clerk
and city attorney, J. B. Herford ; marshal, Henry
Terrell ; treasurer, \V. B. George.
1897 — Mayor. Henry Chappie; aldermen, Chas.
Racek, W. H. Donovan,' G. W. Stoddard. H. G. Wil-
liams, J. H. Rhinehart, Geo. Lamport ; clerk and city
attorney, J. B. Herford; police judge, Frank L. Mann;
treasurer. Chas. F. Burton.
1898— Mayor. Christian Yegen ; aldermen. E. W.
Syetnick, C. E. Witham, Chas. Spear, F. B. Connelly.
H. G. Williams. Chas. Racek ; clerk and city attorney,
J. B. Herford.
1899 — Mayor^ Christian Yegen ; aldermen. Geo.
Benninghoff, H. F. Clement, U. E. Frizelle, E. W.
Syetnick, F. R. St. John, Chas. Spear. C. E. Witham.
F. B. Connelly; clerk and city attorney, J. B. Herford;
police judge, Frank L. Mann: treasurer. H. S. Evans.
1900 — Mayor, Christian Yegen ; -aldermen, F. B.
Connelly, S. G. Reynolds, C. L. Tubbs. Geo. A. Bcrky,
Geo. Benninghoff, U. E. Frizelle, Chas. Spear, H. F.
Clement; clerk and city attorney, J. B. Herford.
1901 — Mayor. W. B. George ; aldermen, G. G. Coth-
ron, Henry White. Henry Thorsen, G. W. Stoddard,
Geo. A. Berky, F. B. Connelly, C. L. Tubbs, S. G. Rey-
nolds ; clerk, J. D. Matheson ; attorney, William IM.
Johnston; treasurer, James Kelley ; police judge, F. L.
Mann.
1902 — Mayor. W. B. George : aldermen. Geo. Ben-
ninghoff, S. G. Reynolds. O. D. Hogue, Geo. A. Berky,
G. G. C9thron. Henry White. Henry Thorsen. G. W.
Stoddard ; clerk. J. D. Matheson ; attorney. W. M. John-
ston ; treasurer, James Kelly; police judge, F. L. Mann.
190.3— Mayor, Fred H. Foster; aldermen, Philip
Grein, H. G. Williams. G. W. Sturm. Jeff Z. Brewer,
Geo. A. Berky. Thos. Bouton. August Schundlack.
Geo. Benninghoff: clerk, \at G. Carvvile; attorney. J.
D, Matheson; treasurer, O. C. Ovren ; police judge, F.
L. Mann; engineer, A. A. Morris.
1904 — Mayor, Fred H. Foster; aldermen, George
Benninghoff, J. H. McElroy, August Schundlack, G.
W. Stoddard, Jeff Z. Brewer, Philip Grein, G. W.
Sturm, H. G. Williams; clerk, Nat G. Carwile; attor-
ney, J. D. Matheson; treasurer, O. C. Ovren; police
judge, F. L. Mann: engineer, A. A. Morris.
1905 — Mayor. Fred H. Foster ; aldermen, G. G.
Cothron, F. X. N. Rademaker, Henry Thorsen, J. Z.
Brewer, George Benninghoff, J. H. McElroy, G. W.
Stoddard, August Schundlach; clerk, S. F. Morse; at-
torney, H. A. Groves; treasurer, O. C. Ovren;
police judge, Nat G. Carwile; engineer, Henry Gerharz.
1906 — Mayor. Fred H. Foster ; aldermen, George
Benninghoff, G. G. Cothron, J. Z. Brewer, Chas. Spear,
F. X. N. Rademaker. Martin Gates, R. K. Terrell,
Henry Thorsen: clerk, S. F. Morse: attorney. H. A.
Groves; treasurer, O. C. Ovren; police judge, Nat G.
Carwile.
I 1907— Mayor. Fred H. Foster; aldermen, G. A.
' Weed, S. W. Soule, John Staffek, J. Z. Brewer, Chas.
Spear, Martin Gates. George Benninghoff. R. K. Ter-
rell : treasurer. Walter Watkins ; police magistrate,
Frank L. Mann.
Tlie wor.st lire in Billings' hist<iry broke
out about eleven o'clock (in the night of May
2. 1885, and before the flames had been .got-
ten under control the whole of block 1 1 1. with
the exception of the Park hotel, was iw ruins
and property to the amount of nearly $60,000
had been destroyed. The blaze was supposed
to have lieen of incendiary origin. It was
discovered in the Farmer's hotel, a two story
log building — relic of the early days — which
was vacant at the time except for two lodgers,
J. W. Cobb and A. X. Thompson. The former
narrowly escaped from the burnin.g building
with his life, and later died from his injuries.
.A very short time after the discovery of
the fire the Farmer's hotel was enveloped in a
sheet of flames. Then they spread to the build-
ing known as the Daily Rustler office and to J.
Hopkins' shoe shop to the east. The efforts
of the citizens to stop the spread of the flames
were useless, and the fire raged in both direc-
tions from the starting point, burning the in-
surance office of Lesley Bates and law office of
John McGinnis, the Chicago dry goods house,
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
299
M. Susman's general store, Mrs. Forsythe's
boarding house and Mrs. Matheson's fancy
goods store on the east, and Tally & Freese's
hardware store, the First National bank and
Schittler & Gordon's tailor shop on the west.
Realizing that none of the buildings in the
row could be saved, fire hooks were brought
into requisition and some of the frame build-
ings were torn down in the hopes of prevent-
ing the flames from spreading to otjier parts
of the town. This prompt action doulitless
saved the Park hotel, separated from tho
Ijurned block liy First a\"enue north. 1'lie hn-
tel was in great danger, but escaped with Httle
damage. Conditions for fighting the fire were
favorable. There was hardly a breath of air
stirring, and there was a plentiful supply of
water running in the land company's ditch to
the very point of operation, which was made
use of by the bucket brigades. This water had
gotten down as far as the town on the da}- of
the fire.
There were other small losses which would
bring the total loss over $60,000.
Hardly had the town recovered from the
shqck of this fire before another one occurred,
and again did block 1 10 receive a severe scorch-
ing, just a year after the block had l)een de-
stroyed. The fire broke out about two o'clock
on the morning of July 2Z, in a restaurant
Iniildiiig on nortli Twent}'-se\enth street occu-
pied by Jos. Parque. That liuilding and sev-
eral others contiguous were destroyed, entail-
ing a loss of nearly $10,000. The Yellowstone
county court house was destroyed, but the re-
cords were saved. The energetic work of the
citizens was all that saved the town from de-
struction.
Lp to this time the only protection against
fires was such as was afiforded by volunteers,
the company organized after the fire of 1884
having failed to maintain an organization. So
at the time of these fires buckets and axes were
the principal equipment of the unorganized
\-(jlunteers \\ho undertook to fight the fiames.
Insurance CMniP.iiiits now threatened to with-
draw from 1 '.ill tug-, and to restore their con-
fidence the citizens made strenuous efforts to
obtain adequate protection against fire. There
being no w;itcr mains laid, a hose company was
out >if the i|uestion, but the people did the best
under the circumstances; about fifty men
united in the formation of a hook and ladder
company, which was organized in September,
1885. This pioneer company did valiant ser-
vice during its short life, and was replaced by
a hose company when the water works were
established.
During the year 1885 Billings made some
advancement despite the fact that the boom
was no longer bringing in new people and in
spite of the severe losses by fire. It was now
that the wisdom of the selection of the location
was manifest. Had it rot l;een for the fact
that the town liccame the distributing point
for an immense territory, there would have
been sorry times in Billings during the middle
eighties.
A good index of the volume of a business
done in a town is its freight handled. During
i88t, 80,473.123 jiounds, or over 4,000 car
loads, were handled by the Northern Pacific
railroad at Billings.
The principal event of the year 1886 was
the establishment of a system of water works
by the Billings Water Power company. This
company had been organized and incorporated
in the sumuicr of 1885, with a capital stock of
$50,000. AVork was at once commenced on a
canal to supply the water, which was taken
from the Yellowstone, carried a distance of
4.000 feet around a rapids in the ri\-er at this
point, and then emptied again into the river,
a fall of thirteen feet being obtained. The
canal had an average width of thirty feet, and
seven feet of water was conveyed through it.
It took a vear to do this work, and in the
summer of 1886 a fine brick pump house was
built at a distance of one and one-half miles
300
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
from the city, and a Holly system of water
works established..
. Owing to the tires of the preceding year
the building record for 1886 was a good one.
the miserable shacks and temporary structures
which characterized the early history of the
town being replaced by handsome brick and
stone business blocks. A frontage of nearly
1 .000 feet of brick and stone buildings has been
completed during the year ending in the spring,
which, the Gaccttc claimed, was ilnuble the
frontage of that class of buildings that had
been erected during the \ear in any ntlier town
between Fargo and Helena. According to
figures furnished by the Gaj:L'tfi\ the cost of
buildings constructed during the year was
$257,400. Among others was a court house.
The jjopulation in 1886 was estimated at
1.500, which estimate probably exceeded the
facts. During the year 81.326.000 pounds of
freight were handled by the railroad at this
station. The assessed valuation of town prop-
erty was $567,134, of which $341,043 was in
real estate, and $226,091 in personal property.
Late in January, 1887, electric lights were
turned on in the little city, the plant having
been installed by the Billings Water Power
company. This year witnessed, also, the or-
ganization of the iirst effective iire company.
When the Water Power company installed its
plant it put up pressure plugs and installed reg-
ular fire pressure machinery, .so no longer were
the people obliged to fight iire by means of the
old bucket brigade. The Billings Fire depart-
ment came into existence and continued its or-
ganization about one year. Then, in 1888, be-
cause of dififerences between the mavor, E. B.
Camp, and the department, the company dis-
lianded and donated the accumulations of its
treasury to the school fund.
The city was then without organized pro-
tection for several months, but after an abor-
ti\-c attempt by inexperienced citizens to use
the hose and equipment upon a burning build-
ing, an armistice was effected, and a reorgani-
zation was brought alxiut. This was accom-
plished on January 14, 1889, the new organiza-
tion taking the name of Maverick Hose com-
pany.
There was very little advancement in Bil-
lings during the latter part of the eighties. In
the matter of population there was a falling
off, if we are to place any reliance on the esti-
mates during the time mentioned. Tiie census
taken by, the government in 1890 gave the city
a population of 836.
The year 1891 was a memorable one in the
history of Billings Ijecause of the fact that the
first, last and only lynching took place. On
Thursday, July 23, two tramps came to town
and went to the saloon of Joseph Clancy. ')a
3,Iinnesota avenue, in company with a third
man. One of the tramps ordered a number of
drinks, and when requested to make settlement
refused and began to abuse the proprietor.
He was remonstrated with, which apparently
highly incensed him, for he seized a beer mal-
let and dealt Clancy a murderous blow up<)n
the head. Mr. Clancy's skull was crusheil and
he died almost immediately. The murderer
was arrested and placed in the county jail, the
other two men being also taken into custi^dy
as witnesses. The story of the lynching which
followed is told by the Gazette of July 30:
"Although there had been a growing senti-
ment of indignation and execration of the deed
of blood by which Joe Clancy's life had been
taken and his two little children doubly or-
phaned, the sheriff, although hearing rumors to
that effect, did not anticipate any trouble that
night, nor that a band of masked and deter-
mined avengers would demand the delivery
into their tender mercies of the red-handed
murderer. The sheriff was not prepared
to receive them when at the witching hour
of night the summons rang out. People
in the neighborhood say it was between
midnight and two o'clock when they
were awakened by the noise of power-
ful blows on what sounded like steel
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
301
casements. Gib Lane was wakened by the
noise, aiKJ as the moon was very bright could
fr(.)ni his dwelhng distinguish a crowd of mov-
ing figures about and around the jail, patrol-
ling the block and challenging all approaching
persons, who having their slumbers thus rudely
disturbed came out to see what was going on.
A number of gentlemen who had been attend-
ing a dance congregated as near the scene of
action as the masked guards would permit, but
made no attempt at rescue. Sheriff Ramsey
says he was surprised at the first call, but knew
at once what was wanted. Strong in the belief
that the Pauly cells and cages would success-
iwWy resist all attempts at battering them down
with such means as a vigilance committee
could bring to bear, and that daylight would
inten'ene and save his prisoners, he denied
having the keys, which, according to the
Ti)ucs. he had thrown down the well. After
some further parleying, the sheriff removed
his family and the vigilantes had full swing.
"The next event on record was a silent
march from the jail to the place of execution,
where a telegraph pole on the Northern Pa-
cific right of way was selected as the gallows
tree, and before the light of day paled the stars
a ghastly shape was swingiiiig in the breeze,
and an unknown murderer had gone to meet
his Maker. Twelve hours after the brutal mur-
der of Jos. Clancy one at least of his murderers
had paid the price. The body remained as the
avengers left it until about eight o'clock a. m.,
when by order of Coroner Chappie it was cut
dow-n and turned over to the undertaker."
An inquest was held and the coroner's ver-
dict was : "We, the jury, find that the deceased
came to his death by hanging at the hands of
party or parties unknown t(T the jury."
There were no papers, money or marks of
identification of any kind on the body to tell
who he was. After this event all the tramps,
which element had been infesting the tov\n for
some time, were ordered out of the city.
On August 18, 1891, there was organized
the Billings club, an organization which has
been of vast benefit to the city and which is
still in* existence.
The matter of reincorporating the city un-
der a general law, which had recently been
passed, was considered in 1892. A petition,
generally signed, was presented to the mayor
and city council, asking that the matter be sub-
mitted to the voters, was favorably acted upon
and a special election called for March 5. At
the election the people decided to continue the
go\-ernment under the old territorial charter by
a vote of 86 to ^2, so no change was made
at that time.
An event of some importance was the or-
ganization of the Yellowstone Fair association
in the summer of 1892, with a capital stock of
$20,000. Since that date a fair has been held
every year.
Early in 1893 '^h^ question of reincorpora-
tion was again brought up. At a special elec-
tion held January- 1 1 the proposition to rein-
corporate was carried almost unanimously,
there being only four negative votes. Billings
became a city of the second class under this in-
corporation. A census of the city taken by S.
F. Morse about this time showed a population
of nearly 1,600. Only a year before Robert
Allen, United States census taker, had found
only 1,000 people in Billings and less than
1,500 in Y^'ellowstone county.
The "hard times" period, lieginning with
the financial crisis of 1893, had a restraining
effect on the little city, which had begun to
make steps forward during the first few years
of the nineties. While conditions were bad
enough, Billings escaped with less suffering
than did most of the towns of Montana, owing
principally to the variety of her resources.
Owing to this fact and to other things the
recovery was quicker here than in many other
places. The Burlington & Missouri River rail-
road built into the city in 1894, which had a
good effect. The population was estimated at
2,000 in 1894.
302
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTQNE COUNTY
A telephone exchange was also put in late
in 1895 by the Billings Telephone company.
The company began business with a patronage
of forty-two phones. There was also a mild
building boom that season. Several business
blocks and about twenty-five residences were
reported to be under constnrction in the spring.
Billings continued to advance during the
next few years, each year witnessing an in-
crease in population and business enterprises.
In 1898 the building improvements amounted
to $205,000. The federal census of 1900 gave
the town a population of 3,221, an increase of
nearly 300 per cent in the decade. Of this pop-
ulation 1,897 '^^■^I's males and 1,324 females;
2,617 ■\\'ei'e native born, 604 foreign born;
3,046 were whites, 89 were negroes. 84 Chi-
nese, and two Indian.
A valuable addition to the city in 1900 was
the construction of the Parmly Billings memo-
rial library, erected at a cost of about $25,000.
The library was donated by Frederick Billings,
Jr., of New York City, son of Frederick Bil-
lings, after whom the city was named, and was
given by the donor in memory of his brother,
Parmly Billings, who was a resident of Bil-
lings in the early days, and who died in 1887.
The library was constructed under the direc-
tion of a local committee representing the
estate, which was composed of the following
gentlemen : A. L. Babcock, chairman ; I. D.
'O'Donnell, J. R. Goss, J. D. INIatheson and E.
L. Boardman.
During the present decade the growth of
Billings has been the wonder of the state. From
the little struggling village it had always been
since the boom it has grown to be one of the
principal cities of the state of Montana. It is
again properly designated the "Magic City."
An idea of this growth can be obtained from
the increase in population. A census taken in
the summer of 1904 gave the city a population
of 5,447; the next year the compilers of the
city directory estimated the population at
7,000; early in 1907 the same company placed
the ixjpulation at between 12,000 and 13,000.
Many have been the causes of this growth,
but the principal one has been the reclamation
of an immense tract of land in the immediate
vicinity by the Billings Land & Irrigation com-
pany, under the provisions of the Carey act.
Settlers have poured in and settled upon these
lands, and the result has been beneficial to the
tovi-n. All sorts of new enterprises have
started in Billings. It has become a manufac-
turing center because of cheap water power; it
has a large wholesale trade because of its loca-
tion as a railroad center; its always large agri-
cultural shipments are increasing.
Among the manufacturing concerns are a
beet sugar factory of a capacity of 1,200 tons
of beets per day, erected in 1906 at a cost of
$1,500,000; two packing houses and cold stor-
age plants, a brewery, a flouring mill, three
brick plants, one marble works, a creamery,
two broom factories, a cornice factory, one
line plant, a Pintsch gas works, two candy fac-
tories, two bottling works, four cement and
concrete v.'orks, three cigar factories, one
glove factory, three harness manufactories
and one mattress factory. Billings whole-
sale houses are represented by the fol-
lowing : Five meat, three cigar, three grocery,
three liquor, two hardware and one sash and
door.
Among the other things the people of Bil-
lings point to with pride are its six public
schools, its eleven churches, its thirty-four se-
cret and fraternal societies, library, hospital,
sanitarium, seven banks, building and loan as-
sociations, two daily newspapers, theaters,
seven hotels, sixteen restaurants, five lumber
companies, a sheet iron works, three bakeries,
two express companies, dye works, insurance
company, loo-acre nursery, commercial club,
two business men's leagues, chamber of com-
merce, a woman's club, two telephone compa-
nies with nearly 2,000 subscribers, two steam
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
303
laundries, a water works system, an electric
light plant, sewerage system, three green
houses, its paid fire department, its free mail
delivery and rural free delivery routes, its
forty miles of six-foot sidewalks, and in fact
everything but its depot.
The assessed valuation of the city at the
present time is $3,500,000; it has a bonded
debt of $50,000.
At the present writing (spring of 1907)
there are in course of construction buildings
wliich will cost nearly $i, 000,000. Among
these are the Y. M. C. A. building, $100,000;
Masonic temple, $85,000; St. Patrick's Catho-
lic church, $50,000; opera house, $60,000;
Xdrthern hotel addition, $40,000; Smith
building, $40,000; new electric light plant,
$125,000 addition to the present plant, $100,-
000; apartment house, $25,000; dwellings,
$250,000; and many others of smaller cost.
Li the city are six public school buildings
and there are 1,850 children of school age.
Billings has the following church organi-
zations : Congregational, Methodist Episco-
pal, I^rotestant Episcopal, Catholic, Baptist,
Presbyterian, African ^lethodist Episcopal,
Christian Scientist, Christian, and Salvation
Army. The following history of the Congre-
gational church, the first organized in Billings,
is taken from the Billings Gazette of October
6, 1899 :
The Congregational church -^vas the first church
organized in the city. It was started in the spring of
1882, and is, consequently, as old as the town. Hon. A.
Fraser, Col. Lucius Whitney and Mr. Edgar B. Camp
were the first trustees and incorporators. Rev. Ben-
jamin F. Shuart, a missionary of the Congregational
church, was the pastor. He began his work in the
early spring of 1882 without a church, a congregation
or a home, preaching the first sermon in the town.
In the latter part of that year the trustees, acting
for the young church, had a small frame structure,
■■20.X32, with twelve foot posts, six windows and one
door," erected on the lots where the present church
building stands. This structure was of the crudest
kind, not ceiled or plastered, the cracks being stopped
with battens. At the back of this building a "lean-to"
nf two rooms was built, and this served the purpose of
a parsonage, so that the reverend gentleman could walk
out of hi.s bed chamber into his pulpit, after counting
the stars through the roof of his "lean-to" at night.
Such was the birthday of the church.
In 1883 Hon. Frederick Billings, of Woodstock,
\'ermont,' donated $12,000 for the erection of the neat
and commodious building. The Minnesota & Montana
Land & Improvement Co. and the owners of the Foster
addition donated the lots, the church raised the rest of
the funds necessary, and October of that year saw the
dedication of a beautfful church which cost $14,000, and
wcrk begun on a comfortable parsonage.
.\bout this time Mr. Shuart resigned, and Rev. A.
Stryker Wallace succeeded him as pastor, taking charge
of the work November I, 1883. Mr. ^\■allacc was pastor
for eight years, resigning his oflice in Dot'lier, i8gi.
Mr. Wallace is perhaps more fully idenlihcil with the
history of the church than anyone else, while Mr. Shu-
art may be called its founder. In August, 1892, Rev.
Chas. Hall Cook became the pastor. His pastorate
lasted 18 inonths. On February i, 1894, Rev. Preston
B. Jackson took charge of the work, remaining until
the fall of 1896. On May 15 of the following year Rev.
W. D. Clark succeeded Mr. Jackson in the pastorate,
and is the present incumbent.
The same issue of the Gazette gives the fol-
lowing history of the Methodist Episcopal
church :
The first services held in Billings by a minister of
this denomination were held in 1882 by Rev. W. W.
A'anOrsdel. Then in June, 1883, Rev. F. A. Riggin,
superintendent of missions for Montana, and Rev. G. C.
Stull. pastor at Miles City, came together and held
meetings. In 1884 a class was formed wilh R. R. Crowe
as leader. Rev. Geo. Comfort, of P.. zinian. was pre-
siding elder, and Rev. S. E. Snider was appi'inted pas-
tor, who continued until July 9, 1885, when he was
succeeded by Rev. J. L. Guiler, under whose pastorate
the present brick church was erected.
The class w-as small in numbers, and it was a hard
struggle, but with faith in God they triumphed. In 1887
Rev. Jacob Mills succeeded Rev. Geo. Comfort as pre-
siding elder, and Rev. W. A. Shannon became pastor
in charge, and in 188S he was followed by Rev. Jas. W.
Tait, who at the end of the year was obliged to leave
on account of his wife's health. Rev. Geo. Comfort
succeeded to the pastorate in July, 1889, continuing until
April I, 1891. He was followed immediately by Rev.
O. H. Sproul, of South Dakota, who remained until
August 4, 1892. Then Rev. Geo. C. Stull had charge
of t'he work until Nov. 12, 1893, when he was taken
up by Bishop Fowler and made presiding elder of the
Helena district.
.A.t this time Rev. F. A. Riggin was presiding elder
of the Bozeman district, who secured the services of
Rev. J. W. Jennings, of Nebraska, who remained in
charge until August 8. 1894. Rev. J. W. Bennett be-
came presiding elder, and Rev. Philip Lowry was ap-
304
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
pointed pastor, continuing until August 22, 1895. Then
came Rev. John Hosking for one year, who was fol-
lowed by E. G. Avis, who was expelled from the
ministry by the annual conference. At a request of
many leading citizens Rev. Geo. C. StuU returned to
take up the work under the appointment of Bishop
Cranston, remaining until April, 1898, when he responded
to his country's call, going to Manila, P. I., as chaplain
of the First Montana regiment of volunteers. From
April to September, 1898, the charge was vacant, when
Rev. Jacob Mills assumed the pastorate by appointment
•of Bishop Mallalieu.
The following history of St. Luke's Epis-
copal church of Billings was prepared for this
work by a bishopof that denomination:
Billings was born in the summer of 1882 on the
approach of the Northern Pacific railway. The first
services of the church were held here in the fall of
that year and in early winter of 1883 by the Rev. Wil-
liam Horsfall. I visited Billings for the first time on
the i8th of February, 1883, and by the courtesy of the
Rev. Mr. Shuart held services morning and evening
at the Congregational church, which had just been built.
During the summer and fall of that year the Rev.
Frank B. Lewis came down from Bozeman once
a month and held services and prepared the way for
the coming of a permanent missionary.
On the first of January came Rev. .\lfred Brown .
from Kansas to take charge of the Billings and Liv-
ingston churches. He resided at Billings and went
twice a month to Livingston. The mission was named
St. Luke's after St. Luke's church of Rochester, N. Y.,
which gave several hundred dollars toward the building
of a church. Services were first held here in the old
railway station building, then in an empty store, then
in the parlor of a hotel. Obliged successively to relin-
quish these places, and there being no other to be se-
cured Mr. Brown was obliged to make an effort to
build. Lots were given by the townsite corhpany on
south 29th street. Ten or twelve hundred dollars
were raised by subscription, and in 1886 our first
church in Billings was occupied for services.
Mr. Brown remained a little over four years, and
then because of ill health gave up his work. He was
succeeded by Rev. Chas. H. Linley, who came to Mon-
tana from Nassau, in the Bahama islands. He re-
mained three years. His work was especially marked
by the starting of services at Red Lodge, which in
1S91 came into prominence as a coal mining camp.
Ours was the first regular service held in that place.
Mr. Linley was succeeded by Rev. Herbert G. Sharpley.
who came to us directly after his graduation from the
theological seminary and his ordination to the diacon-
ate. His stay was only about fourteen months. He was
succeeded by Rev. Chas. H. Rainsberg, who had pre-
viously been missionary for two years at White Sulphur
Springs. Mr. Rainsberg remained for nearly three
years. His successor was Rev. Albert Carswell. from
the diocese of Toronto, Canada, whose work covered a
period of between five and six years. During his in-
cumbency the church was enlarged by the addition of
the chancel and vestry room.
In the spring of 1901 Rev. Anton T. Gesner took
up the work laid down by Mr. Carswell, but remained
only about eighteen months. On the first of January,
1903, the present incumbent, Rev. J. J. Bowker, suc-
ceeded to the charge in Yellowstone and Carbori coun-
ties. From the time that Rev. Lindley began work
in Red Lodge up to June i, 1904, Calvary mission, Red
Lodge, was under the charge of the missionary at Bil-
lings. Under the vigorous and efficient management of
Mr. Bowker the work has been divided and Carbon
county set off as a missionary field by itself. In Billings
a beautiful $12,000 church and- a commodious rectory
have been built on the north side of the track. It was
opened on Palm Sunday. 1906.
The following history of Catholicism in
Billings has been prepared by Father Thomas
F. Stack, the present pastor:
Catholicism in Billings is as old as the town itself.
In the early summer of 1883 Rev. Father Palladino, S.
J., who is at present pastor of the St. Francis Xavier
■church. Missoula, was the first priest to say mass here.
The first baptism was performed by Father Barcelo
in November, 1884. About this time Father Halton,
of the Dakotas, who became a priest of the diocese of
Helena for a short time, was appointed pastor of Liv-
ingston, with Billings as a mission attached thereto.
During one of his visits to Billings he secured two lots,
the present ones on which the church now stands, and
the people of Billings erected thereon a church costing
two thousand dollars. The names of the men who
made up the building committee of this church were
Dr. Rhinehart (at present an honorable citizen of our
community), Patrick Gogarthy, now residing in Wash-
ington state, and Thomas Hogan, a well-to-do and
much respected rancher of Carbon county. The church
was blessed .August 21, 1887, under the title of St.
Joachim.
For some time previous to the building of the
church, up to the .spring of 1S88, Billings was attended
by the Jesuit fathers from St. Xavier's mission among
the Crows. \t this time it became a dependency of
Miles City parish, and was attended every fourth Sun-
day from Miles City by Father Pauwelyn. In 1891
Father Pauwelyn was promoted to Butte, and Billings
was for the second time attached to the Livingston
parish. Father Coopman was pastor at Livingston at
that time and attended Billings regularly until the
spring of 1897, when Father VanCIarenbeek was ap-
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
305
pointed as the first resident pastor, coming direct from
Kalispel. He remained pastor of Billings till December,
1904, when lie was removed to Lewistown, where he is
at present working for the material as well as the
spiritual advancement of his people and the community.
During Father VanClarenbeek's pastorate of al-
most seven years he purchased the two lots upon which
at present the rectory is builtj and built the rectory
thereon. He also got a tower built on the old church
and secured a bell for the same. He it was who
finished the church and made it fit for divine services. It
was during his pastorate that the present St. Vincent's
hospital was built. The Catholics of Billings should
never forget his labors among them. * * * On his
assuming work the congregation was worshipping in a
small church, with rather meagre accessories. Father
VanClarenbeek has thoroughly vitalized the parish, has
expended two thousand dollars in beautifying the in-
terior of the church, and in 1898-99 erected the priest's
house and St. Vincent's hospital.
In December, 1904, Father Thos. F. Stack was ap-
pointed pastor of Billings, coming direct from Red
Lodge. In the May following, seeing that a larger
church was needed for the people and a better site
required, he purchased at a cost of four thousand dol-
lars the six lots on Thirty-first street and Third avenue
north, and thereon is having built the beautiful Gothic
church, the corner stone of w^hich was laid August 12,
1906. Father Stack is being assisted in this grand and
great work by the following building committee and
the board of trustes : Hon. Thomas S. Hogan, chair-
man ; Messrs. Frank X. N. Rademaker, William H.
McCormick and Henry Gerhartz. With these four
men to advise him. and with a united and generous
people behind him. Father Stack has no reason to fear,
and does not fear, but that his new church will be fin-
ished in a reasonable short time and wath little, if any,
debt.
The history of tlie First Baptist Church
of Billings is furnished by Mr. J. S. Simineo ;
In the month of January. 189S. three women. Mrs.
W. P. Trask, Mrs. Fielding Wilhite and Mrs, J. S.
Simineo, met at the home of the latter to discuss the
advisability of forming a Baptist Ladies Aid, with a
view of searching out all the Baptists in the city. What
was said at this meeting is not a matter of record, but
the fruit sown that day is quite evident at the present
time. On the 14th of the following August a prelim-
inary organization was affected, which was made perm-
anent October 9, 1898. Rev. Limes was called to take
vx> the pastorate together with his work at Basin City.
Wyoming, holding services in the court house twice
each month. On account of the great demand for Mr.
L-mes at Basin he resigned from our church April 30,
The following ten months were dark ones. With
small financial resources, without a pastor, and no
church building, the outlook was very discouraging.
In February, 1900, Evangelist Rozelle and wife held
special meetings with us, and a Sunday school was or-
ganized February 18, 1900. March r^ 1900. Rev, Will-
iam Remington took charge of the field. During his
pastorate a Baptist Young People's Union was organ-
ized; weekly services were held in the court house;
the Sunday school increased iii numbers and interest ;
several w ere added to the church ; and the great work
of liuilding was commenced. The pastoral work and
the work of building being more than he could endure,
Pastiir Remington closed his labors October I, 1902.
In the spring of 1900 lots were purchased, which
exhausted the funds, and there being none of the mem-
bers rich with this world's goods, there was nothing
done until the summer of 1901, when excavation was
conniienced and a foimdation completed, 'which again
exhausted the church treasury. Now comes the struggle
in the history of the church. Faint hearts wavered, but
Pastor Remington — noble man — with great faith in God,
spoke words of encouragement and said time and again,
"It will come ; it will be built." A rallying came ; the
members w-ent into their pockets liberally ; the Home
mission society gave $500 and kind friends came to the
relief; the Ladies Aid society gave $300; the Sunday
school, from the youngest to the oldest, came with their
pennies to the extent of $100.
Rev. C. B. Miller took hold of the work October i,
1902. and pushed the work already commenced by Rev.
Remington, and on May 3, 1903, the now splendid
church building was opened for services, at which time
the membership was forty-three. Rev. Miller, desiring
to again enter school and complete his education, re-
signed the pastorate June I, 1905, very much to the
regret of the entire membership. When Rev. Miller
left, the membership had increased to over one hundred.
July I, 1905, Rev. Willard Fuller, of Jamestown, N. D.,
w-as called to the pastorate, and under his ministration
the church has still continued to grow, and at the an-
nual business meeting August 30, 1906, the books show
a membership of 126 active members. Rev, Fuller's
w^ork closed with the chi'rch September i. 1906, and the
church has called to its pastorate Rev. Daniel G. Dyn-
kin. of Hope. Indiana, whose work commenced
October i.
Billings has the following fraternal se-
cret organizations, the list being arrangei.1
alphabetically :
Ancient Order United Workmen, Yellow-
stone Lodge, No. 24; Degree of Honor, Mis-
pah Lodge, No. 29.
Benevolent Protective Order Elks, Billings
Lodge, No. 394.
20
3o6
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Brotherhood of American Yeomen. Bil-
lings Homestead, No. 552.
Fraternal Order Eagles, Aerie No. 176.
Grand Army of the Republic, ]\IcKinley
Post, No. 28.
Independent Order Odd Fellows, Billings
Star I^^dge, No. 41; Eureka Lodge, No. 69;
Little Horn Encampment, No. 12: Olive
Lodge, No. 40 (Daughters of Rebekah) ; Zelda
Lodge, No. 14 (Daughters of Reljekah).
Improved Order Red Men, Absarokee
Tribe. 2028.
Knights of the ^Maccabees, Billings Ten*:.
No. 15; Yellowstone Hive. No. 34 (L. O. T.
M.). ^
Knights of Pythias, Rathbone Lodge, No.
28; Oriental Division, No. 28 (U. R.) :
Sanger Temple, No. 2 (Rathbone Sisters).
Masonic, Aldemar Commandery, No. 5
(K. T.) ; Ashlar Lodge. No. 29 (A. F. & A.
M.); Billings Chapter, No. 6 (R. A. M.) :
Edna Chapter, No. 14 (O. E. S.).
Modern Woodmen of America, Billings
Camp, No. 6269: Bitter Root Camp, No. 1964.
Mountaineers, Billings Cabin No. i.
Order der Hermann Sohne, Germania
Lodge, No. 7; Idelweiss Lodge, No. 12
(Daughters of the Hermann Sons).
Royal Highlanders, Yellowstone Castle,
No. 172.
Woodmen of the World. Magic City Camp.
No. 593; Magic City Circle, No. 169 (Wo-
men of Woodcraft).
The Masons were the first to effect an or-
ganization in Billings. A meeting of Master
Masons was held at the court house on July
28, 1883, to take the first steps toward an or-
ganization. Judge McGinnis presided over
the meeting, and F. B. Stoneman was secre-
tary. A resolution was passed to form a lodge
to lie known as Ashlar lodge, and a requisition
was signed by those present. A dispensation
for this lodge, numbered 29, was made Octo-
ber 5, 1883, and a charter was granted Octo-
ber I, 1884. The first officers were Sidnev
H. Erwin, W. M. ; Herman H. Mund, S. W. ;
Alex! Devine, J. W.
Billings Chapter, No. 6, R. A. M., was
granted a dispensation May 6. 1886, and the
charter from the General Grand Chapter, V.
S. A., was dated October i, 1886. The first
officers were : Sam. J. Prentiss, high priest ;
Albert L. Babcock, king; Paul VanLoon.
scribe. A charter from the Grand Chapter ;if
Montana was granted June 26, 1891, and the
first officers under that charter were : Chns.
A. Dewar. high priest; Henry G. Williams,
king; Lewis H. Fenske, scribe.
The date of dispensation for Aldemar Com-
luandery. No. 5, Knights Templar, was July
2^, 1888. The first officers were: Samuel J
Prentiss. E. C. : Jas. H. McLeary. G. ; Albert
L. Babcock, C. G.
Edna Chapter, Order Eastern Star, was in-
stituted at Billings March 14, 1894, with a
membership of 66. The officers were : Mrs.
O. E. Railsback. W. M. ; Mrs. S. F. Morse,
W. P. ; Mrs. W. H. Donovan. A. ^^I. ; Mrs. U.
E. h'rizelle. secretary; Mrs. A. L. Babcock,
treasurer.
The second order to perfect an organiza-
tion in Billings was the Ancient Order of
United Workmen, which came into existence
in 1884 with a large membership. W. B.
Webb was M. W., and B. S. Scott recorder.
The lodge was known as Yellowstone. It was
reorganized March 9, 1894, with a membershii)
of 13.
Post No. 24, of the Grand Army of the
Re]niblic. was the next organization to have
an existence in Billings, being organized in
1885, with J. R. Goss as commander and IM.
G. Mains adjutant. The G. A. R. is now rep-
resented by McKinley Post, No. 28.
Billings Star Lodge, No. 41, I. O. O. F.,
was instituted April 24, 1891, with a charter
membership of 36. The first officers were :
E. S. Holmes, N. G. ; W. B. Chrysler. V. G. ;
Chas. F. Burton, secretary; W. H. Heffner.
treasurer. Zelda Lodge No. 14, Daughters
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
307
of Rebekah, was organized April 26, 1893,
witli 34 charter members.
Rathbone Lodge, No. 28. Knights of
Pythias, was organized in July, 1891, with
47 charter members. The lodge was instituted
on the 31st of July with the following officers :
Geo. A. Roberts. P. C. : J. O. Dalzell, C. C. ,
H. K. Fish, \'. C. ; G. L Parkhill, prelate;
\V. L. Ramsey. M. A. : H. L. Knight. K. of R.
and S. : H. U. Allen, M. of F. ; Alex. Graham,
M. of E.; H. K. Fish. E. W. Dunne, S. W.
Soule. J. C. Bond. H. L. Knight. U. E. Fri-
zellc, H. M. Allen. Alex. Graham and Geo. A.
Roljerts, past chancellors. Billings Division.
No. 8, Uniform Rank. K. P., was organized in
Septeml>er. 1892. with 33 members.
The .\merican Railway L'nion was organ-
ized in February, 1894, the lodg-e being No.
128, and having a membership of 50. T. W.
Humphrey was president, J. Fred Carter, vice-
president, and W. E. Burr, secretary. Among
the other organizations of the early days which
have since gone out of existence were the
Knights of Labor and the P. O. S. of A. This
completes the list of early day organizations
in Billings. The many others now in existence
were organized at later dates.
Among the trades and labor organizations
are the following: Billings Federal Labor
Union, No. 133 { W. L. U. ) ; Barbers Protec-
tive I'nion. No. 137; Carpenters Union, No.
1 1 72: Cigarmakers Union; Typographical
Union.
CHAPTER VI
OTHER TOWNS.
Besides the city of Billings there are sev-
eral towns and villages in Yellowstone county.
These are Columbus, Laurel, Park City, Hunt-
le}-. Junction and Musselshell. Other postof-
fices, railroad stations or points of settlement
are Custer, Fattig, Rapids, Roundup, Summit
and several others.
COLUMBUS.
Probably the second city of importance in
^'ellowstone county is Columbus, situated in
the extreme western part of the county, forty
n.iles up the Yellowstone valley from Billings.
Owing to its favorable location, Columbus
cnjnys a thriving trade, drawing from a large
stretch of tributary country. It is on the main
line of the Northern Pacific railroad and is the
terminus of two stage lines, one running to
lUisteed on the north, the other to .\bsarnkee
and Nye on the southwest. All lines of busi-
ness are represented here, and the town sup-
ports an excellent school and a Congregational
church. One of the leading industries is the
quarrying of building stone. In all the im-
mense supply of this material that walls the
sides of the Yellowst(jne valley nowhere is
any found that equals in color and texture the
product of this place. The industry has been
developed for many years, and public buildings
in all parts of that state have drawn upon
the resources of these quarries for building ma-
terial. The state capitol at Helena is built of
Columbus sandstone: the new federal building
at Helena, public buildings in Butte, Billings
and many other cities of Montana ha\e taken
nuich of this product.
It is as the town of Stillwater that we
must consider much of the early history of
Columbus, the change in name not taking
:;o8
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
place until January i, 1894. This point en-
joys the distinction of being the home of the
first settlers of Yellowstone county — in fact,
was the lowest point on the river to receive
white settlers. So early as 1875 Horace Coun-
tryman, C. H. Countryman and W. H. Nor-
ton settled at a point two miles west of the
present town and opened a trading post. In
1877, when the mail and stage line through
the Yellowstone valley was established, Hor-
ace Countryman was the proprietor of the stage
station which was established at his place. A
postoffice named Stillwater was also estab-
lished here, and Mr. Countryman became the
postmaster which position he lield ior many
years.
When the Northern Pacific railroad built
through the valley in 1882 a station was es-
stablished at the present site of the town of
Columbus, and this was also named Stillwater.
Thither the postoffice was moved, and in a
short time quite a little village had made its
appearance. Here was established a ferry
across the river by Horace and C. H. Country-
man, who were also the proprietors of a hotel.
W. H. Norton engaged in the general store
business, as did also J. I. Allen, an old timer in
the Yellowstone valley, who had been in the
country for several years as interpreter, guide
and hunter. A school was established, and
Mrs. Wilkinson was employed as teacher.
Stillwater did not grow as rapidly as did
many of the towns which came into being with
the building of the railroad, and there was no
"boom period" there. A prosperous trade was
enjoyed by the few business houses that con-
stituted t'.ie town, however, and Stillwater be-
came known early as one of the substantial
towns of Yellowstone county. Horace Coun-
tryman platted the townsite February 19, 1889.
Owing to the similarity of the abbrevia-
tions of the names of the states of Montana
and Minnesota and the fact that there was a
city of Stillwater in the latter state, the North-
ern Pacific railroad officials and the people
generally were inconvenienced by the delivery
of express and mail matter to the Minnesota
town, so a change in name was decided upo'.i.
Superintendent Dorsey, of the railroad com-
pany, suggested the name Columbus. A peti-
tion asking that the change be made was sent
to the postoffice department in August, 1893,
and favorable action was taken; the name of
the postoffice was changed to Columbus, the
order providing that the change go into efl:'ect
on January i, 1894; the railroad company also
made the change, and the station has since
been known as Columbus. The town at this
time had a population of about 150.
Considerable advancement was made in
Columbus during the year 1899, as the follow-
ing from the pen of Prof. P. H. Hawkins,
written for the Billings Gazette of October 6,
of that vear. will show :
The present year is, however, the red letter year in
the history of Columbus. This is not a speculator's
boom, but a development of the vast resources of the
country. The bluffs to the north, which seemed valu-
able only for scenery, have been found to be the best
sandstone in the state. The capitol building at Helena
is being constructed of it. Already a spur of the rail-
road is being laid, and the vast derricks of Hager &
Co. are placing the stone on the market.
This was the beginning of Columbus" ad-
vancement. The population of the village was
only 175 in 1900, but since that time it has
probably trebled. Columbus has become am-
bitious to become a county seat town and early
in 1907 the people there luade a strong eft'ort
to bring about the formation of a new county
to be called Roosevelt. They failed in this, but
are confident that at the next session of the
legislature th^y will succeed and that Colum-
bus will be the county seat of the new county.
A little after this event the people of the little
city decided that they wanted the town incor-
porated, and on the 17th day of April, 1907, by
a vote of yT, to 5, the electors declared that the
city should begin a municipal existence at once.
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
309
Sixteen miles southwest of Billings, at
the junction of the Northern Pacific and the
Red Lodge and Bridger branches, is located
the town of Laurel -(elevation 3,291 feet).
Like most all the towns in the Yellow^stone
valley. Laurel is the product of natural tribu-
taiy conditions. The soil of neighboring
farms is fertile, and lying, as these lands do,
under a series of immense irrigation ditches,
all kinds of farm products are marketed here.
Laurel came into existence in the year
1889, when the railroad was built from that
point to Red Lodge, the plat being recorded
December 5, 1889, by the Rocky Fork Town &
Electric company. For many years the town
made but little advancement, and was known
principally as the railroad junction point. Now
it has taken its place among the leading towns
of Yellowstone county, and is building up at a
rapid rate. It supports a good school, a Con-
gregational church and three secret societies —
Brotherhood of American Yeomen, Modern
Woodmen of America and Royal Highlanders.
Park City is the name of a little town of
about 150 people located on the main line of
the Northern Pacific, twenty-three miles sciuth-
west of Billings. Its elevation above sea level
is 3.391 feet. The town supports a fine graded
school, a Methodist church, public hall, two
general stores, two hotels, saloons, blacksmith
shops, livery stables, etc.
Apples are grown in profusion, and
peaches, pears, plums, cherries and the small
fruits abound. Here, too, the market garden
thrives. Tomatoes, melons and onions are
shipped from here in large quantities, and all
other kinds of garden truck receive a fair de-
gree of attention.
Park City dates its beginning from June,
1882. when a colon}' from Ripon and other
points in Wisconsin came to the Yellowstone
valley, invested in property at the head of
Clark's Fork bottom, and started the town.
The work of building the town continued
without interruption. The townsite was plat-
ted at once, although the records show that it
was not filed until September 4, 1882, by E. P.
Searles.
In August the people of the new town were
successful in obtaining a postoffice. On the
4th Postmaster Young, of Young's Point post-
office, received notice that the name would be
changed to Park City and that he should re-
move the office to the new town. This change
was made, and the route of the stage line was
changed so as to supply the Park City office.
The irrigating canal which was built in the
early days added much to the prosperity of the
town. But, being so close to Billings, the vil-
lage did not grow into a town of any great
size. It has, however, always been a good
trading point, and today ranks among the sub-
stantial villages of Yellowstone county.
Huntley is another of the prosperous
towns of Yellowstone county. It is located on
the main line or the Northern Pacific railroad
and is the junction point of that road with the
Burlington & Missouri River railroad. It is
thirteen miles northeast of Billings and its ele-
\ation is 3,018 feet above sea level. Being on
the south side of the Yellowstone river, it was
within the boundaries of the Crow Indian res-
ervation until a short time ago, when that por-
tion of the reservation was throw^n open to set-
tlement. Therefore it was little more than a
railroad station until that event. Since then
it has grown and taken its place as one of the
coming towns of the county. The government
irrigation project, known as the "Huntley pro-
ject," whereby a large ti'act of the recently
opened reservation is to be irrigated by the
government, has attracted considerable atten-
3IO
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
tion to the new town and has aided wonder-
fully in its growth.
Huntley, on its present location came into
existence as a railroad station when the North-
ern Pacific railroad built through, but for sev-
eral years before that date there was a Huntley
just across the river on the north bank which
played an important part in the early history
of this part of the valley. The site of the old
towns was historic ground. There in 1872 wa>
fought the famous Baker"s battle with the
Sioux Lidians. and the place became ku'jwn far
and wide as Baker's battle ground. So
early as 1877, when the first settlers in this
part of the Yellowstone valley were selecting
their homes, a few frontiersmen settled here.
These men were Omar Hoskins, Thos. ^Mc-
Girl, Black and Daniels. The last two were
engaged in the freighting business, and selected
this point as a supply station for their trains
going up and down the river. The place also
became a stage station on the Bozeman-Miles
City route, and Hoskins & McGirl were the
proprietors of this. In March, 1878, Huntley
postofifice w^as established, and Mr. Hoskins
was the first postmaster. The station was
named Huntley, after S. O. Huntley of Clark
& Huntley, pioneer stage contractors, who
afterwards conducted stage lines in the Yel-
lowstone National Park.
A census taken in 1880 disclosed the fact
that there were on Baker's battle ground and
in the village of Huntley 37 people. Here had
gathered the wolfers, trappers and hunters in
the early days, and it was only natural that a
little village should grow up at this point. On
July 6, 1879, the steamer F. Y. Batchelor
(Captain Grant Marsh) arrived here with a
big consignment of freight for Bozeman, and
the little place for a time assumed the impor-
tance that would attach itself to the head of
navigation of the Yellowstone. In 1885 the
town boasted of the following business enter-
prises: Postofifice, two stores, a hotel and a
blacksmith shop.
JUNCTION.
Very prettily located on the north bank of
the Yellowstone under a high bluf¥, which pro-
tects the town from the northern winds in
winter, about 55 miles northeast of Billings,
is the little village of Junction. The town is
a little bit above, and on the opposite side of
^'ellowstone from the mouth of the Big Horn
river, in the extreme eastern part of the county.
Its business houses comprise a general store,
saloons, restaurants, blacksmith shop and other
minor enterprises.
Junction is the leading town in eastern Yel-
lowstone county, and is a place of much his-
torical importance. In the summer of 1877,
under the orders of General William T. Sher-
man, a supply depot for the United States
army was established on the south bank of the
Yellowstone, just opposite the present location
of Junction, and named Cantonment Terry,
in honor of General Terry.
On the site of the present town of Junction,
in the month of June, 1877, William Taylor
located with a little stock of goods, and there
opened a trading store, his patrons l:>eing the
soldiers left to guard the supply depot and
Crow Indians. This trading post was first
called Terry's Landing, and when the stage
line was established it became one of the sta-
tions of that line. It did not liecome a place of
much importance until the year 1880. In that
year we find that the little town and the sur-
rounding country, known as Sage Brush,
toasted of a population of 41 people.
The coming of the railroad did not greatly
increase the population of Junction, but those
who had made this place their home enjoyed a
good trade with Fort Custer and Fort I\Iag-
innis and the mines in the vicinity. In the
early days the town was known as a "typical
western town." The Junction City townsite
was platted and approved by the county com-
missioners of Custer county on ^larch 8, 1883.
On Thursday afternoon, April 5, 1883, a
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
311
large portion of the business part of the town
was destroyed by fire, entaihng a loss of about
$10,000. In 1888 the town had a population
of about 200.
With changing conditions around it the
town itself changed, until it is today a quiet
business community of intelligent and indus-
trious citizens. A new era is beginning here
on account of the opening of the Crow reser\'a-
tion. The favorable location of Junction, in
the very midst of this great tract of irrigable
land, is affording opportunity to her merchants
t<T build up an excellent trade. The land in the
\icinity is all fertile and only waiting the ad-
vent of water to rival any portion of the Yel-
lowstone valley.
MUSSELSHELL.
In the northeastern part of Yellowstone
county, on the Musselshell river, 68 miles
northeast of Billings and 42 miles northwest
of Junction, is the little village of Musselshell.
The town supports a good school, a Methodist
church, two lodges (M. W. A.. Musselshell
Camp No. 10,514; and R. N. A., Isabella
Camp No. 3908), one general store, hotel,
livery stable, blacksmith shop and saloon. It
is connected by a stage and mail line with Bill-
ings, and is the terminus of four other lines
which extend to neighboring postoffices. Set-
tlement was first made here in 1882.
Musselshell is the center of a large cattle
and wool growing district, and a large amount
of business is done here, it being the leading
town of northern ^'ellllwst()ne county.
OTHER PL.\CES.
Besides these places already mentioned are
a number of postoffices, railway stations au'l
settlements, Allendale is on a spur of the North-
ern Pacific 13 miles west of Billings, A town-
site was laid out here January 6, 1893, by Dr.
W. A. Allen and J- L. Guvler. The following
year a flouring mill was completed, and an at-
tempt was made to found a town, which, how-
ever, resulted in failure.
Anita is a railroad station on the B. & M.
R. fifteen miles east of Huntley, the nearest
postoffice. Ballantine is another station on the
same road nine miles northeast of Huntley.
Bull Mountain is a station on the N. P. 38
miles northeast of Billings. Clermont is a
station on the same road 21 miles nortlieast
of Billings. Corinth is a station on the Bur-
lington 22 miles east of Huntley. Custer is a
postofifice, station and little village on the main
line of the Northern Pacific 53 miles north-
east of Billings. \\'hile until recently Custer
was on the Crow reservation, that point has'
lieen quite a little shipping point ever since
the Northern Pacific railroad was built. In
the late eighties it was the shipping point for
Bufifalo, Lander, Dax'ton, Fort Custer and
many other towns and su]i]ily points in north-
ern W^'oming and on the Crow reser\-ation.
There were four warehouses, a store, two
blacksmith shops, railroad station and the resi-
dence of die agent. Since the opening of the
northern part of the reservation Custer has
grown into quite a little village.
Fattig is a country postoffice on Fattig
creek, 50 miles northeast of Billings. It has
daily mail and stage from Billings. Six miles
northeast of Billings is Lockwood station on
the Northern Pacific. Mifflin is a station on
the Cody branch of the Burlington 15 miles
southwest of Toluca. Peritsa is a station on
the Burlington about midway between Fort
Custer and Toluca. Pompey's Pillar is a sta-
tion on the main line of the Xorthern Pacific,
29 miles northeast of Billings, and located
near the famous rock of the same name, Ron-
ald is a station on the Cody branch of the Bur-
lingtoii, eight mile; southwest of Toluca.
Roundup is the name of a country postoffice on
the Musselshell ri\-er. 45 miles northeast of
Billings, with which city it is connected by a
stage and mail route. Summit is an interior
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
postoffice 30 miles northeast of Billings. It
has a daily mail from Billings. Toluca is the
junction point of the main line of the Burling-
ton and the Cody branch. It is 16 miles north-
west of Fort Custer, its nearest postoffice.
Waco is a station on the Northern Pacific be-
tween Custer and Bull Mountain. Wolf Spring
is the name of a country postoffice 26 miles
northwest of Custer. It is on the stage and
mail line between Musselshell and Custer.
Rapids is a station on the Northern Pacific
eight miles southeast of Columbus and 32 miles
southwest of Billings. The station is 3,483
feet above the level of the sea. There was
formerly a postoffice at this point, but it has
been discontinued. It is one of the oldest settled
portions of the county. Mr. Isaac M. Hensley
having taken up a ranch there in 1877. The
postoffice was established in 1881, and Mr.
Hensley was the first postmaster.
CHAPTER VII
DESCRIPTIVE.
Yellowstone county lies a little to the south
and east of the center of the state of Montana.
It is bounded on the north by Fergus county,
from which it is separated by the Musselshell
river; on the east by Rosebud county, on the
south by the Cr(jw Indian reservation and Car-
ton county, and on the west by Sweet Grass
county. Prior to the opening of the Crow
lands in 1906 the area of Yellowstone county
was 3710 square miles, and this recent acquisi-
tion has added alx)ut one-third more. This
gives the county an area larger than the com-
l>ined areas of the states of Delaware and
Rhode Island, and yet the county is not classed
among the large counties of Montana.
The territory of Yellowstone county is a
prolongation of the Great Plains region, which
co\-ers nearly the whole of eastern Montana.
The surface of nearly the whole of the cnunty
is level or gently undulating, and the elevation
varies from 3,000 to a little over 4,000 feet
above sea level. The soil \-aries from a sandy
loam to "gumbo," and from a few inches to
40 feet in depth. The Yellowstone and Mussel-
shell rivers, the principal streams of the county,
have carved narrow valleys through the plain,
so that their bottom lands dre bounded by steep
bluffs a hundred or more feet in height. Trib-
utaries of these two streams have cut other
narrower valleys at numerous places. A trav-
eler passing along these two river courses
finds them bounded by bench lands, w'hose
nearly level surface appears to l>e so high above
the river as to render the introduction of water
upon them of doubtful practicability.
While Yellowstone county is a compara-
tive level country, its scenic beauties are not t.>
be overlooked. Standing upon the brow of the
high cliff overlooking the city of Billings, a
! heroic picture unfolds itself. Dotting the face
j of the sunlit sweep of russet valley and steppe
I here and there are the green and amber squares
of grain fields and newly plowed lands, amid
I which the modest homes of the settlers nestle.
I As far as the eye can follow these cheerful
i signs of possessive life may be traced in the
midst of a region which l>ut a few years ago
was penciled in the sombre tints of a forbid-
ding and uninhabited desert by some of the
foremost explorers and writers of the day. Far
away on the horizon the white masses of the
mountains loom up mistily in their solemn
stillness, the broad sweep of yellow terrace
melting imperceptibly into the curtained vapors
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
3^3
at tlieir feet. For miles the picturesque curves
of the Yellowstone wind across green meadows
or beneath shadowing clififs, its surface here
and there casting back the lance points of the
sun, and over all the perspective is the mellow,
golden haze that lends its indescribable charm
to all mountain prospects.
Yellowstone county is as fine a stock and
agricultural country as can be found anywhere
in the United States. It is covered with herds
of cattle and flocks of sheep, while the num-
erous valleys are dotted with irrigated farms.
Mayor Fred H. Foster, one of the early set-
tlers of the county, has written of the condi-
tion of the country in which he has so long
made his home :
We have one of the few considerable areas of agri-
cultural land capable of irrigation at moderate cost to
be found in Morrtana. Our farms are bounded not by
inaccessible mountains, but by gently rolling grazing
lands, affording excellent feed and natural shelter. The
Yellowstone river and its tributaries are mountain
streams fed by perpetual snows, and can annually deliver
more water per mile at less cost than any other river
system in the northwest, except perhaps the Clark's
Fork of the Columbia. The Yellowstone valley around
Billings contains the only large body of agricultural land
from Lake Yellowstone to Fort Buford. Other valleys
can perhaps raise more grain per acre, we alone over a
considerable area can annually produce every agricul-
tural product of the middle states. Other grazing lands
may afford better feed in summer. But throughout the
winter for hundreds of square miles we have natural
shelter, hills bare of snow and covered with grass, and
generous stacks of irrigated hay. Of no other stock
region in the nort:hwest is this true. The range losses
of a dozen years have proven that here we have the
lightest snow fall, the warmest climate, the best winter
feed and shelter and the most abundant hay crop. In
no other region in the northwest are such large area
of agricultural lands tempered with so mild a climate,
fed with such abundant streams, surrounded with such
an ideal stock range. Nowhere else can every farmer
bo a stockman and every stockman be a farmer.
The county is very well watered. The
^'ellowstone is the principal stream, flowing
through the county in a generally northeastern
direction. Into this, within the borders of the
county, flow over a score of inore or less im- [
portant creeks and rivers. From the south
come Duck, Blue, Bitter, Pryor. Arrow, Lost
Boy, Mill and Sand creeks and Big Horn river.
Into the Big Horn from the Yellowstone
county side come Mission and Sorrel Horse
creeks. Flowing into the Yellowstone from BL
the north are the following creeks : Keyser, ^' *
Hensley, Tilden, Valley, Canyon, Alkali, Five- ^j
Mile, Twelve-Mile, Crooked, Razor, Pompey's
Pillar, Hibbard and Buffalo. Bounding the
county on the north is the Musselshell, one of
the principal tributaries of the Missouri. The
main branch of the Musselshell takes its rise
in the Belt range of mountains ; a southern
branch has its source in the Crazy mountains,
and the two streams unite at Martinsdale, in
Meagher count}-. From that point for a dis-
tance of 150 to 173 miles the river flows in a
general easterly direction on a line almost par-
allel with the Yellowstone and at an average
distance of about 40 miles from it. At what
is called in local parlance the Big Bend the
river makes a broad turn and flows northerly
to its junction point with the Missouri ; at this
point of turning it leaves Yellowstone county.
The principal creeks flowing into the Mussel-
shell from Yellowstone county are as follows:
Fish, Big Coulee. I'ainted IxMbe, Deer, Gould-
ing. Half Breed. Fattig, Hawks and Carpen-
ter. In what is known as the Lake Basin, in
the western part of the county, are several
streams which have no apparent outlet. Among
these are Whitney, Cedar, Gurney, Adobe,
Greenwood and Comanche creeks.
The tales nf the genial climate of Yellow-
stone county have been a cause of much incre-
dulity on the part of those persons unac-
quainted with local conditions. The climate is
dry, as is proA'en by the fact that irrigation is
necessary to insure successful farming. The
hot growing weather of summer (accompan-
ied by the restful coolness of the nights, due
to the elevation), the moderate temperature of
the sunny, open winters, and the exhilaratini,'
brightness of the 300 days of sunshine, are .-lU
314
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
i
facts that are hard to reconcile with the ex-
perience of local conditions elsewhere. The
country is protected by the surrounding moun-
tains, and it never gets very cold in winter, as
the chinook winds prevent the cold from taking
any vigorous or long-continued hold. There
is seldom any cold winds in the Yellowstone
valley when the weather is cold. Neither is
the snow fall heavy, there being less than in
southern New York nr snuthern Ohio. Fruit
trees are never killed by frost. The following
table shows the average monthly and }-earIy
temperature of the county :
Degrees
Month Fahr.
January 24.4
February 26.5
March 31. i
April 50.5
May 57.9
June 62 . 9
July 72.6
August 69.3
September 58 . 6
October 51 S
November 30.8
December 28.9
Yearly average 47.0
Stock raising and farming ;ire the principal
industries of the people of Yellowstone county,
the backbone of the county's prosperity. We
shall tell of these industries in the words of
the Billings Gaccttc of .\pril, 1905 :
Cattle. Cattle raising was the first important stock
interest tc find place nn the vast open ranges adjacent to
till ^"l ]l.i\\ -ii 111,. \:illcy. The rich native grasses and
the iiiilil wiiiiei- weather permitted the easy fattening of
cattle and their safe wintering. At the present time ship-
ments of southern cattle to Montana ranges have prac-
tically ceased, and the vast cattle outfits are largely
succeeded by individual owners of herds, seldom ex-
ceeding 500 in number. Some of these smaller herds
range together with the sheep, and all do well if over-
crowding is avoided. A few still have exclusive range.
Nearly all of our farmers now handle small bunches
of cattle, many of these being brought to the home
ranch during a part of the winter for alfalfa feeding.
Horses. In the development of that most noble
animal, the horse, the Yellowstone valley has not been
behind her neighbors. On ranch and range the quality
of the individual horse has been gradually improved,
so that a shipment of Yellowstone valley horses to the
eastern or southern market is now able to compete
with those of much older sections. Six thousand
horses were shipped from Billings during the year
1904, many of them bringing fancy prices.
Sheep. The rapid development of the sheep rais-
ing business is largely responsible for the corresponding
decline in large cattle holdings. For a long time sheep
owners depended on the ranges for both summer and
winter feed, but so few winters passed during which
sheep are safely carried through by this method that
nearly all in the vicinity now depend on more or less
winter feeding. For this purpose vast crops of alfalfa
grown by the valley farmers are utilized. There is an-
other phase of alfalfa feeding to sheep that is receiv-
ing much attention, that is winter feeding for market.
About 250,000 head are fattened each winter near Bil-
lings, largely without grain. An average gain of 20
pounds per head is easily obtained by ordinary open
air alfalfa feeding.
Poultry. This county raises large quantities of
poultry. Turkeys do well, and many geese and ducks
are raised.
Swiue. The raising of hogs has been successful in
this vicinity. They are summered on alfalfa and fat-
tened on corn, bran, wheat or oats.
Bees. Considerable attention is given to the raising
of bees. The vast alfalfa fields yield a quantity of
honey even superior to the clover honey of the east.
Diversified agriculture is unusually successful in
rhe Yellowstone valley. The soil here is adapted to
every form of cereal growth. An eighty acre irrigated
farm in the Yellow-stone valley will insure annual re-
turns of wheat, oats, rye, barley and corn at a lower
price than any rain belt district of the middle west.
Such a farm will yield an average of 4.000 bushels of
mixed cereals every twelve months. This grain never
sells for less than one cent a pound on the local
markets.
Corn. There has been a constant increase in the
amount of corn grown in the valley during the last few
years. The crop ripens well, and forty to fifty bushels
per acre are raised, but it has never been extensively
grown on account of the cost of cultivation.
Wheat. All varieties of wheat are successfully
raised here. Local mills that formerly imported wheat
from the Dakotas now use the native product entirely.
Barley. The finest malt producing barley is grown
here. The yield is abimdant and there is never any
loss of color due to local rains.
Oats. Oats is a staple product and a heavy yielder.
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
315
There are immense exports besides the large amounts
used locally.
Flax. Flax yields a good crop. The fiber is excel-
lent and the seed production good. So far, however,
there are few farmers giving attention to this crop.
Potatoes- The Yellowstotie valley promises to be-
come one of the greatest potato sections of the United
States. The product of one twenty acre tract sold for
nearly $2,300. On one acre of land near Park City
1213 bushels were harvested. This is the world's rec-
ord. All varieties are grown, late and early seeming to
thrive equally well. Home markets at present con-
sume the entire product and prices are always good.
Dairying. General dairying has been very success-
ful in this valley. Private creameries find an active
local market at excellent prices during the entire year.
One dairy farm of forty acres cleared $2,000 in one
year. The new company creamery will stimulate cream
production on many farms.
Garden. All kinds of garden products are culti-
vated throughout the valley. Onions, celery, tomatoes,
cabbages, turnips, melons, etc., are extensively raised.
Many car lot shipments are made to nearby cities dur-
ing the season.
Fruits. All kinds of fruits grow and produce
abundantly. Many farms have fine commercial apple
orchards, from which an excellent revenue is derived.
Peaches and pears are easily grown. Plums and cher-
ries produce excellent crops. Blackberries, raspberries
and currants thrive, and the local strawberry crop is
an abundant source of revenue to the market gardner.
Since the abo\e was written the esta].)hsli-
ment of the beet sugar factory at BiUings has
added beet culture to the fanning crops, and
that industr\- has taken a prominent jilace.
Alfalfa is also a leading crop of the county.
Now let us ciinsider the causes that haxx
made ^'ellowstoiie county the rich agriculturnl
country it is. The Yellowstone valle}' is nat-
urally arid and unfit for agricultural purposes
without the application of water, but by means
of irrigation the land is made to produce won-
derfully. In Yellowstone, more than in any
other county of the state of Montana, have
been demonstrated the possibilities of artifi-
cially watering the land. There are no failures
of crops under irrigation, and under the flood-
ing system, peculiar to this \-alley on account
of the smooth lying lands, one man can handle
as much water as three men can in districts
where furrow irrigation is practiced. There
is an abundance of water supply, and the silt
of the mountains, where the streams head, is
carried to the land, so that the fertility of the
land is perpetually maintained.
The Yellowstone river is the chief source
of water for the lands of Yellowstone county,
but owing to the difference in ele\-ation between
the large part of arable land and the stream,
which has a somewhat lower grade for at least
100 miles above, only a portion of the arable
land has so far been reached, and at the pres-
ent time the reclaimed land is found mostly in
the valleys bordering the river, separated from
the higher bench lands by high walls of strati-
fied sand rock. There are now under irriga-
tion and cultivation within a radius of fifty
miles from Billings about 25,000 acres of land.
while that in other portions of the county will
firing the total up to a higher figure. But this
is onlv a small per cent, of the land that can
be, and will lie at an early date, put under
water. To the north of the city of Billings,
beginning at its very limits, is a tract of 500,-
000 acres of land that can be irrigated by the
Yellowstone river by tapping it 100 miles west
of that city. To the west, along the Yellow-
stone and Clark's Fork rivers and their tribu-
taries, there is another quarter of a million
acres of land which private capital may be ex-
pected to reclaim in the not far distant future.
To the south there is another half million acres
on wdiich the government has nearly completed
an irrigating system. To the east a large area
can easily be irrigated, and the government is
now constructing a ditch.
The idea of irrigating in Yellowst.ine
county began with its settlement in 1882, when
the Minnesota & Montana Land & Improve-
ment company constructed its famous canal to
irrigate Clark's Fork bottom and therel)y
iirought about the building of the city of Bill-
ings.
There were many other ditches constructed
in Yellowstone county during the latter part of
the eighties and the early part of the nineties.
3i6
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
In 1894 we find that there were the following
ditches, the list having Ijeen prepared by L D.
O'Donnell :
YELLOWSTONE RIVER.
Length
Ditch Owners Miles
Minnesota & Montana Land & Imp. Co. . 39
Canyon Creek Ditch Co 19
Italian Ditch Co 24
Old Mill Ditch Co 12
Yellowstone Ditch Co 15
Newman et al 2
Thomas McGirl i
S. R. Miller 2/2
L. Nutting 6
C. O. Gruwell 2>4
A. Countr\-man i >2
H. P. Nelson 3
William Rodgers i i/x
Merrill Ditch Co 6
Grey Eagle 2
William Deal i
MUSSELSHELL RIVER.
:\I. F. Frank 3
Handel Bros 3
Ryan Bros, et al 5
cow GULCH.
Randall Bros 3
KEYSER CREEK.
John Rosen 3
LAKE BASIN.
A. L. Tolle 3
Henry Stuck 3
R. J. Martin 4
A. Whitney 3
BIG COULEE CREEK.
Forsythe & Rye 3
Montana Cattle Co 4
GOULDING CREEK.
Ed. Goulding 2
J. B. Herford 2
HALF BREED CREEK.
Wustrum & La]\Iott 4
\\'. F. Strait i
BARROT CREEK.
A. D. Edminston 2
FATTIG CREEK.
Balch, Bakon et al 5
The most important irrigating project un-
dertaken in Yellowstone county is that of the
Billings Land & Irrigation company, which,
under the provisions of the Carey act, is build-
ing a fifty-mile irrigating ditch which will
reclaim many thousand acres. This company
was organized in 1903, and contracted with
the state of Montana to construct, upon plans
approved by the state engineer, a complete and
adequate irrigation system for the reclamation
of district No. i, the work tn begin on or
before January i, 1904. and to be prosecuteil
vigorously and continuously. In event of fail-
ure to comply with the contract, the works
constructed with all appurtenances, might be
be acquired by the state at an appraised price.
Work has progressed very rapidly on this
undertaking, and in all respects has met the
approval of the Carey land act board. In the
report of that board for the two years ending
November 30, 1906, it is stated that of the
HISTORY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
317
three districts in which the work has been un-
dertaken the one in Yellowstone county shows
the most development. A perusal of that re-
port shows that the company has so far built
42 miles of main canal and about 27 miles of
laterals. Forty-five houses liave been erected
on land sold by the company, and they were
all occupied by families. Twenty miles of
road had been graded. Ten thousand acres
of land had been sold, of which 2,584 were
from the Carey selection or state lands.
The report says that because of the efforts
of the board in the reclamation of the lands in
this district and activities growing out of it,
a 1,200-ton beet sugar factory has been estab-
lished in Billings at a cost of $1,250,000 and
is now employing 300 men; that the industry
has created a pay roll of $287,000 in the lo-
cality, in addition to the profit to the farmer,
and a payroll of $1,000 a day at the factory
when it is running. Of the results of the work
so far the report continues : "Through the
courtesy of the railroads running into Billings,
and by the expenditure of $28,000 by the con-
tracting company in systematic advertising,
the population of Billings has increased 2,000
since the beginning of the construction of the
canal. The value of farm lands near Billings
at that time was between $12 and $20 an acre.
Now they are selling from $40 to $100 an
acre. City property has advanced 200 per cent
and the banks admit their deposits have
doubled within the three years past, and go so
far as to say that farm and city property in and
Billings has increased $2,000,000 in value."
A government undertaking known as the
Huntley project, is fast nearing completion.
This will irrigate something like 30,000 acres
of land in the recently ceded Crow reservation.
This canal starts near Huntley, and the lands
which will be irrigated by it lie in a general
way north of the Burlington & Missouri River
railroad and both north and south of the
Northern Pacific.
Although Yellowstone county is not known
as a mining country, there are vast deposits
of coal there, and some little mining
has been carried on. Says Air. Storrs, of
the United States geological department, in
his report of March, 1902 :
"The coal fields of Montana form a nearly
continuous belt extending in a northwest-south-
east direction entirely across the state; but
most of the fields have not been investigated
in detail. As in Wyoming the plains region
east of the Rocky mountains, extending into
the Dakotas. is underlined by beds of lignite
coal of varying quality. The Bull Mountain
district of 55 square miles lies in Yellowstone
county, about 45 miles northeast of Billings on
the Northern Pacific railroad. The bed is
from 10 to 16 feet of lignite coal. But little
coal is now mined there. The Clark's Fork
district crosses the Yellowstone 22 miles west
of Billings and extends north to the Mussel-
shell river, though without known valuable
beds.
CUSTER BATTLEFIELD
A HERD OF BISON
PART VI
ROSEBUD COUNTY
CHAPTER I
CURRENT EVENTS.
Rosebud county is correctly named the
"historical county" of Montana as it was in
what is now the confines of Rosebud county,
that occurred those stirring incidents that
opened up the valley of the Yellowstone for
occupation by the white man. Here it was that
Custer and his brave men met with defeat, and
General Miles thrashed the Indians at Little
IMuddy and Lame Deer. The fulF and com-
plete accounts of these battles are given in pre-
ceding chapters and also other interesting in-
cidents relating to the subduing of the Indians
and tlie settlement of this great domain by the
whites.
The first white settlers to enter the territory
now embraced in Rosebud county, came in the
fall of 1876 and too much cannot be said in com-
mendation of these hardy pioneers who braved
the many dangers of frontier life at a time
when the Indians were on the war path and
their war parties scattered over all parts of the
territory. Among those sturdy men who risked
their lives to build homes in this then virgin
territory, we find : Peter Jackson, Archie Mc-
Murdy, and James Simpson, who came here in
1876, and were followed the next spring by:
John Guy, Wm. Mouatt, Ben Green, Tom
Carter, John Justin, who settled at Pease Bot-
tom: Mr. Murphy, Thomas Alexander, Thomas
HammoncJ, Frank Andrews, M. Curran, who
settled at Forsyth in 1877. Mr. Tolbert settled
on Froze-to-Death creek in 1877 and Joseph
Gee and N. Boyle settled at the mouth of the
Rosebud ; George Mace settled at Howard the
same year. In 1878, we find Joseph Isaacs, Mr.
Nichols, Mr. Nortman, George. King, Wm.
Roche, James Norman, James McGraw, Mike
Conklin, James Parker, Dick Kennedy and
W. B. S. Higgins had taken up their settle-
ment here. John Guy. who settled at Pease
Bottom must be given the distinction of being
the first to break land and try the possibilities
of this section along agricultural lines. Thomas
Alexander was the first to have a band of cat-
tle in this territory which was in 1878, but Dia-
mond Carpenter and Robinson were the first
to. run a large bunch of cattle in this section.
The first band of sheep was brought into this
territory in 1881 and they also belonged to
Thomas Alexander.
The Northern Pacific railroad was built
through this section in 1882 and the population
grew rapidly. New settlers came in and lo-
cated along the creeks and rivers and engaged
320
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
in stock raising, which industry thrived won-
derfully. The severe winter of 1886-7 '^^'^'s a
hard blow to the stockmen, but it was the
means of giving them a valuable lesson. Up
to that time they had had no thought of wintTer
feeding and had never made preparations for
doing so, but since that time, though it is sel-
dom necessary, nearly all the stockmen have
been in a position to feed their stock should
the winter be severe enough.
The government agency at Lame Deer was
established in 1888, buildings were erected and
an agent was stationed there. A school was
started and has always been well attended by
the Indian children. The fact that a govern-
ment agent was statione'd there has probably
been the cause of several Indian outbreaks be-
ing nipped in the bud, and much protection to
settlers and their property.
The history of Rosebud county is so closely
connected with that of Custer county that it
must necessarily be brief and only those
points are taken up that are already not in-
cluded in the history of Custer county. The
matters of historical importance up to the time
of the creation of Rosebud county are limited.
The first agitation for the creation of a
new county was started in 1893, but little in-
terest was manifested, however, until 1895
when the principal issue in Custer county was
the cutting off of the present county of Rose-
bud. The people in favor of county division
were successful in electing the men whose opin-
ions coincided with theirs and House bill Num-
ber 12 was introduced by Representative James
S. Hopkins, which provided for the creation
of Rosebud county. They were unsuccessful
in passing the bill through the legislature and
still remained a part of the large county of
Custer. Two more unsuccessful attempts were
made to bring about the division, in 1897 and
1899, and it was not until 190 1 that the bill
passed the legislature and the new county was
formed. On February 11, 1901, Governor
Tocle appended his signature to the bill with a
S'old
pen pro\-ided by James Hopkins of For-
syth who still possesses the pen as a souvenir.
Following is the enabling act :
ROSEBUD COUNTY.
Senate bill No. 21. An act to create the county of
Rosebud, to define its boundaries, and to provide for
its organization.
Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State
of Montana :
That all that portion of the State of Montana em-
braced within the following boundaries shall be known
as, and shall be. Rosebud county, to-wit: Beginning at
a point where the township line, running between ranges
forty-four and forty-five east, in the county of Custer,
in the State of Montana ; when surveyed and extended
south, will intersect the northern boundary line of the
State of Wyoming; thence north, along said township
line, observing the jogs or offsets in said line, to its
intersection, when surveyed, and extended, north, with
the county line running east and west along, between
Custer county and the county of Dawson, in said State
of Montana : thence west along said county line to the
middle of the main channel of the Musselshell river
and the east boundary line of Fergus county ; thence up
the middle of the main of said river and along the
meanderings thereof in a southerly direction, to a
point where the same is intersected by the county line
running between the counties of Yellowstone and Cus-
ter; thence in a southeasterly direction along said
county line to the junction of the Yellowstone and Big-
horn rivers ; thence up the middle of the main chan-
nel of the said Bighorn river and along the mean-
derings thereof in a southeasterly direction to the in-
tersection with the aforesaid northern boundary of the
State of Wyoming; thence east, along the boundary
line to the place of beginning. The town of Forsyth
situated within the boundaries above described shall
be the county seat of said county of Rosebud until the
permanent county seat shall be designated in the mode
and manner provided by law.
Sec. 2. That the indebtedness of said Custer coun-
ty, as the same shall exist on the first day of March,
1901, shall be apportioned between the said counties
of Custer and Rosebud by first deducting from said
indebtedness the amount of all moneys on hand and all
moneys belonging to said Custer county, and also de-
ducting the value of all real estate and personal prop-
erty within and belonging to Custer county on the
said first day of March, 1901, and the remainder of
said indebtedness shall be apportioned between the
said counties of Custer and Rosebud respectively in
proportion to the amount of taxable property in each
of said counties, said amount of taxable property to be
ascertained by a commission consisting of the boards
of county commissioners of said Custer and Rosebud
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
321
counties and Charles H. Loud, judge of the seventh
judicial district, which said commission shall meet at
the court house at Miles City, on the isth day of
March, 1901, and shall take, as the standard for such
apportionment of indebtedness the assessment for the
year 1900 as determined by the board of equalization of
said county of Custer.
Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty of said board of
county commissioners of Rosebud county, in the event
it should be found, upon the adjustment of such in-
debtedness, that the said county of Rosebud should as-
sume and pay any amount of same, to cause to be made
and delivered to the said county commissioners of said
Custer county, warrants on the county fund in the sum
of one thousand dollars each, and fractions thereof, if
such there be. for the amount found to be due, which
said warrants, upon presentation, shall be indorsed by
the treasurer of said Rosebud county, "Not paid for
want of funds." and shall thereafter draw interest as
other county warrants.
Sec. 4. It shall be unlawful for said board of
county commissioners of Rosebud county to issue any
warrant or warrants in any amount or sum, or to incur
any indebtedness, or enter into any contract, or incur
any liability for or on behalf of said Rosebud county,
until they have fully complied with the provisions of
Sections 2 and 3 of this act.
Sec. S- That the board of county commissioners
and the treasurer of said Custer county shall, at their
regular meeting during the month of March, 1901, as-
certain the amount of money in the school fund be-
longing to (whether apportioned or not) the several
school districts embraced within the limits of said
county of Rosebud which have been carved out of the
county of Custer, and the county treasurer of said
Custer county shall, during the month of March, 1901,
and upon receipt of the warrants specified in Section
3 of this act, transfer and pay over to the treasurer of
said county of Rosebud, such moneys as may be on
hand at the said March meeting of said board of
county commissioners of said county of Custer, and
as by them and the said treasurer thereof, found to be-
long to the school districts of the said county of Rose-
bud. Said funds to be transferred shall be held by
the treasurer of the county of Rosebud, where they
were originally designated and bonded.
Sec. 6. The following named persons are hereby
appointed to the following offices, the name of the ap-
pointee being placed opposite the office to which he is
appointed: Freeman Philbrick, W. W. McDonald,
and Hunter Terrett, commissioners; Charles W.
Bailey, clerk and recorder; Charles Davis, sheriff; T.
W. Longley, treasurer; James B. Grierson. clerk of
the district court; Fred L. Gibson, county attorney;
Gertrude M. Higgins, superintendent of common
schools; R. W. Snook, public administrator; J. F. Ken-
nedy, coroner; Charles B. Taber, county surveyor.
Said officers shall have the powers, duties and priv-
21
ileges as are by law conferred upon like officers in other
counties of the state of Montana, and they shall be
entitled to receive the same emoluments, salaries and
fees, as are conferred by law upon like officers of other
counties of the same class in the state, and shall in
like manner give bonds and enter upon the discharge
of their respective duties upon giving a bond within
ten days after the passage and approval of this act.
and they shall hold their respective offices until their
successors are elected and qualified, and be subject to
all repealing laws applicable to other similar offices
generally. The bond above provided for shall be ap-
proved in the same manner as the bond of other county
officers, and filed and recorded in the office of the
county clerk of the county of Rosebud. Provided, how-
ever, that such salaries shall not commence until such
officers shall enter upon the discharge of their duties
and shall have qualified according to law
Sec. 7. The county commissioners of said Rose-
bud county shall have authority to contract for the
transcribing of such parts of the public records of said
Custer county as they may deem useful and necessary
to the said county of Rosebud and the inhabitants
thereof, or they may appoint and depute some capable
and discreet person to transcribe the same, and for
such purpose shall have access to the records of said
Custer county.
Said transcripts, when completed shall be carefully
compared with the originals by the county clerk of
said Custer county, who shall be entitled to receive a
compensation of five dollars per diem while actually
engaged in the performance of such duties ; and when
found to be correct, shall by him be so certified under
his name and seal, and thereafter the records so tran-
scribed and certified to shall be received and admitted
in evidence in all courts of the state, and shall be in
other respects entitled to like faith and credit as said
original records.
Sec. 8. The county commissioners of said couniy
of Rosebud, for the purpose of funding and paying any
indebtedness which may be incurred by reason of as-
suming any of the indebtedness of Custer county, are
hereby given the authority to issue on the credit of their
respective county, coupon bonds, to the amount suffi-
cient to enable them to redeem any or all legal out-
standing warrants or orders, equal in amount to said
indebtedness so incurred, which said bond shall be sold
at no less than par and in the mode and manner pro-
vided by law for the issue and sale of county bonds.
Sec. 9. That the treasurers of Custer and Rose-
bud counties shall, at the time of the adjustment of
the indebtedness as provided in Section 2 of this act,
make out and transmit to the county commissioners of
said Rosebud county, lists of all delinquent taxes within
the limits of Rosebud county, as above established,
shown by the records of their respective offices.
Provided, That no delinquent taxes due to the
county of Custer shall be considered in the adjustment
of the debts as hereinbefore provided, but it shall be
122
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUXTV
the duty of the treasurer of Custer county to collect
such delinquent taxes and to turn over to the treasurer
of Rosebud county its pro rata share of said taxes as
he may be able to collect within thirty days after mak-
ing such collection ; Provided further, that should there
be any surplus of funds in the hands of the treas-
urer of Custer county after adjustment, as hereinbe-
fore provided, said surplus shall be divided between
the counties of Custer and Rosebud in the same man-
n.er as hereinbefore provided for dividing the in-
debtedness.
Sec. io. All district and township officers within
the said county of Rosebud, whose election or appoint-
ment is not herein provided for, shall or may continue
to hold office and exercise the duties pertaining thereto,
until the expiration of the term for which said officers
were elected or appointed.
Sec. II. The county boundaries of said Custer
county are hereby altered to conform to the boundaries
of said Rosebud county, as established by this act.
Sec. 12. The said county of Rosebud is hereby
added to and made a .part of the /th Judicial District
of this state, for judicial purposes, and all that part
of the Crow Reservation lying east of the Big Horn
river is hereby attached to Rosebud county for the pur-
pose of taxation and for judicial purposes.
Sec. 13. This act shall take effect on March ist,
1901.
Sec. 14. All acts or parts of acts in conflict with
the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.
Approved: February 11. 1901.
The officers of the new county entered upon
their duties in the early part of March and at
once took the necessary steps to bring about a
settlement of affairs with the mother county of
Custer. After a careful accounting it was as-
certained that the total indebtedness of Cus-
ter county was $274,000 and that Rosebud
county's porportion was 32.85 per cent of the
whole, or$45, 259.50, and warrants were drawn
for that amount payable to Custer county.
The taxable property of the new county was
found to be $2,187,639.
On June 3, 1901, two of the commissioners
appointed resigned. The}- were W. W. Mc-
Donald and Freeman Philbrick. Tliomas
Alexander was appointed in place of McDon-
ald and Thomas E. Haanmond was appointed
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation oi
Philbrick,
The county has as vet never had a countv
seat contest, although the town of Rosebud re-
cently attempted to circulate a petition for that
purpose. They were unsuccessful and the mat-
ter was soon forgotten.
The assessed valuation of taxable property
in Rosebud county since its formation has
been: 1901, $2,829,114; 1902, $4,047,033;
1 903, $4,464,761; 1904, $3,870,251; 1905,84,-
404.670; 1906. estimated, over five million dol-
lars. The number of acres of land assessed in
1905 was 833,108; farming and grazing lands,
206.290; valued at $470,263; Northern Pacific
lands. 626.818, valued at $263,343; horses,
7,730, valued at $193,951; cattle, 44,055, val-
ued at $988,046; sheep, 214,486, valued at
$536,952; Angora goats, 100, valued at $400;
hogs, 162, valued at $g6i ; railroad property
and roadbed valued at $1,328,963.
The settlement of the Crow Indian reserva-
tion, which was recently thrown open for set-
tlement, will add much to the resources and
population of Rosebud county. More than 500.-
000 acres of this tract lies in the county and
much of it can be irrigated while the rest is ex-
cellent grazing lands. The conditions for obtain-
ing this land were the same as those under the
homestead law, except, that each person draw-
ing a piece of land had to pay four dollars per
acre for it. One dollar down and the balance
in three equal payments, the second payment
to be made at the end of the second year, the
third at the end of the third year, and the
fourth at the end of the fourth year. The ap-
plications for this drawing were not as numer-
ous as expecteil on account of the government
reserving much of the irrigable land. Among
the irrigable tracts thrown open was the Myers
and Sanders flats, located in the valley of the
Yellowstone river west of the town of How-
ard. I^nd in this district was especially de-
sirable on account of the fertility of the soil
and its easy access to railroad facilities.
The Yellowstone valley is the most fertile
of the valleys of Rosebud countv and agricul-
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
323
ture has become one of the main pursuits of
the settlers. The valleys of the Tongiie, Rose-
bud, Big Horn and Little Big Horn rivers as
well as other smaller streams are very fertile
and large quantities of hay, grain, vegetables
and fruit are raised here every year.
The scenery along the rivers is very beauti-
ful, the valley being covered with a dense
growth of Cottonwood and the surrounding
hills covered with a mat of grass. The canyon
of the Big Horn is considered one of nature's
grandest works of scenic beauty. One of the
wonders of nature is found on Greenleaf creek
alxiut 60 miles from Forsyth in the shape of
an ice well. Some years ago a man named
W'm. Campbell started a shaft while prospect-
ing for gold and after getting down 30 or 40
feet complained of the extreme cold. The per-
spiration from his face would run down and
form ice drops as it fell. Being somewhat
superstitious he decided to quit and did so.
This was the starting- of the ice well. As a
rule in summer, the ice forms within a few
feet of the top. While the ice itself makes the
well a natural curiosity, it is the formation of
the ice during the hottest period in the sum-
mer, that makes this well a great natural
curiosity.
The Alilwaukee railroad is to build through
Rosebud county and is now at work on the
right of way. The route is up the Yellowstone
river on the north side until it reaches a point
opposite the town of Forsyth, when it runs in
a northeasterly direction to the Musselshell
river. This will open a large section to settle-
ment.
CHAPTER
CITIES AND TOWNS.
The town of Forsyth, the county seat of
Rnsebud county, was started in 1882, when
the Northern Pacific railroad was building
through this section. It was the winter ter-
minus of that road in 1882 and was located on
the Yellowstone river, 45 miles west of Miles
City. The selection of the site was a favorable
line as the valley of the Yellowstone has an
average width here of about i J/2 miles, where
the land is le\-el and fertile, and is almost in
tlie center of the county.
The town gets its name from Col. James
W. Forsyth, of the seventh cavalry, who
was well known in this section during the
Indian troubles. It was platted by the North-
ern Pacific Railroad Co., in October, 1882, and
was chosen by them as the end of the freight
(li\isii)n l)etween Glendi\-e and Billings.
The first merchant in the town was Charles
Young, who opened up a general merchandise
store here in the spring of 1882, and was soon
followed by Fred Henning, George Taylor, H.
R. Marcyes and Manchester and Bryan,
David Sweet started the first restaurant the
same year. In 1883 Thomas Alexander en-
tered the mercantile business here.
The town was visited by a disastrous fire
in August, 1888, which destroyed twenty
thousand dollars worth of property. Seven
business houses on Main street between Ninth
and Tenth streets were burned to the ground.
The origin of the fire is unknown. The insur-
ance on stocks and buildings was about eight
thousand dollars.
For many _\ears the growth of the town
was very slow and little progress was made
and it was not until the year 1901 that the
peiiple awakened to the fact that Fcirsyth had
324
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
a future. Since that time great Ijuilding ac-
tivity has been experienced and tlie town has
had a rapid and healthy growth.
A disastrous fire occurred July 8, 1901,
when the Occidental hotel, a three-story frame
structure, was burned to the ground. It was
occupied by its own employees and about
twenty-five boarders, mostly railroad men.
Twelve persons occupied the third floor and
but two of these escaped without jumping from
the windows. The inmates of the lower floors
left the building in time to escape injury but
lost most of their personal effects. All of the
ten who leaped wrom the third floor were in-
jured and bruised by the fall. The more spe-
cific hurts were as follows : Albert Smith, left
hand and fingers burned; Carl Schroeder,
right foot burned and ankle sprained; J. V.
Saleno, hips injured; Stephen Bolen, right hip
bruised, nose and cheek badly cut ; Gus Ahl-
gren, bruised head and left knee; John Faler,
right arm broken ; John Roeu, hands and face
burned, side injured, ribs broken; W. S. My-
ers , sprained wrist and face burned ; Fred Roeu,
arm sprained and body bruised; Aman Ahor-
lick, bad cut and head bruised. All of them
suflfered much from the jar. In fifteen minutes
the walls had fallen and the fire had spread
to the coal dock and engine house. A barrel
of gasoline was stored in the engine house
which soon exploded and in a brief time the
buildings were in ruins. The line of cars were
pushed to a place of safety. In the morning
it was discovered that one man had lost his
life in the conflagration. The charred body
was seen in the ruins and by means of grap-
pling hooks an effort was made to draw it
forth. The attempt was only partially suc-
cessful as only the head and trunk could be re-
covered, the rest having been burned away. It
was afterwards found that the remains wei'e
those of Jacob Braun of Hebron, N. D, The
origin of the fire is imknown.
The town boasts of one of the finest school
buildings in the state where a verv efficient
corps of teachers is employed. The present
building cost about $12,000. and a new build-
ing is now in the course of construction which
will cost when completed about $8,000 and will
be used for the grade pupils, the old building
will be used for the High school department.
Four different churches have organizations
here, though but two of them have buildings,
the Methodist and Presbyterian. The Epis-
copal and Catholic denominations are expected
j to erect edifices in the near future.
! Forsyth is naturally the outfitting, mercan-
tile and banking center of the country, supply-
ing sheep, cattle and ranch outfits for a radius
of over one hundred miles and affording ample
facilities for the transaction of all manner of
business.
In 1904 the county voted bonds lor $50,-
000 for the purpose of building a bridge across
the Yellowstone river at Forsyth. The bridge
was completed in 1905 at a cost of $57,000.
With adequate bridge facilities closer rela-
tions have grown between the residents of the
north side and the townsjjeople and a marked
increase in trade and business has been ex-
perienced.
The Northern Pacific railroad employs
about 200 men here and its monthly payroll
amounts to about $12,000. The railroad com-
pany is now building at $25,000 wool ware-
house here for handling that product. In ad-
dition to the Northern Pacific, Forsyth will be
on the main line of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St. Paul railroad which is now building
towards the coast.
The building of a system of water works
is contemplated and an election will be held in
July to decide the cjuestion of bonding the
town for $35,000 for such purpose. If the
bond issue carries, water will be taken from
the Yellowstone river and pumped to a reser-
voir on Forsyth Heights, which rise se\eral
hundred feet above the town. This will insure
ample pressure for all purposes.
The town was incorporated in 1904 and
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
325
three elections have been held. The officers
electer have been: 1904 — Mayor, Charles B.
Tabor ; councilmen, Charles W. Bailey, Bar-
ney Blum, D. J. Miiri and Wm. Martin ; clerk,
C. W. Bailey ; attorney, J. C. Lyndes ; marshal,
O. O. Bitle; police magistrate, H. R. Marcyes.
1905 — Mayor, A. R. Sickler; councilmen,
H. H. Fletcher, C. E. Richter, J.C. Lyndes and
Barney Blum; clerk, J. B. Collins; marshal,
D. J. Smith ; attorney, F. V. H. Collins ; police
magistrate, T. J. Thompson.
1906 — Mayor, A. R. Sickler; councilmen,
S. H. Erwin, C. E. Richter, Barney Blum and
D. J. Muri ; clerk, D. J. Muri ; attorney, Fred
L. Gibson; marshal, J. W. Straw; police mag-
istrate, T. J. Thompson.
The town has a wide-awake Business
Men's association and the fraternal orders are
well represented, the Masons, Eagles, Odd
Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and railroad
men's organizations having a large member-
ship.
ROSEBUD.
The town of Rosebud, located twelve miles
east of Forsyth, the county seat, is the second
town of the county in size and importance. It
has a population of about 125. Being located
on the railroad at the confluence of the Rose-
bud and Yellowstone rivers, it has become a
large shipping point. Directly opposite across
the Yellowstone river is the Edwards irrigat-
ing canal which waters a large tract of land
where much hay, grain and produce is raised.
The town is growing rapidly and is well
equipped with business houses, having two
good hotels, two large mercantile establish-
ments, a bank, a lumber yard, and other lines
of business. It has a fine brick school building
with an able corps of teachers and two
churches, the Methodist and Episcopal. It has
a daily mail. Western Union telegraph and
Northern Pacific express ofifice.
The town was first settled in 1879 and was
formerly known as Beeman.
Busby is a village on the Rosebud river,
first settled in 1884, eiighty miles south of For-
syth, the county seat, thirty miles east of the
Crow agency on the C. B. & O. R. R., the
shipping point. It is situated in the midst of
the Cheyenne Indian reservation containing
about 1,500 Indians and 200 whites. The U.
S. Indian training school is located here, hav-
ing between 80 and 90 pupils. Mail is re-
ceived by special supply.
Crow Agency, a station on the C. B. & Q.
R. R. first settled in 1880. 170 miles by rail-
road southwest of Forsyth, the county seat.
It has Catholic and Mission churches, a flour-
ing mill, two general stores and a hotel. Mail
daily.
Other postofBces in Rosebud county are:
Ashland, Birney, Decker, Hathaway, Howard,
Kirby, Lame Deer, Lee, Lock, Lodge Grass,
Pearl, Rancher, Sabra, Saint Xavier, and
Satchwell.
CHAPTER 111
DESCRIPTIVE.
Rosebud county is nearly as large as the
entire state of New Jersey and contains 7.383
square miles or four million seven hundred
twenty-five thousand, one hundred twenty
acres of land, which is largely rolling. Her
resources are many and varied and her output
of stock is enormous, considering the limited
population which does not exceed five thou-
sand, by the most careful estimates. The
inhabitants are thrift3% progressive and
well-to-do. The population is fairly well
distributed but as in most stock coun-
tries, it is scattering. The surface is
rolling and much of it is rugged, and
some mountainous. Much of it is termed
"bad lands," but there is also the high rolling
prairie lands and the rich bottoms, which com-
bine to form a whole that is peculiarly well
adapted to both stock raising and agriculture,
the two principal industries. The most pro-
ductive valleys are : From the mouth of the
Big Horn to Myers station on the north side
of the Yellowstone river, which is twelve miles
long and one and a half miles wide ; from San-
ders to Howard, called Froze-to-Death valley,
which is six miles long and one and three-
fourths miles wide; from Forsyth to Hatha-
way on both sides of the Yellowstone, which is
25 miles long and two miles wide, and where
the big Edwards ditch is located; the valley
of the Rosebud 100 miles long by one mile in
width, where more hay is raised than in all
other parts of the county combined ; the upper
part of the Tongue river valley which is well
watered and is fifty miles long and one mile
wide ; and Porcupine Bottom which is watered
by thirteen artesian wells. The soil in all these
bottoms is a sandy loam. Through the west-
ern part of the county is the Big Horn and
Little Big Horn rivers, and nearly through the
center flows the turbulent Yellowstone, while
within its confines are the Tongue and Rosc-
l>ud rivers, besides innumerable smaller
streams, water holes or basins, coulees, draws
and other natural reservoirs for the holding of
water, all tending to create a well watered
area, the greater part of which is susceptible
or irrigation.
During the past four years over 35.000
acres of land have been irrigated. The Rose-
bud Land and Improvement Co. is the largest
of the irrigation projects of Rosebud county.
This is a co-operati\'e company and has a ditch
thirty-six miles long, fifteen feet across the
bottom and carries 22,000 inches of water.
Water is taken from the Yellowstone near For-
syth and runs in an easterly direction to Sadie
bottom, where it is again returned to the Yel-
lowstone. This waters 25,000 acres of land.
Work was started on this ditch in August,
1903, and the work was completed in 1904 at
a cost of $150,000, or about six dollars per
area. The Rancher Ditch Co. started work in
1904 at the confluence of the Yellowstone and
Big Horn rivers, to supply the country known
as Pease Bottom with water. The ditch is
twelve miles long, twelve feet wide at the bot-
tom, carries three feet of water, runs northeast
and empties into the Yellowstone three miles
east of Myers station. The Terrett and Bailey
ditch, near Brandenburg, on the Tongue river,
about forty-five miles from Forsyth, was
started in 1900 and completed in 1904. This
was a private enterprise and watered about
2,000 acres of land, but could he extended to
water 4,000 acres additional. It is six miles
long, eight feet wide at the bottom, carries
three to four thousand inches of water, and
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
Z^l
cost $15,000 or about $7.50 per acre. Tliere
are a number of small irrigation projects in
operation where small tracts are watered, es-
pecially along the creeks of the interior, where
many of the ranchers take water for a few
acres. A tract of land west of Forsyth on the
south side of the Yellowstone is to be watered
by the government which comprises 7,000
acres. The Rosebud reservation recently
thrown open for settlement comprises 525,000
acres of land in Rosebud county of which half
is susceptible of irrigation. With irrigation
all kinds of hay, grain, fruit and vegetables
are raised here and yield prolifically. The soil
is especially well adapted to the raising of
sugar beets and as soon as a factory is estab-
lished close enough tO' this section the raising
of sugar beets will become one of the chief
pursuits.
The finest irrigating ditch in Roselnid
county is a private ditch owned and built by
John Barringer, on Tongue river, about fifty
miles from Forsyth. The ditch is four and
one half miles long and waters 2,000 acres of
land.
Stock raising has always been the chief
industry in this section as the topography of
this country affords excellent protection against
the inclemency of the weather, while the nu-
tritious bunch igrass of the ranges possesses
wonderful fattening properties. It is estimated
that it requires ten acres of land for each head
of cattle and three acres for each head of sheep
per year on the open range. The days of ex-
tensive herds and stock holding have passed,
and now the stockmen are decreasing their
holdings, taking better care of their stock and
acquiring lands so that they may raise hay to
feed in case of a hard or prolonged winter sea-
son. It is estimated that at the present time
there are 250,000 head of sheep and 150,000
head of cattle in Rosebud county, besides a
large number of horses.
Since irrigation has been used and the peo-
ple have come to know of the agricultural pos-
sibilities, diversified farming is rapidly becom-
ing one of the chief industries of this section.
On the north side of the Yellowstone river
lies a rich tract of land sixty by seventy miles
in area where stock grazing is engaged in e.x-
tensively, while on the south side of the river
is a section sixty by one hundred miles square,
that is, if anything, even better than that on the
north side.
ThroU(ghout the county there remains large
tracts of railroad lands unsold and immense
areas of government land which can be secured
under the homestead and desert land acts.
The Crow i-eservation recently thrown
open for settlement will add much to the pop-
ulation and resources of Rosebud county. This
land, approximating 525,000 acres in this
county, is rolling with some bench land and
some very rich bottoms along the rivers. Some
of the soil is gumbo, but there are large tracts
of sage brush lands, a sandy loam with great
grain possibilities when furnished with water.
The entire tract is Ixiunded on the north by the
Yellowstone river, while it is crossed by the
Big Horn, Little Big Horn and Tulock Fork
rivers. These with numerous other smaller
streams will furnish an abundant supply of
water for irrigation purposes. The system of
irrigation works now in operation, constructed
by the Indians under government supervision,
indicates what the white man may do with this
soil and with these conditions.
As a tribe the Crow Indians, who occupy
the southern part of this county, are peaceable
and docile. Agriculture is their principal pur-
suit and. in that they are making rapid strides ;
some of their farms on the reservation might
serve as models for some white farmers and
the general appearance of the Big Horn valley
compares favorably with other agricultural sec-
tions of the state. The Crows raise wheat,
oats and vegetables and also cut large quanti-
ties of wild hay, while stock-raising is an in-
dustry' of considerable importance.
What has been said of the climate of Cus-
328
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
ter county is also true of Rosebud county. It
does not go to extremes here either in winter
or summer and this section has been termed
the "Banana beU of Montana."
The county is traversed by two great rail-
ways, the Northern Pacific, which passes
through the valley of the Yellowstone, about
the center of the county, and the Burlington,
which enters the county from the south and
proceeding northward, passes through the west-
ern portion of the county and forms a junc-
tion with the Northern Pacific, thus afifording
ample means of transportation to and from the
large centers of traffic. The Chicago, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul road is now building through
this county on the north side of the Yellow-
stone, but in close proximity to that stream
until it reaches Forsyth, when it runs in a
northwesterly direction to the Musselshell
ri\-er. Trains are expected to be running over
this line sometime in 1907.
Coal is mined here but in small quantities,
as it is a lignite and its natural condition is the
same as that in Custer county, so that it will
not permit of shipment. It is used quite exten-
sively here, however, for fuel and retails at
a1x)Ut $3.50 per ton delivered.
With all its natural advantages, the open-
ing of the Crow reservation and the advent of
the Milwaukee railroad. Rosebud county must
develop rapidly and soon become one of the
wealthiest counties in the State of ^Montana.
CHAPTER IV
POLITICAL.
In accordance with the provision of the
enabling act creating the county of Rosebud,
wherein the Governor of Montana was em-
powered to appoint the officers of the new
county, on February 11, 1901, Governoi J. K.
Toole appointed the following persons to fill
the offices mentioned with their names.
Freeman Philbrick, W. W. McDonald and
Hunter Terrett, commissioners; Charles ^V.
Bailey, county clerk and recorder ; Charles Da-
vis, sheriff; T. W. Longley, treasurer; James
B. Grierson, clerk of the district court; Fred-
L. Gibson, county attorney ; Gertrude M. Hig-
gins, county superintendent of schools ; R. W.
Snook, public administrator; J. F. Kennedy,
coroner; and Charles B. Tabor, county sur-
veyor.
The county seat of the new countv was
fixed by the legislature at Forsyth and. as
Forsyth is the largest town in the county and
centrally located, the matter of changing the
county seat has not been agitated by over am-
bitious communities. The first election was
held in the new county November 6, 1902, and
the votes for the respective candidates were
as follows :
Congress — J. M. Evans, dem., 248; J. M.
Dixon, rep.. 310; George B. Sproule. soc. 5;
Martin Dee, labor, 8.
Associate Justices — J. B. Leslie, dem.. 249;
W. L. Holloway. rep.; 344; W. D. Cameron,
soc. 4.
Senator — J. S. Hopkins, dem., 342; A. C.
Wilson, rep., 265.
Representative — ^James Blair, dem., 294;
Wm. Bray, Sr., rep., 311.
Sheriff — R. J. Guy. dem.. 300; J. Z.
North way. rep.. 300. There being a contest
filed for this office. Nothway won and es-
sumed charge.
Clerk of Court— C. Z. Pond, dem., 279; D.
J. Muri. rep., 313.
HISTORY OF ROSEBUD COUNTY.
3^9
Treasurer — T. W. Lonigley, dem., t,Ti2;
M. Bentail, rep., 264.
Clerk and Recorder — C. \V. Bailey, dem.,
304; R. McRae, rep., 289. This election was
contested and McRae won the contest.
Assessor — B. Roney, dem., 275 ; J. B.
Grierson, rep., 323.
Attorney— E. J. Diecks, dem., 288: F. L.
Gibson, rep., 307.
Supt. of Schools — Gertrude M. Higgins,
dem., 323 ; Luella Lane, rep., 272.
Coroner — N. O. Finch, dem., 296: G. H.
Kline, rep., 303.
Public Administrator — Ed Adams, dem.,
272 : R. W. Snook, rep., 304.
Commissioners — N. G. Humphrey, dem.,
286; Thomas Alexander, dem., ^2t,; Wm.
Mouart. dem., 265; M. Schiltz. rep., 296:
Freeman Philbrick, rep., 256: J. C. Hope, rep.,
276. The election of Mr. Humphrey was con-
tested by Mr. Hope and the latter won the con-
test, Mr. Hope assuming the duties of the
office.
It was claimed that many illegal votes
were cast at this election and that many men
had been shipped here to vote, and that they
had not established a residence here. The con-
tests were all brought on this point and in each
case the cnntestant was successful.
In the election of November 8, 1904, the
Republican ticket was successful throughout
with a large majority. The result of the vote
was as follows :
RoGse\-eIt electors. 460; Parker electors,
140.
Congress — .\. C. Gormerly. dem.. 163: J.
M. Dixon, rep., 480; J. H. Walsh, soc. 10.
Go\'ernor — J . K. Toole, dem., 210: Wm.
Lindsay, rep., 434; M. G. 0"Malley, soc, 7.
District Judge — C. H. Loud, rep., 429; J.
B. Herford, dem., 207.
Senator — Maurice Bentail. rep.. 384; T.
\V. Longley, dem., 269.
Representative — J. T. Brown, dem., 204,
J. Rumley, soc, 8; G. W. Brewster, rep., 431.
Sheriff — J. Z. Northway, rep., 375 ; W. J.
Ni.x, dem., 249; Zeb Tart, soc, 22.
Treasurer — Chas. Davis, rep., 389; W. W.
McDonald, dem., 242; J. A. Waddell, soc, 11.
Assessor — J. B. Grierson, rep., 455 ; Ed
McGeehee, dem., 182; R. L. Forney, soc, 7.
Clerk and Recorder — R. J. Cole, rep., 413;
P. C. Schoelkopf, dem., 225 : H. C. Holtkamp,
soc, 6.
Attorney — J. C. Lyndes, rep., 429.
Clerk of Court — D. J. Muri, rep., 401 ; H.
E. Webber, dem., 2^^.
Sut. of Schools — Millie Smith, rep., 417;
G. M. Higgins, dem., 223.
Public Administrator — R. W. Snook, rep.,
418: Ed Adams, dem., 191.
Surveyor — C. B. Tabor, rep., 455.
Coroner — Peter Droese, dem.. 226.
An election was held .April 4, 1906, for the
primary election law and by a vote of 263 to
72 it was decided to adopt it.
The people of Rosebud county have been
wise in their selection of public officials and
none of them have as yet betrayed the con-
fidence reposed in them.
There are seventeen election precincts in
Rosebud county and below we give the names
of the precincts according to their numbers,
they are : Rancher, i : Howard, 2 ; Forsyth, 3 ;
.\rmalls creek, 4 ; Hathaway, 5 ; Decker, 6 ;
Birney, 7; Tellett, 8; Antelope, 9; Acorn, 10:
Rosebud, 11 ; Pleasant Hill, 12: Butte, 13:
Lee, 14: McKay, 15; Kirby, 16: Ashland, 17:
Crow Agency, 18.
The registiy districts are as follows: No.
I — Forsyth, Howard, Armalls creek, Ante-
lope and Acorn, Bert Coleman is registhy
agent. No. 2 — Rancher, and Crow Agency
precinct, Phillip Isaac is registry agent. No.
3 — Rosebud, Hathaway, Pleasant Hill, and
Butte, R. McRae. registry agent. No. 4 —
Lee, McKay, Terrett, and Ashland, George
W. Parkins, registry agent. No. 5 — Birnev,
Kirby, and Decker precincts, C. C. Rouscolp,
registrv agent.
CHAPTER V
EDUCATIONAL.
Owing to the fact that Rosebud county has
existed but a short time as a separate political
division the educational history of the county
is necessarily short, the greater part of it being
included in the history of Custer county. The
schools of the county are up to the standard of
the state and the people have displayed com-
mendable zeal in providing for the rising gen-
erations proper educational facilities, and steps
have been taken to assist the youth of the
county to obtain good education at home.
The first school in the territory now em-
braced within this county was at Pease Bottom
at the confluence of the Big Horn and Yellow-
stone rivers, and was held in the priwerbial
log schoolhouse. This was in 1879 and was
then known as district number two of Custer
county. The second schnol was established in
1883 at the town of Forsyth. The first teacher
in this school was Miss Kitchen, now Mrs.
Harden, and about fifteen pupils attended.
The iirst school in Forsyth was held
in a small log building l.'etween Ninth and
Tenth streets. This building was used for a
short time and then the school moved to the
corner of Tenth street. It was afterwards moved
across the railroad tracks, and in 1888. it
moved back to the north side of the tracks
into the frame building now occupied as the
court house. There it remained until the year
1902, when the handsome brick structure was
erected on Main street getween Thirteenth and
Fourteenth streets. This building cost $12.-
500, and is one of the liest e(|uipped in the
state.
From the school rejxirt of 1901, we quote
the following facts and figures : Census, male,
342, female, 314; number enrolled, 325; total
attendance, 26,255 ^'^ys : average daily attend-
ance, 214; average salary of teachers, male
$50 ; female $50 ; number of school houses, 1 2 ;
volumes in libraries, 1,267; value of libraries,
$707 ; value of school houses and grounds, $4,-
135 ; total money apportioned for school pur-
poses. $4,462.40: disbursements, $1,917.28;
amount on hand August 31, 1901, $2,465.92.
Gertrude M. Higgins, Supt. of Schools.
The report for the year 1904- shows a large
increase in attendance, the mimber of school
children and the number of school houses and
amount expended for school purposes. Below
is the report :
Amount collected, $38,837.45 ; disburse-
ments, $27,926.15; census, male, 408, female,
335; total number enrolled, 552; average daily
attendance, 305 ; number of teachers, male 6,
female 26; average salary of teachers, male
$73, female $52 ; number of school houses
built during year, 6; total number of school
houses, 24: volumes in libraries, 4,099: value
of libraries, $2,249 '■ value of school houses and
grounds, $25,770.
Gertrude M. Higgins, Supt. of Schools.
The question of instituting a free county
high school which the laws of Montana pro-
vide for has not yet been voted on in Rosebud
county, but the rapid growth in population
and the desire of the outside districts for
higher education will soon make the institu-
tion of a county high school necessary.
A secmid brick school building to cost $7,-
500 is in course of construction at Forsyth and
will be occupied by the grade pupils. When
this is completed the former building will be
used by the high school. The enrollment at
Forsyth in the spring of 1906 was 162. The
students finishing the high school work in the
Forsyth schools are admitted to all the institu-
tion of higher learning throughout the state.
I
PART VII
CUSTER COUNTY
CHAPTER I
CURRENT EVENTS.
Tlie liistory of Custer county contains the
account of man}- interesting events, and it
was in this section of the Yellowstone valley
that were enacted those incidents which made
possible the settling of the West and the trans-
forming of the barren plains with their In-
dian tepees to rich farms and populous cities.
The general history in preceding chapters
gi\'e the account of the trip of Lewis and
Clark through this virgin wilderness in 1806;
the trials and hardships of the venturesome
trappers and the location and abandonment of
their outposts when fur trading in the north-
west became unprofitable ; the true and detailed
account of the horrible massacre of the gal-
lant Custer and his brave men on the Little
Big Horn. June 25. 1876; the campaigns of
Gibbon, Crook. Miles and other generals who
participated in the closing events of the In-
dian wars of the Yellowstone valley ; the fight
with Crazy Horse and his band on the Tongue
river: the tight on the Rosebud: General ^Miles'
fight with the forces under Sitting Bull on the
Yellowstone; the flight of Sitting Bull and his
ultimate surrender: and the flight of Chief
Joseph through Montana and bis capture by
General Miles.
Repetitions have a tendency to tire one,
so the history of Custer county commences
with its formation in 1864 as Big Horn coun-
ty, its re-creation in 1877 as Custer county and
the early settlements.
The territory which comprised the county
of Custer at the time of its org-anization in
1877, was in 1864 set off as a county and
named Big Horn county. This territory has
at times been a part of Nebraska territory, Da-
kota territory, Idaho territory and finally in
1864 it became a part of the territory of IMon-
tana. The boundaries of Big Horn county
when a part of Idaho territory were as fol-
lows : Commencing at the point of intersec-
tion of parallel of latitude 47 degrees : and
meridian of longitude 109 degrees: and from
thence east along said parallel of latitude 47
degrees to meridian of longitude 104 degrees;
thence along said meridian 104 degrees to par-
ellel of latitude 45 degrees ; thence along said
parallel of latitude 45 degrees to meridian of
longitude 109 degrees: and from thence
north long saitl meridian 109 degrees to
place of beginning. Tims, it will be
seen, that in the early part of 1864,
Big Horn county comprised all that
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
territory which is now Custer, and Rosebud [
counties and a part of what is now Dawson, |
Yellowstone, Carbon and almost a quarter of
the present county of Fergus.
After the territory of Montana was organ-
ized in 1864, Dawson county was one of the
first formed, as also was Gallatin county. The
east line of Gallatin at that time extended
farther east than* at present and took in a part
of what is now Park county. The exact bound-
aries of Big Horn county at that time were
not accurately described, but according to the
enabling act, it was to comprise : All that part
of the territory of Montana not included in
any of the counties already created. The
north and south lx>undaries of Big Horn
county remained the same as when this was a
part of Idaho territory, but the west line was
made to extend to the east line of Gallatin
county, and Big Horn county then comprised
almost a quarter of the territory of Montana.
No county organization was ever efifected
in Big Horn county and no settlements were
made in this territory prior to the Custer bat-
tle and the occupation of this section by the
army. In fact, the Indians roamed at will
(i\-er the entire Yellowstone valley. Such
knowledge of it as the white man had gained
was due to hardy and fearless explorers who
attempted its exploration because of the many
stories of the great wealth that was to be found
here. Their progress was always stubbornly
resisted by the Indians and they had but little
time or opportunity for investigations, and
until the occupation by the army little was
known of this great and fertile valley. The
Custer battle, which occurred June 25, 1876,
and which is fully given in a previous chapter,
while it was the greatest victory of the allied
tribes was also their greatest defeat, as it re-
sulted in the immediate occupation of their ter-
ritory^ by their greatest enemy, the whites, of
the great valley that had hitherto been held
sacred to their uses and which was the last of
their important strongholds. The magnitude
of the loss suffered by Custer and his brave
soldiers awoke the whole country to the fact
that a great and fertile portion of the public
domain was practically under another sover-
eignty. This fact, only a few scattered pio-
neers of the Northwest and the army were
cognizant of, but it was suddenly brought to
the attention of the whole nation embellished
by the details of the horrible massacre which
enraged the country. The army was at once
ordered to occupy the Yellowstone valley, and
two military posts were established. Fort Cus-
ter, at the confluence of the Big Horn and Lit-
tle Big Horn rivers, a few miles from the site
of the famous Custer battlefield, and Fort
Keogh, at the confluence of the Tongue and
Yellowstone rivers, each named in honor of
a hero of the massacre. This was done to add
to the effectiveness of the troops and for the
protection of the incoming rush of settlers.
The army established its headquarters at
the cantonment at the confluence of the
Tongue and Yellowstone rivers in the fall of
1876, and in the spring of 1877 the first influx
of settlers reached what is now Miles City
and established a settlement at the edge of the
reservation. The settlement grew rapidly and
in a very short time it had a population of over
two hundred souls. Among the early settlers
of Custer county were: W. H. Bullard. W.
F. Schmalsle, scouts under General Miles, H.
C. Thompson, train master for the army, C.
W. Savage, Chas. Brown, N. Borchardt,
Maurice Cohn, Bassinski Bros., John J. Gra-
ham, Jack Johnson, Tom Irvine. Chas. Miller,
Peter Peterson, A. Carmichael, A. Flanagan,
John Anderson, Louis Payette. Ed Flynn.
Chas. Archer, John- W. Smith, M. Hurley,
Major Grover, \Vm. Strong, George ]\Iiles.
J. Cooper, Henry Bender, J. W. Montague,
Hugh Hoppe, J. H. Grimmet. Dan Hamilton,
Fay Bros., .\. }*Iaxwell. John Burke, Tom
Bishop, John Seaman, D. Ringer. Louis Bach,
O. C. Rogers, Smith Irvine. J. A. .\llen, Gus
Bloom, Louis Clark, Tom Mason, J(->hn Chin-
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
3i3
nick, Barney Colloran, Jack Woodliff, Frank
Doe, Harris, Sherman, Henry Da-
vis. All of the aboA'e anil many others whose
names are lost to history arrived in the year
1877 and settled here. Among these early
settlers we find that Henry Bender was the
first rancher. He had a ranch just below the
old town where he raised garden truck and hay
with which he suplied the soldiers at the fort.
J. H. Grimmet started a truck garden a short
distance up the Tongue ri\-er in 1878 and was
the second rancher in the vicinity of Miles
City. J. W. ^Montague had started a ranch on
the Yellowstone in 1877, near where Terry
now stands where he raised considerable hay,
which found a ready market among the gov-
ernment contractors and others who were
freighting from Bismark. To Chas. Brown
belongs the distinction of being the first dairy
rancher. He owned a ranch about two miles
up the Tongue ri\'er. Mrs. Brown brought the
first chickens into Custer county in 1878 and
the poultry business was a success from the
start. Eggs reached the fabulous price at
times of twenty-five cents a piece. Soon after
Mr. Brown's venture into the dairy business,
he was followed by M. Kircher and his son,
Al. Fay Bros., and Dan Hamilton were also
among- the first to try the possibilities of
ranching in the new country.
In February, 1877, the legislature of the
territory of Montana, still having in mind the
disaster that befell Custer and men, passed the
following resolution which was approved Feb-
ruary 3, by Governor B. F. Potts : That in
commemoration of the dauntless courage, the
disciplined valor, and the heroic death of
Lieut. -Col. George A. Custer, and his men of
the seventh regiment of cavalry, who fell in
battle with the Sioux Indians, on the Little
Big Horn river, in the territory of Montana,
on the 25th day of June, 1876, the name of
said Little Big Horn river, shall be changed
to Custer river, and the same shall hereafter be
known as Custer River. This resolution failed
in its purpose and the name of Little Big Horn
is still retained by that historic stream.
By an act approved Febraury 16, 1877, the
name of Big Horn county was changed to
Custer county, but the boundaries of the coun-
ty remained the same as before. B. F. Potts,
then Governor of Montana territory, named N.
Borchardt, D. A. Ririiger and John W. Smith
as the first board of county commissioners of
Custer county wlith instructions to meet
and organize the county by appointing county
officers and selecting a county seat. This
board held its first session June 14, 1877, and
its first official act, after naming Mr. Borchardt
as chainnan, was to designate the town of
Miles City as the seat of government for the
new county. This was followed by the ap-
pointments of A. Carmichael as probate judge,
John McCormick, county clerk; Matt Carroll,
treasurer; Hugh Hoppe, sheriff; Chas. John-
son, assessor, and A. B. Hicks as coroner.
For Miles precinct, the only precinct in the
county, Russell Briggs was named as the first
justice of the peace and M. T. Hall as first
constable.
The first tax levied in the county was eigh-
teen mills on the dollar, which was apportioned
as follows : Territory three mills, county
eleven mills, school three mills, poor one mill.
The first assessment returned by the assessor
showed that within the vast area of the largest
county in the United States, there was a prop-
erty valuation of only $100,197.
The first grand jury in Custer county was
called in the fall of 1878, and the panel in-
cluded the names of Chris Hehli. T. C. Burns,
C. L. McKay, James Simpson, Emery ^'^ine,
Chas. Brown, W'm. Burke. A. W". Church. J.
M. Gilman, John W'oodliiT, Fred Barrell,
George Ives, Arch McCurdy. James McGraw,
J. W. Montague, L. J. Whitney, J. M. Riddle,
James Bottoman, David Toner and J. B.
Hubbell. The first trial jury was made up of
J. A. Trumel, J. B. \\'right, Clark Tingley.
Lewis Clark. Michael Burker, Tnlius Balzer.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
Paul Borchardt, Louis Bach, \\\ H. Adams.
Henry Bender, George Eastman, James
Cooper. Jijhn Chinnick, Al. Clark, Ole John-
son. Mat Ilgen, Fred Miller and George
Troeschman.
During the years 1877-78-79 and 1880,
the population of Custer county increased very
rapidly and centered in and around Miles City
and up and down the Y'ellowstone river, while
a few more venturesome than the rest started
homes along the Tongue river some distance
from its mouth. The establishment of Forts
Keogh a'nd Custer and the activity of General
Miles in controlling the Indians had rendered
the Yellowstone valley safe for settlement. A
continuous line of farms were located along
the north bank of the Yellowstone and each
one showed some cultivation. A sawmill, the
first in the Yellowstone valley, had been
started in 1877 by ^V. H. Bnllard, with a
capacity of 5,000 feet per day. This was lo-
cated about fifteen miles east of Miles City,
and furnished the lumber for most of the
frame buildings erected in the vicinity of that
town.
According to the territorial treasurer's re-
port of 1878, there were three births in Cus-
ter county and no deaths. The report of county
industries were as follows: Oats, 164 acres,
6,835 bushels; wheat, 12 acres, 430 bushels;
rutabagas, y^ acre, 7,500 pounds; 119 milch
cows, 10,980 pounds of butter and cheese;
1,200 sheep, 7,500 pounds of wool; i sawmill,
75,000 feet of lumber; six acres of onions, 160
bushels.
The hunting and slaughtering of buffalo
for their hides had been one of the principal
sources of trade in Custer county since its first
settlement. In 1881 the killing of bufifalo
reached the high water mark and was the be-
ginning of the end of the monarch of the
prairie. Through courtesy the killing of the
bufifalo w^as called hunting, but it was nothing
less than butchery. The method used in kill-
ing buffalo was for a hunter to go out with
perhaps a half dozen "skinners" and establish
a camp near some well known feeding ground.
Flaving concealed himself before dawn the
hunter would be ready to commence killing as
soon as the herd would rouse themselves and
begin their morning graze. The heavy rifie
made but little noise and when a buiTalo would
drop from no apparent cause, those around
him would sniff his calrcass apprehensively
once or twice, and seeing nothing to excite
them, would again fall to grazing, only to
meet the same fate as soon as their movements
gave them the proper exposure. The ignorant
brutes refused to stampede and usually staid
in one place until the last sur\-ivor had
dropped. Large scores were made, often run-
ning as high as fifty or sixty and even up to a
hundred killed in a day, when conditions were
favorable. The number was only limited by
the number of "skinners" a hunter had in his
camp, as they never killed more than could
be skinned while the carcasses were yet warm
and it was almost impossible to skin a carcass
after it had become cold. The hides were sup-
posed to be salted, rolled and piled so that they
would be safe from the weather and easy of
access for the teams to be sent out after them
in the spring. Some did this, but many did
not and many skins were spoiled in this man-
ner. Usually the hunter was a man whose only
asset was his ability to shoot, but he had no
trouble in finding many willing to stake him
for $800 or a $1,000 with which to buy an out-
fit. Owing, probably to the deep snows that
made it almost impossible for the herds to
move, the winter of 1880-81 was the record
breaker in buft'alo killing-, it being estimated
that 250.000 were killed in Custer county dur-
ing that year. In the spring of 1882 about
180,000 hides were shipped out of Custer
county and this was supposed to represent
only about 75 per cent of the number kille<l,
the rest being lost through careless handling.
\\'hen the fact is taken into consideration that
this killing had been g'oing on for several
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
335
years previously and that it was continued for
a year or two after this, we must grant that
this lucahty did its full share in the extermina-
tion of the noble animal. With the exception
of a few captives, the buffalo is now extinct.
The advent of the Northern Pacific rail-
road which built its line through Custer
county in 1881 and 1882, brought alxjut a com-
plete chauige in the commercial conditions then
e.xisting here and opened up new lines of in-
dustry. Many new settlers began to arrive
and many larms along the creeks and ri\'ers
in the interior of the county were located upon.
It was in the year 1881 that the people of
Custer county first became aware of the fact
that this section was peculiarly adapted for
range purposes. It was because of a peculiar
experience of a "bull train" belonging to the
"Diamond R," that suggested the idea of the
value of this section as a winter range. This
train, enroute from Fort Buford to Fort Custer
and heavily laden, became snow bound near
the Crow reservation, and was abandoned by
the "whackers" who turned the oxen loose
tu rustle. The poor animals, almost too weak
to stand, were expected to go ofif somewhere
and die. The snow was three feet deep and
nothing but sage brush and greasewood in
sight. Greatly to the surprise of their owners,
almost the entire band of sixty were seen a
few months later in the very pink of condition.
This story spread quickly and widely and be-
fore the people of this section were hardly
aware of tlie fact, the cowboy of the south-
west and Texas had displaced the buft'alo
hunter. The change was sudden and complete,
and during the years between 1881 and 1885
great wealth was dumped into Custer county
in the shape of range cattle. Not only were
the experienced cowmen of the southwest tak-
ing ach'antage of this rich, virgin range, but
also the wealthy men of the eastern states were
making a rush to get into the business.
The sheep industry preceded the cattle in-
dustrv in Custer county bv several vears. The
first were brought into what is now Custer
county l>y a Mr. Burgess, who starteil from
California with a bunch of 1,400 sheep in the
fall of 1876. They were a cross between the
Merino and Cotswold breeds. He arrived
here about the end of September, having con-
sumed two seasons on the trip, and located on
Tongue river on the site of the present Miles
City. In the following fall the band was pur-
chased by George Miles and moved to a range
higher up the river.
In 1879, a band of Indians killed a man
named Lynch on Powder river. They were
caught, and brought to Miles City, the county
seat, and tried for the offense. Three of
them were found guilty and sentenced to be
hung. The gallows were erected and every-
thing in readiness for the hanging. But the
Indians, who believe that hangiiiig in public,
is the worst possible form of death, defeated
the ends of justice by hanging themselves in
the jail. They took the belts from their breech
clouts and fastened them together. One hung
himself to the steel door of the cell and when
he was dead he was taken down by the other,
and he then proceeded to hang himself in
the same way. The other Indian who was in
a separate cell, a few nights after took the
string from his moccasin and tied it around
his neck so tightly that he choked to death.
Thus, by their own hands three of them be-
came good Indians.
In 1880 settlements had advanced so rap-
idly along- the Yellowstone and Tongue rivers,
that the Indians, because of their raids on
stock and their stealing proclivities, became
a nuisance to the settlers. A petition was cir-
culated through the valley, praying con-
gress to remove the Crow Indians from their
present reservation to some locality more eligi-
ble for the Crows and less inconvenient for ad-
vancing civilization. The Yellowstone Journal
of that year said : "As the matter stands the
Crow Indians occupy the finest portion of the
^'ellowstone vallev. and while owning- inilv one
33(^
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY
shore of the river, they practically exclude the
«hite settler from peaceful occupation of the
other shore also. The probability of valua-
ble mines being discovered on the reservation
makes it important on behalf of the Indians
themselves that they be removed while it is
possible for the measure to be peacefully ef-
fected, and the present time seems peculiarly
propitious for the purpose. They have al-
ready signified a willingness to sell out and re-
move farther north. Perhaps, however, the
best settlement of the whole Indian problem
would be Secretary Schurz's proposition to
convert them into settlers by forcing them to
enter upon and cultivate the land on the same
footing with whites. That would finish them."
In August, 1880, a man by the name of
Catfish Sandy and a partner were attacked by
a band of raiding Indians on the Mizpah.
Sandy wounded two of the Indians and made
his escape, but his partner was not so fortunate
and was killed by the Indians. Sandy at
once notified the commanding officer at Fort
Keogh, and under the guidance of Sandy they
at once started for the scene of the disturb-
ance. Arriving there they found the Indians
in a ravine near by where they had retreated
for safety. Upon the approach of the sol-
diers, they opened fire, killing one man and
wounding another seriously. The officer in
charge seeing that the Indians were well armed
and had plenty of ammunition, sent a runner
back to the fort for reinforcements and in the
meantime placed a strong guard aromid the
Indians to they could not escape. A company
was at once sent to their assistance, taking
with them a three-inch field piece. Upon the
arrival of the company a scout was sent for-
ward to demand the surrender of the guilty
Indians, telling them that they were sur-
rounded and could not escape. Accordingly,
they came out and gave themselves up, and
were taken to the post where two of them
were placed in the guard house and the
wounded were taken to the hospital. They
were never made to sutler for their murderous
assault.
A commemorative monument was placed
at Fort Keogh in i S83 in memory of those who
fell fighting- the Sioux in Montana and em-
braces the Bear Paw, Big Hole, and other
fields as well as Custer. The sides of the mon-
ument are highly polished and on one side is
the following inscription : '!To the officers
and men killed, or who died of wounds re-
ceived in action in the Territory of ^Montana,
while clearing the district of the Yellowstone
of hostile Indians." On the other three sides
are cut the names of thirty-nine officers and
privates, with regiment and company to which
each belonged, and the place and date of the
action resulting in their deaths.
In 1883, in August, it was reported that
the Indians were on the warpath and the Yel-
lowstone Juiinial of 'that date, said, "There are
numerous reports of Indian troubles among
the cattle and sheep men along the Tongue and
Powder rivers, it being asserted that a hunter
on Ash creek, a tributary of Powder river, was
found dead in his cabin. It was surmised that
he had been giving the Indians a square meal
from the appearance of the cabin and received
a bullet in the back that cost him his life as a
reward for his hospitality. The Cheyennes
have mostly left the Keogh reserve and ha\'e
set out for the head of the Tongue river to join
the balance of the tribe. They muster about
800 fighting men and can do great damage
before they are forced to lay down their anns.
There is an evident determination among the
ranchers and stockmen to take the law in their
own hands should the trouble wax greater, and
extermination at the hands of these hardy pio-
neers will be about what these hostiles will get.
The river Crows have joined forces with the
Cheyennes, and daily reports are promulgated
of the depredations they have committed. Ex-
termination, root and branch, is the only set-
tlement of the Indian question." No ac-
tion was taken in regard to the dep-
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
337
redations of the Indians but public feel-
ing ran very high. In 1884, the in-
terior department listened to the reports
and complaints of the settlers of the
Tongue and Yellowstone valleys and estab-
lished a new agency for the Cheyennes be-
tween Lame Deer and the Little Muddy and
removed these thieving Indians to that locality.
But, even this did not stop them from killing
the settlers' cattle and sheep whenever they
felt in need of fresh meat, and sometimes a
herder was killed while protecting his herd.
In the early part of 1884, Bishop Brondel,
of Helena, established a mission among the
Cheyennes on Otter creek. The Yello.wstone
Junnial, in speaking of that mission in 1885,
said : "A resident priest and three Ursuline
Nuns of Toledo, Ohio, took charge of the work
of civilization and education. During a short
space of time a good deal of work has been
accomplished. The school numbers over fifty
children. The present buildings were entirely
too small and not adapted f(.u- the purpose and
therefore a new and spacious mission school
is in course of erection. The main part is 40
by 35 feet, the additional part 22 by 16 feet
and both are two stories high. A contract has
been made with the government to educate
forty Indian children at the mission ; they will
get their board, clothing and education at the
school. The day is not far distant when the
Cheyennes on the Tongue and surrounding
ci untry will be Christianized and civ-
ilized, and have their own ranches,
stock, gardens, and finally become good,
law-abiding citizens and useful members
of society. All this will be the fruit of educa-
tion." This prediction, made twenty-one years
ago, is now \'erified and the Cheyennes are
peaceful, industrious and law-abiding citizens.
They realize the value of education and their
children, whenever possible, are sent to the
mission schools, where they receive a thorough
training in all the essential branches, and many
are sent east to finish their educations.
22
In 1883, the dismembering of Custer coun-
ty was commenced when the territory now
comprising the county of Yellowstone was cut
ofi. Considerable trouble was experienced be-
fore an amicable settlement was reached in
regard to the amount that Yellowstone county
was to pay the county of Custer. Custer coun-
ty claimed about $54,000 as her just
dues from Yellowstone county, and af-
ter taking the matter to the courts
where it was argued and discussed for
over three years, it was finally settled
in July, 1886, and Yellowstone paid over
to Custer county the amount decided upon by
the courts of $45,793.81 as full and final set-
tlement.
The year 1883 also marks the darkest page
in the management of the affairs of Custer
county. It was during this year that the board
of county commissioners was discharged from
office by the legislature for misappropriation
of funds and other irregularities in office.
The board of county commissioners, the coun-
ty clerk and county treasurer were indicted by
the grand jury. The county treasurer had
taken several thousand dollars to go east and
buy furniture for the new court house. He
was last heard of in St. Paul, but from there
all trace of the treasurer and the money was
lost. The county clerk skipped out of the
country, but was later apprehended in Texas
and brought back and lodged in jail. A trial
was held, but owing to the fact that the sym-
pathizers of the men were in control of the
powers of justice, it was found to be impossi-
ble to convict them for the offenses charged.
The Custer county court house was in course
of construction that year and was finished in
1884. The actual cost of the building was
estimated at about $30,000, but it cost the
county of Custer $100,000, but as the cost of
material and labor was much higher in those
days than at present, it may have cost the con-
tractor $50,000 to finish the building. This
was the greatest steal ever perpetrated in the
338
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY
county, and from forty to fifty thousand dol-
lars of the county's money went into the pock-
ets of the powers "that were" at that time.
Since that time the records of Custer county
have been clean and the people of the county
have been wise in their selection of men to
manage the affairs of the county.
The winter of 1886-7 is a. memorable one
in the history of Custer county, as it was in
that year they suffered such tremendous
losses in the stock business. The county did
not get over the results of that winter for a
number of years, and a great industry shrunk
to almost nothing. It was the latter end of the
winter that did such telling work on the stock,
as it came when the cattle were weak and un-
able to stand the terrible storms and cold
weather. The big outfits, owned by eastern
capitalists, were usually in charge of a cowboy
who had no business ability or a man from the
east who knew nothing of the cattle business.
They, wanting to make a good showing with
the owners, often reported a very light loss in
the spring, probably one per cent, when it was
usually about ten per cent. In the spring of
1887, to make good their former reports, they
charged up abnormal losses and thereby saved
their reputations. The actual loss for that
winter was estimated at sixty per cent. The
little fellows, the "nesters," or grange ranch-
ers as they were called, suffered much less
than the big outfits, as they had only small
bunches of stock, and were able to feed them.
The idea of winter feeding had never been
practiced by the large owners, but after that
they saw the advantages of it and there are
now but few of them who do not make pro\'i-
sions for feeding in winter if it is found nec-
essary. Of course, winter feeding is not to
be thought of if the stock can live on the range,
as free grass is the basis of the profits. Win-
ter ranging is not inhuman as one might sup-
pose because the range steer will usually find
a better shelter in the "bad land" breaks than
can be constructed bv man and the feed in its
natural state is surely more toothsome and nu-
tritious than when made into hay. As dem-
onstrated l)y the buffalo, it is alright for stock
bred on the range, but it is hard on eastern cat-
tle brought in the first year.
After the hard winter, things ran smoothly
in Custer county for several years, the stock-
men recuperated from their loses, the county
grew rapidly in wealth and population, and
everyone prospered.
In 1890, the Indians, b.ecoming more bold
in their depredations , killed a sheepherder
named Ferguson and a man named
Gaffney. The murderers were caught,
tried and convicted, but as was usually the
case, the Indian Protective Association, an or-
ganization formed in the east, came to their
aid and saved them from paying the just pen-
alty for their crime.
Indian raids were kept up for a number of
years and thousands of dollars worth of stock
was killed which was the property of the set-
tlers on the Rosebud and Tongue rivers. Con-
ditions rgached such a state that Captain J. T.
Brown formed a company of militia among the
settlers for the protection of their property.
In 1897 this company was mustered into the
service of the state and christened "Co. C,
First Reg. K. G. M." The roster of the
company was as follows : Captain, Joseph T.
Brown ; First lieutenant, George W. Brew-
ster; second lieutenant, John McKay; ser-
geants, D. ;\I. Hogan, Alat Winters, Florence
Ford. Julian Schwadle and James King; Cor-
porals, L. A. Alderson, Lincoln Robinette, Lee
Tucker and Theo. Salkerson; buglers, Her-
man \\'ehler and Lewis McLauchlin; privates.
Clay W. Bailey, Arthur H.Crowell, Z. T. Cox,
Theo. P. Danby, Edward Daw, Frank Gardi-
ner, Frank Griffin, P. E. Groffman, J. C. Hope,
G. W. Humphries, Myron W. Hunt, Arch
Kelly, John Craft, W. H. Lyndes, W. D. Lin-
nille, Frank Lambert, R. T. Larsen, Ben Mc-
Kinney, Ed McGeehee, Chas. E. Miller, Ray-
mond Mitchell, John Mahoney, Jos. B. Moore,
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
339
W. Pennoyer, J. C. Ratcliffe, A. Robinette,
H. Stevens, Swen Swenson, G. Stanley, To-
bias Silverson, R. H. TaHaferro, M. A. Wolfe,
Thos. Worman.
The troop was "mounted infantry" and its
arms and ammunition was furnished by the
state. The object of having the company
mustered into the state's service was twofold.
First to secure prestige among the Indians and
second, to obtain the necessary arms and am-
munition to make the organization effective.
While the company was never called upon to
quell any Indian trouble, they were always
an.xious to be. in order to atone for past of-
fenses and losses at the hands of the Indians.
Captain Brown^s troop was in April, 1898,
transferred to the cavalry as Troop C, and rep-
resented Custer county's contribution to the
state's quota of soldiers called to serve in the
war with Spain. Captain Brown's orders were
as follows: "Your company has been trans-
ferred to the cavalry as Troop C. You will
increase your command to 100 men, which
with the commissioned officers, will make
103. You are liable to be called out at any
moment, with three other troops of cavalry.
Enlist the best men you can; 419 cavalrymen
will lea\"e the state. I do not think it will be
fcr any great length of time. The men will
take their own horses along. See that they are
a good lot. If you have 100 men like those I
saw at Ashland your troops will not be beaten
in the United States. Do the best you can and
hurry up. Try and have the horses all one
color. Yours very truly, James W. Drennan,
Adj. Gen.. Helena, Montana."
This troop was called out and went to
Chickamaug-ua, where they spent several
months of inaction, which did not suit the boys
iif the Custer county troop, as they were an
active lot and used to the life on the plains.
They were greatly disappointed in not being
sent to the front.
Considerable excitement was stirred up in
Custer county in 1898 by the report that In-
dians were on the warpath, and for a time
things looked squally. A man named Hoover
had been killed by the Indians and upon the
refusal of the Indians to give up the murderers,
the troops were sent there to take them by
force. A few of the Indians refused to sur-
render and held out until their leader was
killed, when they came in and gave up the mur-
derers. It was some time before the Indians
resumed their former occupations and the set-
tlers again felt safe JMany of the settlers had
left their homes and gone to Miles City be-
cause of the threatening attitude of the In-
dians. The murderers were tried and one con-
\icted and sentenced to be hung, but he was
reprieved and ncjw lanquishes in the state's
prison at Deer Lodge. This was the last of
the Indian troubles in Custer county and since
that the red men have applied themselves to
the more peaceful pursuit of tilling the soil
and advancing in the scale of civilization.
In Custer county, within whose borders
lies the historic spot where Custer and brave
men fell, it has been the custom for many years
for both whites and Indians to pay a loving
tribute to the memory of the brave men who
fell there. In 1899, the people of two states
met here to honor the memory of the brave
Custer and his soldiers and below we give the
glowing account published in the Yellowstone
Journal of June g. 1899:
As if mindful of the awful scenes enacted on the
spot almost quarter of a century before, nature was
in her most savage mood last Tuesday when the crowds
began to gather at the Custer battlefield to observe
Memorial day and pay tribute to the memory of the
heroic dead who are sleeping so peacefully on the
rolling hills overlooking the Little Big Horn. Lowering
clouds overcast the sky and hid the genial face of the
sun, which vainly strove to break though the veil of
sombre hued darkness and lend a gleam of brightness
to the picture of sadness. The song of the birds was
hushed and only the hum of the many voices could
be heard. A strong wind blew from the west and made
mournful music atnong the trees that line the banks
of the little stream w-hich flows in picturesque curves
through the valley and like a thin band of
340
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
silver wends its way to the north where it
joins the Big Horn. Nature's tears were ready to
fall, but as if considerate of those who had come so far
to reverently lay the emblem of peace and love on the
sacred ground which holds in lasting embrace the dust
of those who fell on that fateful 25th of June, the
clouds slowly rolled away and the sky gradually as-
sumed a brighter hue until at last the sun shone in all
its splendor, and though the wind still continued to
sing among the trees and bushes and occasionally give
way to wails that at times sounded like the shrieks
of the dying, the scene became less gloomy and the
picture more animated. The crowds that had arrived
from two states for whose peace and security the bat-
tle had been fought, began to scatter and while some
prepared to picnic and eat their dinner, others climbed
the long hill that leads to the highest part of the field
where stands the monument that marks the place where
the last stand was made by Custer and the few men
■who still remained after the main body of his little
army had been annihilated by the savage foe. Inside
the enclosure where stands the monument under which
the bodies of the slain lie. hundreds of flowers were
placed and the dry parched ground was covered with
them. Flowers also reposed at the foot of the little
wooden cross that tells the exact spot' where Custer
fell, and in hushed tones the story of his death and
that of his men who found a glorious end on that
blood drenched knoll was repeated.
At last the hour had come when the formal exer-
cises of the day were to begin and the crowds drifted
in the direction of the little canopied stand that had
been erected about 200 yards from the monument from
which the speaker was to address them. In front was
the battlefield with its little white headstones dotting
the landscape, and the long rows of other headstones
placed over the graves of the dead who had fallen on
other fields where the white man and the savage had
contended for supremacy in the many wars that have
been fought in the years gone by and which have made
it possible for the people of today, to dwell in peace
and security in one of the richest and most beautiful
regions of this vast and beautiful land, for the battle-
field is now a national cemetery and the dead from
many places in Montana and Wyoming have found
final sepulchre there. Back of the stand and in front
of the audier:e lay the valley of the Little Big Horn
and while listening to the stirring speech of Colonel
Sanders, their eyes could travel over the place where
the first signs of the Indians had been beheld by the
white man who were so soon to fall victims to the
implacable hatred of the red men. Like on that day
made famous in song and prose the tepees of the red
men dotted the plain and gently ploping hillsides, but
these were of a friendly tribe and added to the com-
pleteness of the picture nature so kindly painted.
Standing at "parade rest" to the left of the platform
was a company of the national guard of Wyoming
and on tile right the Billings band. The address by
Colonel Sanders was undoubtedly one of the most elo-
quent listened to by any body of people on memorial
day in the entire county. At its conclusion, the sol-
diers formed into a body of fours and with the band
and citizens marched up the hill where the tall flag-
staff stands from which the stars and stripes floated.
A dirge was played and then the ceremony of decorat-
ing the graves was commenced. A company of boys
from the Indian school at the Crow agency in gray
uniforms, were given flags and with deft fingers they
soon planted one over each grave and the serried rows
of mounds looked like a field of red, white and blue.
The band played again, a bugler sounded "taps," a
volley was fired by a squad of 'soldiers and the cere-
monies were over.
In 1900. an order was promulgated by
President McKinley by which the Northern
Cheyennes Indian reservation was definitely
and permanently defined, the new boundaries
being given so as to include all the land on the
west side of Tongue river between Cook creek
and Stebbins creek, or to be more technical,
parts of townships 2. 3 and 4 south, ranges 43
and 44. east, being parts of six townships or
about 100.000 acres.
An agreement was negotiated in 1899 by
which the Crow Indians ceded all that por-
tion of the reservation north of the Fort Cus-
ter Military reservation, aggregating one mill-
ion acres, for which they were to be paid
$1,150,000, of which $300,000 is to be applied
to an enlargement of the irrigation system on
the reser\ation, $50,000 for fencing the In-
*dian cattle range, $150,000 for the purchase
of cattle, $50,000 for the purchase of sheep,
$25,000 for the new school buildings, anl
$10,000 to be applied to miscellaneous pur-
poses. The remainder, aggregating $500,000,
was to be held by the government at 4 per cent
interest and a ten dollar cash annuity paid out
of the increment to each Indian. This cession
still left the Crows with 2,000,000 acres of
land to make future deals with. This treaty
opened up a tract of land that has long been
known to be very desirable for farming and
grazing. By legislative enactment that por-
tion of the tract Iving west of the Big Horn
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
341
became a part of Yellowstone county and that
portion lying east a part of the county of Cus-
ter. The division was nearly equal, about a
half a million acres on each side of the river.
This tract was thrown open for settlement
in 1906 and the registration commenced at
Billings. Miles City and Sheridan. Wyoming,
on the 14th of June, and the drawing was
made at Billings during the first days of July.
The county of Rosebud, in which is located
all that part of the Crow reservation which
was recently thrown open for settlement, was
cut off from Custer county in 1901 and the
west line of Custer county made to tVillow the
eleventh guide meridian due south to the Wyo-
ming line. Thus Custer count}', the mother
of counties, with the creation of Rosebud
county, lost the distinction of being the largest
county in the United States. The area of the
coimty is even now larger than some of the
eastern states, having an area of 11,592 square
miles.
The assessed valuation of Custer county
as far back as could be ascertained has beer,
as follows: 1877, $100,197; 1890, $4,661,-
251; 1891, $5,950,251; 1892, $7,815,139:
1893; $7,816,569; 1894, $6,888,349; 1895,
$5,137,248; 1896, $5,907,018: 1897, $6,757,-
441: 1898, $5,906,666: 1899, $6,118,703:1
1900, $6,463,194: igoi, $4,571,012: 1902,
$5,842,434: 1903, $6,646,872: 1904, $6,035,-
655: 1905. $6,680,850: estimated for 1906,
over $7,000,000. The falling off between 1892
and 1896 is due to the hard times, and in 1902
the cutting off of Rosebud county is responsi-
ble for the decrease in valuation.
The financial statement of the county clerk
for the fiscal year ending Xoxember 30, i(-)05.
shews that county was in excellent shape finan-
cially with a balance of $161,549.73. The to-
tal bunded indebtedness was decreased $90,000
and the net indebtedness decreased $3,186.46.
Total amount of taxes collected was $115,-
008.16 and a total delinquency shown of
$9,997.03. The tax levy for the year 1905
was 22.5 mills for county and state purposes.
The total value of the property owned by the
county amounted to $125,900. which was a
very conservative estimate.
The range industry for which Custer coun-
ty has long been noted is generally understood
to refer to cattle, but after years of depressing
conditions the sheep and horse business has
revived with surprising energy and is now as
important a factor in Custer county as the cat-
tle business. For a number of years prior to
1898 horses were a drug on the market and
could not be disposed of at any price, but with
the breaking out of the war, the.demantl in-
creased and prices have been steadily going up
since that time. The same conditions pre-
vailed in the sheep business but an increased
demand and higher prices has placed the sheep
man on the same footing as the cattle and horse
raisers and together they are moving along
and growing more prosperous and wealthy
with each advancing year.
The superiority of Montana horses and cat-
tle has only in the last few years been recog-
nized throughout the eastern states, but now
the number of stock buyers that congregate at
the sales, held several times a year at Miles
City, increases each year and thousands of
horses and cattle are purchased here and
shipped to the eastern markets. From 25.000
to 30,000 head of horses and cattle are shipped
from Custer county each year and about
60,000 head of sheep and se\-en or eight mill-
ion pounds of wool.
While the stock industry is at the present
time the principal asset of Custer county, one
must not overlook the rapidly increasing agri-
cultural possibilities of this section, as
in all stock counties the agricultural
possibilities ha\-e had their light hid
under a Ijushel : but the time has n(iw come
when the farmer is gaining a foothold and the
large holdings of grazing lands are being cut
up into small farms, and, aided by an adequate
system of irrigation, are producing wonderful
342
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
•.crops of fruit, vegetables, grain and alfalfa.
TThe valleys of the Yellowstone, Tongue and
Powder rivers as well as every small creek that
empties into these streams is dotted \\ith
farms that have been brought up to a high
state of cultivation. This is all due to irriga-
tion. Owing to the limited rainy season farm-,
ing is prohibited in Custer county unless irri-
gation schemes are utilized.
The first irrigation enterprise was started
at Miles City in 1882, when Joseph Leighton
and W. B. Jordan conceived the idea of taking
water out of the Tongue river about fourteen
miles above Miles City for the purpose of re-
claiming the arid valley between those points.
In 1882 the canal was surveyed, a portion of
it excavated and a dam constructed. Owing
to faulty construction the first dam was carried
out in the spring of 1883, but the company
again rebuilt it that year. In the spring of
1884 this dam was also wrecked. Many of
the original stockholders became discouraged,
financial difficulties arose and the company
went into the hands of a receiver. As fast as
funds could be raised the work was carried
on and soon the original fourteen miles was
completed. It was reincorporated in 1890 un-
der the name of the Miles City Canal and Irri-
gating company. The canal is now twenty-five
miles long and has cost about $150,000. There
are 25,000 acres of land tributary to the canal
that are susceptible of irrigation but not more
than one-fifth is being utilized for farming pur-
poses. Land that went begging at $2.50 per
acre before the canal was built, is now worth
$100 per acre. There are a large number of
smaller irrigation enterprises scattered through
the county and every one is being worked with
gratifying results.
In th-e matter of fuel, the county is es-
pecially well favored, the whole country being
underlaid with immense deposits of lignite
coal. \'ery little is known of this coal out-
side of the Yellowstone valley, because it is
yet in an immature state and will not admit of
export. It makes an excellent fuel and in a
sparsely timbered country like this it is a boon
to the inhabitants. It crops out everywhere,
in "cut banks" bad and land buttes, in veins
of from two feet to six feet in thickness and
the exposed coal can be mined with but little
labor. The denser and more mature coal is
found at a depth of about twenty-five feet be-
low the surface. When freshly mined, it is as
black and glossy as cannel coal, but exposure to
the air causes it to slack and fall to pieces and
prohibits export. It is sold to local consumers
at $2.50 per ton and is much cleaner to use
than the common bituminous product of other
parts of the state. During the past few years,
experiments have been made with considerable
success to find a way to stop this coal fr(jm
slacking, and, as nothing is impossible to
science, the time is not far away when Custer
county will be the coal depot of the western
states.
The climatic conditions of the Yellowstone
valley are all that could be wished for. It
would be hard to find any country in the world
where the climate is of such invigorating and
healthful quality as in this section. It is a land
of sunshine and pure air which is so essential
to the health of every human being. But it is
a land of extremes and the thermometer has
been known to range 200 degrees up and tlown
the scale, from 60 below in winter to 135 above
in the summer. But. these extremes are very
uncommon and it seldom gets below twenty
degrees in winter or over 100 in the summer.
On account of the thin, dry atmosphere, ex-
treme heat or cold are; not felt nearly as much
as in more humid clrmes. A sunstroke has
never yet been heard of in the Yellowstone val-
ley according to the accounts of all old timers.
The healthful qualities of this section are well
attested by the numbers of bright, healthy,
rosy cheeked men and women who live in this
country of sunshine where out door life is pos-
sible, and where bacteria and microbes do not
flourish.
I
CHAPTER II
CITIES AND TOWNS.
MILES CITY.
The city of Miles, started in 1877. owes
its orin^in to the estabHshment of Fort Keogh
on the Tongue river in 1S76. Fort Keogli
was establislied by General, then Colonel.
Nelson A. Miles in 1876 and was iirst located
about two miles from its present site at the
west side of the TongTie river where it empties
into the Yellowstone. It was then known as
the "Cantonment," and the buildings were only
temporary affairs thrown together for shelter
until the buildings could be constructed at the
present site, which were completed during the
3'ears 1877 and 1878. The site on which Mile?
City is built was at that time a part of the mili-
tary reservation which extended for two miles
down the Yellowstone river. Here on the very
edge of the reservation, a small town was
started in the year 1877. In less than one
year the town, which was called Miles City in
honor of Colonel ^liles, wdio was then the com-
manding officer at the post, boasted of a popu-
lation of over two hundred souls.
The first merchant in what is now called
the "Old Town" was Mr. C. W. Savage, who
had come here in the year 1876 as post trader
for the army. He at once saw the opportunity
for a profitable business and got in on the
ground floor. He was soon followed by Maur-
ice Conn and Bassinski Bros., all of whom ar-
rived here and went into business in the year
1877. As is usual with all new communities,
dance halls and saloons were plentiful and did
a thriving business. Transportation in those
days was dependent upon the condition of the
waters of the Yellowstone for steam-boating,
the stream being navigable for loaded Iwats
onlv during the season of high water, which
usually occurred in June when the snows were
melting in the mountains. Otiier freighting
was done by wagon train in the summer, fall
and winter, overland from Bismarck, but this
mode of transportation was very expensive and
usually, only luxuries that could stand the high
tariff, were sent in in this way. A semi-weeklv
mail service was enjoyed by the inhabitants of
Miles City, which came overland with a sched-
ule of four days from Bismarck, the distance
being about 300 miles. Day and night travel
was included in the schedule, but at this time it
was more night than day on account of the
danger from small war parties of Indians, who
on several occasions made their presence
known and once ambushed a stage driver and
left his bones to whiten on the plains.
The post being nearly completed, late in
1877, the troops occupied it. and their removal
left a distance of four miles between Miles
City and the source of its greatest trade. This
was too far away for convenience both to the
troops and the townspeople, and in March,
1878, the military authorities issued an order
throwing open that part of the Fort Keogh
reservation lying east of the Tongue river. The
people of the old Miles City at once arose, al-
most en masse, and hurriedly moved westward
two miles, to the very edge of the Tongue river
where the military had established a ferry and
opened an official gateway to the post.
A townsite company was formed which
laid out the new town, put nominal prices on
lots and apportioned the business locations in
a way that was satisfactory to all. The tem-
porary log shacks with dirt roofs that had
filled the temporary wants of the residents of
the old town were not considered in keeping
with the growing importance of the new town.
344
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY,
and many of tlie new buildings, which were
nearly all frame, were quite fastidiously
adorned.
The change of location made no change in
the name of the town and in 1878, Miles City,
began to have the appearance of a lively up-
to-date town. A garrison full of soldiers and
the usual complement of followers and citi-
zen employes made a good payroll. This was
enlarged by the earniiigs of a small army of
government contractors' men, high salaried
clerks in the stores and the continued influx of
the inevitable tenderfoot who always has. and
who will always continue, to flock to frontier
towns and there be relieved of his surplus. The
first store in the new town was started by
James B. Hubbell & Co., and was soon fol-
lowed by C. \\'. Savage and Maurice Conn,
who moved up from the old town in the sum-
mer of 1878. It was during this year that
many of the residents considered it safe to
have their families come to this place and
many women and children came up on the
early boats and some later came o\erlanil.
The first Fourth of July celebration held
in this section of Montana was held at Miles
City, in 1879. General Nelson A. Miles was
made chairman of the day and delivered a
patriotic address. A good program was ren-
dered throughout and the old timers to this
day lovingly remember the first Fourth ever
held in the Yellowstone valley.
Miles City now enjoyed great prosperity,
beneficial improvements were going on every
day and it was beginning to realize its im-
portance as a factor in the settlement of the
Yellowstone valley. A live, weekly newspaper
was established in July, 1879, and the many
advantages of the town were spread through
"the states."
The value of a live, wide awake newspaper
to a town which has a good "tooster" at the
helm, is shown in the following excerpt from
the Yellowstone Journal of Februarv 7 1880:
Miles City is in Custer county, in a portion of Mon-
tana territory, rather more than one-third larger in
area than the whole state of Pennsylvania. It is a
lively, bustling, successful town. * * * There are
300 buildings in the place and somewhere in the neigh-
borhood of 750 inhabitants. * * * The town is
rapidly growing and in view if the fact that it was
started only a little over a year ago, it may with con-
fidence be regarded as destined in time to justify its
name of "city." We have carpenters, blacksmiths,
painters, dining halls, saloons of every grade, the
higher grades predominating, excellent drug stores,
depots of fancy notions, theater, school, court house,
jail, and in fact everything requisite to maintain a
town of an independent .footing^ excepting, indeed,
a tirstclass hotel suitable for the" accommodation of
tourists and business men temporarily sojourning here,
which would be a paying investment from the start.
Add to the above that Miles City is an orderly place in
which riotous demonstrations, should they be attempted,
would be promptly and inflexibly repressed, where the
presentation of a pistol in a threatening manner sub-
jects the offender to a heavy fine, and even the wanton
discharge of fire arms in the streets is a punishable of-
fense, and the eastern reader will be able to gain an
idea of the
In spite of the optismistic view of the
v.-riter of the above. Miles City, during the
years 1879-80 and part of 1881 was consid-
ered a tough place and harbored a number of
road agents, cattle and horse rustlers, and
other desperate characters, such as "Calamity
Jane," "Cayuse Laura," "Big Nose George"
and his gang, and many others who were the
followers of those mentioned above. Society at
this time demanded that all men should meet
on the same level and absolutely no comment
was made when a prominent citizen was seen
playing against the "bank" or setting up the
drinks at one of the many siiirees of the demi-
monde.
In the spring of 1881, the town of Miles
\\-as almost entirely submerged by water. The
ice in the Yellowstone and Tongue rivers
broke up about the same time, and, gorging at
the mouth of the Tongue, caused the water
of the Tongue river to back up and inundate the
town. The flood lasted two days and all cel-
lars and first floors of the buildings were un-
der water. The merchants wore rubber boo's
J
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
345
when waiting on their customers and the only
means of getting alx)Ut the city was by boat.
There being no wash or current, the damage
was shght.
In May, 1880, notice was received that
the bill had passed providing for the establish-
ment of a United States Land Office at Miles
Citv and the ratification of the appointments
of Major T. P. McElrath as register, and E.
A. Kreidler as receiver. It was in June of this
year that it was definitely known that the
Northern Pacific railroatl would build through
Miles City.
In November, 1881. the railroad reached
Miles City and brought about a complete
change in the methods and manners of the
people. The Yellowstone Journal in speaking
of this change, said : "That the railroad
brought the community at once in touch with
the more concise and narrower life of 'The j
States.' the 'nickel' displaced the 'quarter'
as the smallest coin in use, and prices shrunk
j accordingly. For, whereas, it was competent
in the old days for a merchant to ofifer as an
excuse for the exorbitant price asked by him
for a package of needles, that the freight rate
was excessi\-e, the coming of the railroad i
robbed this argument of its honored plausibil- j
ity and in many other ways compelled such a j
revision of previously inculcated ideas that the
classes that had enjoyed life under the high I
pressure and abnormal conditions of the earlier
period found existence flat, stale and unprofit-
able under the new and more mirmal regime,
and. folding their tents, they stole silently
away to garnish and adorn other fields, so that,
during the next few years, it was not p<issible
for a .Miles City man to visit any of the towns
or cities of the state without getting the grand
hailing sign — mostly of distress — from some |
shipwrecked \-oyageur on life's trouljled tide,
who had, in the old days of ]\Iilestown. en-
joyed the rating of a continuous meal ticket,
two suits of clothes and a shave every other
day : more than which none of the happy-go-
lucky wayfarers of those halycon days coveted.
"This exodus, though receiving its first im-
petus from the advancing railroad, was not
immediate. The army of labor that precedes
and is coincident with the building of a rail-
road into a new country offered a field of em-
ployment for the talent of the sporting ele-
ment. Previous to this the producers had
been the 'swaddy' or pri\-ate soldier. The
'Ijull-wliacker.' the bufi^alo hunter and the
tenderfoot. With the coming of the railroad
the 'bull trains' were eliminated and the
'whacker' faded away into a mere recollec-
tion, but his place was promptly filled at the
various resorts by the 'hoi polloi' that came in
with the iron horse. It was a cheap crowd
though, wholly unused to the princely style
that had been the \-ogue in Milestown before
its arrival, and stubbornly insistent for a while
on the acceptance of a nickel as an adequate
recompense for a glass of beer. This proposed
innovation was hotly contested for awhile by
the adherents of the two-bit theory, resulting
finally in a compromise that established the
'two for a quarter' as the going rate. * *
* Still things lioomed. and of e\enings the
mixed crowd 'milled around' the two or three _
blocks that comi)ose(l the center of town, rival-
ing both in numbers and excitement the prin-
cipal thoroughfares of the most populous cities.
Three variety theaters purveyed nightly, wild
and garish entertainments."
In 1881 Miles City had a population of
alx)ut 1,500 people and many stores with large
stocks of goods. Three or four merchants did
a business of nearly $300,000 per year, while
several smaller ones reached from $75,000 to
$150,000. The buffalo hide and robe business
put in circulation that year nearly a quarter of
a million dollars. It is well to note here that
the hunting of bufl:'alo was now almost a thing
of the past as the vast herds that once roamed
o\-er the plains of Custer county were now al-
most extinct. Since the starting of the town,
the hunting ui the bnfi^alo and the readv mar-
346
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY
ket for their hides had Ijeen tiie principal source
of income for a large number of hunters and
had been the cause of a large volume of trade
coming to Miles City, but now that was cut
of¥ and Miles City was to experience a quiet
period for several years until the raising of
stock became a great industry.
There is a time in the histor)- of every
frontier town, and ]\liles City was no excep-
tion to the general rule, when the respect for
law and order rests lightly upon the shoulders
of a large part of the population. It sometimes |
happens that this class not only furnish can- |
didates for office, but often elect them, and 1
under such conditions, one can hardly expect I
a rigid enforcement of all the statutes. Drink-
ing and fighting were at that time the usual i
order of the day, but the police force and jail ]
facilities being limited, they were always al-
lowed to settle their differences as best they
might. There came a time though — possibly
as a result of this lax administration — when
law and order had to assert itself. It was in
the summer of 1883, during the period of
evolution from the old time days to the new
and changed conditions brought about by the
advent of the railroad, and the incoming of a
gang of thugs and desperadoes with it. They
were ugly and malicious, and decent womcr.
were not free from insult — something new in
the experience of the people who had lived
here in the earlier days. Attempts at incendiar-
ism had been frequent and a feeling of antag-
onism to the hoodlums was aroused among the
better class of citizens which resulted in or-
ganization of a vigilance committee.
On Saturday morning. July 21, 1883, at
an early breakfast hour a tough named Rigney
and a boon companion, whose name is lost to
history, turned up in the residence portion
after an all-night"s carouse, both ugly drunk.
In this condition they forced themselves into
a respectable house while the family were at
breakfast, and, when ordered out, refused to
go, and when forced out, filled the air with
foul language and with fouler allusimis tn the
family on whose privacy they had intruded.
A neighbor who was cognizant of the outrage
the ruffians had perpetrated, counselled them
to waste no time in getting out of the com-
munity, and recei\-ing for his good advice an
unquotable retort, .promptly dealt Rigney a
l)low with a club that stretched him senseless,
and the other hobo at once took to his heels.
Rigney was taken to jail, but the story of his
morning adventure was told and retold during
the day. The fact tliat the ladies of the house-
hold upon whom he put so foul an insult
were general favorites gave the incident addi-
tional importance, and the mysterious gath-
erings here and there on the streets of small
knots of people gave the idea that something-
out of the ordinary was about to happen.
Events had been tending toward a lawless state
of affairs for some time because of the free-
dom of public sentiment, but the Rigney inci-
dent was felt to be the last straw by the law
and order element. They knew that unless
these acts of license and invasion of their
homes and the insults oft'ered to the inmates
were checked promjjtly and effective!}', liie
and pro]>erty would l)e at the mercy of the mob.
That night, July Jr, about twelve o'clock.
Jailer Jim Conley was awakened and upon go-
ing to the door, was held up at the business end
of a six shooter, and forced to give up, the
keys. The testimony given at the inquest is
as follows :
In the matter of the inquest held on Wil-
liam Rigney, July 22. 1883, at three o'clock, p.
m., James Conley being duly sworn, testifiel
as follows :
ScmelDody came o\er tc^i my lunrse and
woke me up about 12:30 a. m., of July 21,
and said that they had a prisoner to put in. I
went over to the court house. Just as I got
inside the door a lot of six shooters were pulled
down on me. Some one said. "Hold up your
hands," or something that way. Just then they
caught me under the arms and shoved my
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
347
hands up, carried me down the haU twenty or
thirty feet, put nie up' against the wall, took
off my belt containing my keys, opened the
jail door and several of them went inside.
They staid there about a minute or so. Al!
passed through, except four or five. The
four or five left behind shoved me into the jail
and locked the door. 1 was in there about
twenty tir twenty-five minutes l>efore I said
an}thing, and then I tried to wake up the boys
who were sleeping in an adjoining room. 1
couldn't get them up and I called tor Pike. I
got Pike up and told him to go after Kelley.
He didn't go after Kelley, but woke the two
boys in the adjoining rooms. One of them went
after Kelley and got him do\\n there. A lit-
tle before Kelley arrived I told Pike tO' loolc
around and see if he could see anything. He
found the key. I don't know whether it \\a->
in the hall or on the step. Wash and the nth-
ers came and let me out. I don't rememljer
them asking for anybody. I think they said,
"get up." 1 (hdn't see an\' prisoner get out of
the jail ; nothing was saitl by anyone at all,
only somelx)dy said when they went in. "Oh,
God damn it," or something like that.
John M. Pike, being duly sworn, testified :
Somebody came to the door and called for
Conley. They said the name, but I don't
know what it was, and afterwards I heard
them walking on the sidewalk to the court
house. By and b\-, 1 heard some hard talking
in the court house. By and by, Conley called
me and told nie some men put him in there. I
asked him what he had done to be put in, and
he told me nothing. Then he told me to go
after Kelley and then alter the janitor. I went
and got him up. He came to Conley. Conley
told him to go after Kelley, and while he was
gone Conley told me to look after the ke>-s
outside of the door. I did look and found
them. He told me to let him out and I told
him that if he did n(.)t do anything 1 would let
him out. 1 was trying to open the door with
the keys but I couldn't.
Thomas Conway, being duly sworn, testi-
fied as follows :
Between 12:00 and 1:00 o'clock 1 heard
the report that a man was hung down at the
railroad bridge. Some men started down there
to get the body. I saw the masks, but I didn't
recognize the body. The body in the next
room is the same as swung from the bridge.
Francis Diamond, being duly sworn, testi-
fied as follows :
It happened last night. Rigney slept in
the same cell with me, I on the inside. I won-
dered when I heard the noise. When I looked
up I heard one man say to another, "strike a
light," and they did. Two men walked into
the cell. Tliey had either knives or pistols
in their hands. 1 couldn't see their faces.
They called this man by name and he answered
them. They tuld him to get up and he jumped
out. and then went with them without hesita-
tion or without surprise. They didn't give him
time to dress Ijut took him out. I was sound
asleep before they came in ; couldn't recognize
the parties who came in. The body in the next
room is the same as w as in the cell w ith me last
night.
D. B. Staples, being duly sworn, testified
as follows :
I was sitting with Mr. King last night.
.\l)out oue o'clock some parties came in and
told him that a man was hanging down at the
bridge. I went down with him and saw the
body hanging. I recognized the body as be-
ing William Rigney. I didn't see any parties
except those I went down with.
After a short delil)eration the jury re-
turned the following verdict:
An inquisition holden at Miles City, Mon-
tana, in the county,of Custer, on the 22nd day
of July, A. D., i88,^ before Dr. R. G. Redd,
coroner of said county, upim the liody of Wil-
liam Rigney, there lying dead, by the jurors
whose names arc hereunto subscribed, the said
jurors upon their oaths, do say he came to his
death by strangidation from a rope at the
348
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY
hands of parties unknown to them. Signed.
John H. Strader, John Clark. J. E. Williams,
D. A. Bishop, -M. K. Field, and E. L. Jones.
foreman.
Events happened (juickly during the night
and day following the hanging of Rigney. On
the same night an act of incendiarism hap-
pened that threatened to destroy the entire
town and did damage to property amounting
to $54,800. The losses and the persons on
whom they fell are as follows : Cosmopolitan
theater and saloon, owned by H. E. Wolf,
$7,000; Eating stand, $200: S. Simons, gun
store, $2,000; Bassinski Bros., merchandise
store. $25,000: W. E. Savage. $14,000: Chris
Hehli, $500; Dr. Dodge, $500: C. P. Bishop,
$4,000: Sideboard saloon, $600: Hineman &
JNIcTierman, $1,000.
It was supposed that some of Rigney"s
pals had been loafing around the jail and saw^
him taken out, and fearing the outcome, had
incited these acts of incendiarism. The story
of Rigney's fate did not gain general circula-
tion until the fire had burned itself out and a
fevered and angry community, made up of two
antagonistic elements, was on the verge of
serious trovible. To the law and order people
the connection seemed plain and was accepted
as an act of retaliation, and a committee of
public safety was at once organized which or-
dained the departure of all suspicious charac-
ters. The unusual i.;ccurrences of the past
twenty-four hours had wrought e\'eryone up to
a high pitch of excitement, and the chances
were ten to one that there would be no Miles
City the next morning, but the lawless element
had a great deal of respect for men who would
calmly walk up to their acknowledged bad men
and coolly give them t\yenty-four hours in
which to leave town. Sunday night passed
without further trouble. John Chinnick, a
reputed bad man who had a theater and saloon
here at that time and who was the leader of
a gang of roughs, was one of the men ordered
to depart. He had intended coming up town
on Sunday afternoon and bring his gun with
him. His wife endeavored to dissuade him
antl in the scuffle the gun accidentally dis-
charged, the bullet taking effect in Chinnick' s
abdomen, which proved fatal after a lapse of
four weeks. He was a man that was brave and
determined and had decided that he would not
obey the command of the committee. He had
a large and devoted following. The commit-
tee was also made up men of determination
and nerve and a battle would certainly have been
fought had it not been for the fatal shot. As
scon as it was known that Chinnick w-as done
for, his followers could not get out of town
fast enough, and by Tuesday morning all was
peaceable and quiet. It does not seem possible
that such a state of things could have existed in
this now orderly community.
The first artesian well was sunk in 1S83
and flowing water was struck October 26, at
a depth of 160 feet.
Another disastrous fire occurred October
26, 1883. \\'hen it was first discovered it
was within the control of a few buckets of
water, but water was not to be had, and the
flames in a few minutes spread beyond con-
trol. In less time than it takes to tell it the
rear of the Criterion building was in flames
from the ground to the ridge pole, and the in-
tense heat soon communicated fire to tlie pile
of rubbish in the rear of adjoining buildings.
By this time, although no alarm had been
turned in, the whtile town was alive to the
situation and willing hands were at work at
the pumps and with buckets. It was apparent
from the start that the Park street front was
doomed. All along this front from Coleman's
to Flick & Louis' place, energetic workers lent
their aid to remove everything that was mova-
ble. From the rear of the Criterion building
the fire quickly spread to Bishop & Hill's,
Ritter & Co.'s and Bach's buildings, and thence
along the line. The ruthless flames swept on
and soon enveloped Sam O'Connell's fine build-
ing. About this time a keg of powder was
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
349
placed in Flick & Hineman's saloon, which, as
subsequently proved, was the salvation of
Schmalsle's corner and the buildings beyond.
The First National bank building received its
second baptism of fire and stood it nobly, al-
though good work had to be, and was, done,
to keep the fire from communicating thl-ough
the wood work. It was done, however, and
by 12 130 everyone breathed easier and felt that
the danger to the bank and other buildings
was past.
A building boom was experienced in the
year 1883 and buildings were erected to the
cost of $136,300.
In May, 1885, Miles City was again the
victim of a disastrous fire that entailed a loss
of about $100,000. The fire broke out in the
rear of the Merchants' hotel and spread rap-
idly until it seemed as if the business portion
of the town would be entirely swept away. But
the benefit of brick walls came in and stopped
the fire. All the buildings from Sherburne's
to Leighton's stores on the north side of Main
street, and from Bach's restaurant on the east
side of Park street to the old United States
Land Office and the west side of Park street to
the Grand Central hotel, and on the south side
of Main street to the First National bank were
totally destroyed. Among the losers were the
following :
King & Ward's saloon, Orschel's store.
Miles & Strevell hardware, Cotton & Kenne-
dy's saloon, the old Broadwater and Hubbells'
building, the vacant Grand Central hotel,
and a large number of other buildings. The
fire swept away all of the north side of Main
street, except Savage's store, and the Leigh-
ton brick block, that was left by the fire two
years ago. It was a serious blow and the loss
fell heavily upon Miles City.
On the evening of June 30, 1886, the quiet
of the towu was again disturbed by the cry of
"fire." The fire was a short one, but in its
durance it spoiled much property. The ill-
fated buildings were those owned by W. A.
Burleigh, Jr., Theodore Bruback and Mr. An-
derson. The loss on Burleigh's property is
estimated at from nine to ten thousand dol-
lars, nearly covered by insurance; the building-
was insured for $1,500, stock $4,100, and fix-
tures $1,000, total $6,600. T. Bruback's
building was used as a restaurant and was in-
sured for $1,500. The loss on Anderson's
houses footed up about $800. One of them was
occupied by Judge Staehle and he lost his fur-
niture valued at $500. The total loss on all
property was estimated at about $15,000. The
origin of. the fire was unknown.
Early in the morning, July 4, 1886, the
large packing house recently built was burned
to the ground \vith a loss of thirty thousand
dollars. A policy entitling the company to
fifteen thousand dollars insurance had expired
only a few days previously. This was a seri-
ous blow to the town, as it would undoubtedly
have become a great shipping point for dressed
meats had it not been for this disaster.
The town was again visited by a dreadful
holocaust August 7, 1886. About one o'clock
a. m. an alarm of fire was given and a sheet of
flame was seen issuing from the rear of the
Graham block. The fire originated in the old
three story building owned by the Graham es-
tate, a building unoccupied and unconnected
with either of the two buildings that backed
up against it. How it caught has always been
a mystery. But little was saved from this fire,
it being almost useless to attempt to move the
heavy fixtures and furnishings of the houses
and stores. The statement of the losses and
insurance as nearly as can be ascertained are
as follows : P. H. Gallagher, loss, $4,000, in-
surance, $2.500 ; Schmalsle & Ullman, loss,
$1,500, insurance, $1,000; Major E. Butler,
loss, $1,800, insurance, $1,280; W. F. Schmal-
sle, loss, $4,500, insurance, $3,700; James
Coleman, loss, $2,000, insurance. $1,600; H.
White, loss, $500, no insurance ; Cotter & Ken-
nedy, loss. $1,500, insurance, $1,800; Mrs. C.
Brown, loss, $300, no insurance; Konrad
350
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
Schmid. loss, $4,000, insurance, $3,500; Sipes
Bros., loss, $1,000, no insurance; P. Dugan,
loss, $300, insurance, $300; Heavener, loss,
$2,000, insurance, $1,000; C. W. Seyde, loss,
$200, insurance, $200; L. Payette, loss, $400,
insurance, $400; Connie Huffman, loss
$1,000, insurance, $2,500; Chas. Brown, loss
$9CKD, insurance, $750; Owen Doud, loss,
$400, no insurance ; Graham estate, loss, $4,000,
insurance, $3,500; George Silverberg, loss,
$1,500, insurance. $1,410; E. Marshall, loss,
unknown, insurance, $1,100. The estimated
loss was $31,800; covered by insurance to the
amount of $29,490. Damage to adjacent
buildings, $5,275.
February 12. 1887, the t<iwn suffered a
$9,500 fire. The losses on buildings were:
Butler, $1,800; Gibbs, $1,500; Savage, $1,600.
Losses on stocks and fixtures : Birkle,
$1,200; Wright, $1,000; Smith, $2,000;
Ward, $250; Young, $250. On February 26,
a second fire on Main street did a damage of
ten thousand dollars.
From 1878 to 1887, the town had moved
along and grown apace, and there came peri-
odically an agitation for incorporation. It was
strongly urged for the first time in 1883, after
the hanging of Rigney and the disturbances
that followed, but popular opinion ruled at
that time and it was thought that the vigilantes
were the proper thing for an emergency and
that they might just as well let things run
along as they were. As the town grew in area
and population and began to build homes, they
longed for some of the comforts of civiliza-
tion that could not he obtained under the old
system. Sidewalks were needed, graded
streets, fire protection, a water system and
street lights were wanted. In the summer of
1887 the preliminary steps wxre taken through
the board of county commissioners and a
special election, held on the question of incor-
poration, September 9, 1887, resulted in a vic-
tory for incorporation by a large majority.
Park street was visited by a ten thousand
dollar fire on July i, 1889, but as has been the
case in Miles City fires, it was nearly covered
by insurance. The insurance amounted to
$8,300.
In the earlier days of the town the jit^pula-
tion fluctuated more or less, but before 1890
we find that it had settled down to a steady
growth, and at that time the census was 1,017.
After an intervention of three years with-
out a disastrous blaze, the town was once
more \'i sited by the terrible destroyer. On Sep-
tember 30. 1892, the' alarm was given and the
next morning only a few embers and the brick
walls of the Conrad building were left to mark
the spot where on the previous day hatl stood
eight buildings. The origin of the fire is sup-
posec} to have been incendiary. The losses
were as follows :
Mrs. D. N. Gaylord, loss $1,200, insurance
$750: W. B. Stebbins, loss $10,000. insurance
$4,500; Miss Ross, loss $1,500, insurance
$500; Col. Bryant, loss $2,000, insurance, $1,-
200; W. D. Knight, loss $1,000, insurance,
$500; Col. Casey, loss $3,000, insurance $1,-
500; Scott sisters, loss $1,000, insurance $600;
Ryan & Merrill, loss $5,000, insurance $3,500;
E. H. Johnson, loss $1,500; Alfred Myers, loss
$3,000; John Flynn, loss $1,500; Fred Frank-
lin, loss $500; W. H. Ross, loss $150; Phillip
Mayo, loss $250; Gymnasium, loss $400; City,
loss $200. The entire loss amounted to $22,-
200, and the amount of insurance $13,050.
In February, 1893, a bill passed the state
legislature providing for the establishment and
maintenance of a state refomi school at Miles
City. In August the board of trustees let the
contract for the building of the reform school
to Larson & Smith, of this city, for the sum
of $17,010. In 1894 the building was occu-
pied and has now become one of .the most im-
portant institutions of the state, where many
boys and girls are taught to become good and
useful citizens of the commonwealth.
The Custer county w-ool w-arehouse and all
its contents was entirely destroyed by fire Sat-
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
35'
urday night, June 28, 1900. The alarm was
sountled as quick as possible, but the tire
l.)urned so rapidly that all they could do when
they arrived was to use their efforts to save
adjoining property. In this way they were
not wholly successful and two residences on
the south, the property of Mrs. Harn and Mrs.
Burgess were destroyed. It is known that the
fire originated from the sparks from a passing
engine. Fortunately the warehouse and its
contents, with the exception of a couple of lots,
was well insured. The aggregate of the amount
of wool stored in the warehouse at the time is
estimated at 800,346 pounds and was insured
for $160,307. The building was insured for
$8,000.
The warehouse of Lakin-\\'estfall & Co.,
and the Montana Hardware Co., was burned
with all its contents Thursday evening, No-
\'ember 22, 1905. The origin of the fire is un-
known but it evidently started on the inside of
the building. The losses were as follows :
Montana Hardware Co., loss $12,000, in-
surance $5,000; Lakin-Westfall & Co., loss
$6,000, insurance $3,500; G. M. Aliles and
Montana Hardware Co., loss, building, $800,
insurance $250; Robert Gruwell, loss on
household furniture, $500, no insurance.
The history of the town of Miles City,
would be incomplete without mention of the
Allies City Water and Electric Light Co. This
company installed its lighting plant in the year
1886, and the water system was put in in 1889.
The investment of the original company was
abiuit $60,000. From the very lieginning of
the enterprise, and ever since, the problem has
been to obtain an unfailing water supply and
much money has been spent in the attempt.
The first attempt was to bore six artesian wells
from 200 to 490 feet in depth, the flow from
which was stored in a reservoir well. This
proved to be a failure, the reservoir well in
reality furnishing more water from suria.':e
seepage than the artesian flows. In 1894, the
plant was hopelessly involved in debt and the
Stockgrowers National bank held its paper to
the amount of about $45,000. The plant was
put in the hands of a receiver and things went
from bad to worse. The plant was offered to
the city for $17,000 and in May, 1895, an elec-
tion was held which resulted in a vote of 344
in favor of bonds and 148 against the proposi-
tion of municipal responsibility. The Ixinds
were sold and the $17,000 paid over to the
receiver, and the city took possession April i,
1896. A new dynamo was bought for the
lighting plant at a cost of $1,600. A well was
dug 150 feet long, 30 feet wide and 15 feet
deep, timbered with three inch plank and cov-
ered with corrugated iron. It seemed for the
next two years that the problem had been solved.
In the second season the water .dwindled and
prompt action was necessary. An eight inch
main was laid 1,500 feet to Tongue river and
water was conducted to the well with a gravity
fall. So much clay ran into the well from the
Tongue river that the outlet was covered and
several hundred dollars were spent each year to
clean the well. At an election held on the 7th
of April, 1902, further bonds were \oted to
the amount of $15,000 for the purpose of mov-
ing the plant to the Tongue river and since
that time Miles City has had an ample water
supply of good equality. While the city has been
to a great deal of expense in getting a suitable
supply of water it has at the same time saved
a great deal of money to the consumers of
li.<jht and water, and the acquisition of the
water works and lighting plant are now con-
sidered the ablest piece of city business ever
transacted by the city fathers.
The Carnegie Public Library was estab-
lished in Miles City in 1902. When Mr. Car-
negie began his library gifts, Miles City was
one of the early aspirants and was soon recog-
nized. The gift of $10,000 became operative
in October. 1901, by the acceptance of the city
council and its pledges to furnish a mainten-
ance fund of $1,000 per year for all time. A
fine l(_ication for the building was donated and
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
on March 25. 1903. the Hbrary was dedicated
by appropriate ceremonies. At the start only a
few hundred books were possessed by the H-
brary, but in a1x)ut three years that number has
grown and now there are over 2,000 books on
the shelves besides about 350 pamphlets and
over 50 standard periodicals. This remark-
able growth is due to the lady members of the
association who have been untiring in their ef-
forts to increase the number of works in the
library. The borrowing patronage now ag-
gregate over fifty books exchanged every day
and the reading room is taxed to its fullest
capacity. The executive board is composed
of the following ladies: Mesdames M. G.
Maples, R. H. Butler, H. W. Mclntire, H. C.
Smith, Kate Warner, Laura Zook, T. J. Por-
ter, J. S. Truscott and C. S. Whitney. ^Irs.
Laura Zook is the librarian.
Miles City is well supplied with places of
worship, having four churches where regxilar
services are held with a large attendance. The
first church ever held here was held in a log
building on Main street in 1879 and the first
Sunday school was organized the same year.
This held its sessions in a small log school
house. The first church erected was built by
the Catholic denomination in 1881 and was
soon followed by the Methodists who com-
pleted their edifice in the early part of 1882.
The Presbyterian church was built in 1 883 and
the Baptist in 1884, but this denomination
gave up their church organization in 1895 and
affiliated with the other churches of the town.
The Episcopal church was erected in 1886. A
new Presbyterian church edifice will be erected
this year (1906) at a cost of $20,000.
The postmasters who have had charge of
the mail facilities in Miles City since 1877,
have been : Louis Payette, C. W. Savage, N.
Borchardt, John McAusland, Charles Seyde,
E. S. Beeman. Miss Ada Bennett and the pre-
sent occupant of the office, John Towers.
It is worthy of note in the history of Miles
City that in all the elections held here, that
there ne\-er has been a political contest and
very rarely more than one ticket in the field.
This can be explained by the statement that
the people of Miles City care more for the
general welfare of the community than for
the temporary supremacy of any political party
in city affairs. The people of this town have
always been very fortunate in the selection of
their city officers and there is no blot on the
official record of this town.
The officers of the town since it was in-
corporated have been ;
1887 — I\Iayor, E. H. Johnson; aldermen,
C. E. Brown, C. B. Towers, \\'. H. Bullard
and W. L. Lansing; city clerk, Sam Gordon.
1888 — Mayor, George Scheetz; aldermen,
A. E. Flagler, B. K. Holt, W. H. Bullard and
C. E. Brown; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1889— Mayor, R. G. Redd; aldermen, H.
Moran, J. C. Callahan, Ed. Campbell, and L.
Bach ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1890 — Mayor, F. M. Kreidler; aldermen,
R. I. Stuart, D. J. Crowley, J. S. Truscott, and
H. Moran ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1891 — Mayor, J. W. Watson; aldermen,
E. F. Fish, W. H. Bullard, D. J. Crowley and
R. I. Stuart; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1892 — Mayor, H. B. Wiley; aldermen, W.
H. Bullard, E. F. Fish, X. P. Sorenson and
Thos. Gibb ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1893 — Mayor, Jeptha Ryan; aldermen, W.
H. Bullard, Thos. Gibb, H. W. Mclntire and
X. P. Sorenson ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1894 — Mayor, Jeptha Ryan; aldermen, W.
H. Bullard, H. W. Mclntire, C. S. Whitney
and Chas. O'X^eil ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1895 — ^layor, C. W. Savage; aldermen,
W. H. Bullard, Chas. O'Xeil, H. W. Mclntire,
and C. S. \\'hitney; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1896 — ^Mayor, C. \\'. Savage; aldermen,
W. H. Bullard, Thos. Gibb, W. P. Waters and
C. S. Whitney; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1897 — Mayor, E. T. Carr; aldermen, W.
H. Bullard, W. W. Andrus, Thos. Gibb and C.
S. Whitnev; clerk Sam Gordon.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
355
1898 — :Mayoi-, E. T. Carr; aldermen, W.
H. Bullard, W. W. Andrus, Thos. Gibb and
J. E. de Carle; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1899 — Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen,
F. J. Wilson, J. E. de Carle, Thos. Gibb and
W. S. Snell; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1900 — Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen,
J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and
\\\ S. Snell ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1901 — Mayor. W. \\'. Andrus; aldermen,
J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and
Wm. Gerhart ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1902 — Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen,
J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and
Wm. Gerhart; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1903 — Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen,
J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and
L. C. Bruning; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1904 — Mayor, ^\'. W. Andrus: aldermen,
L. C. Bruning, W. H. Bullard, J. E. de Carle
and Benj. Levalley; clerk. T. A. Maples.
1905 — Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen,
W. H. Bullard, Geo. W. Farr, \\\ A. Jordon
and J. E. de Carle ; clerk, J. E. Farnum.
1906 — Mayor, W. \\'. Andrus; aldermen,
W. H. Bullard, Geo. W. Farr, W. A. Jordon
and R. H. Butler : clerk, J. E. Farnum.
Miles City is well supplied with lodge or-
ganizations, having thirteen flourishing orders
here. They are : Yellowstone Lodge No. 26,
A. F. & A.' M. Miles City Chapter, R. A. M.
Miles Commandery, No. 11, K. T. Custer
Chapter No. 25, Order of Eastern Star. Miles
City Lodge, No. 537, B. P. O. E. Custer
Lodge No. 13, L O. O. F. Yellowstone Re-
bekah Lodge No. 27. Custer Camp No. 354,
W. O. W. Crusader Lodge No. 7, K. P.
Tongue River Lodge No. 35, A. O. U. ^V.
Morning Star Lodge No. 36, D. of H. Mod-
ern Woodmen of America and Miles City
Aerie, No. 885, F. O. E.
As a shipping point. Miles City has always
been in the lead and the shipments of horses,
cnttle. sheep and wool amount to many mil-
lions of pounds. During the year 1905, over
23
11,000 head of horses were shipped and over
13,000 head of cattle, also more than 50,000
head of sheep and over 6,000,000 pounds of
wool. Annually several horse and cattle sales
are held in Miles City and large numbers of
horses and cattle are sold. Buyers come here
from all parts of the United States and train
loads are sold here and sent to the eastern
markets, thus bringing a large sum of money
to Miles City each year.
In the early part of the year 1906, it was
definitely known that the Chicago, St. Paul &
Milwaukee railroad would build through this
section of Montana. The Miles City Chamber
of Commerce, as ever, wide-awake and alert
for any advantages that the city might acquire,
at once took steps to have the railroad build
through the town. Although almost unsur-
mountable objects Ixirred their progress, yet
they kept at it and finally through the generous
contributions of the citizens and business men
they secured the necessary amount to buy the
right-of-way through the city. In their ne-
gotiations with the railroad company, they
offered them the right-of-way free if they
would pass through the town. After several
months of anxious waiting, the railroad com-
pany, in the early part of June, informed the
chamber of commerce that their oft'er had been
accepted and that the road would build its line
through the north part of town, on Ohio street.
This means much to the future of Allies City,
as it will bring in new business enterprises,
new business methods, new blood and more
capital, and will undoubtedly make Miles City
the most thriving town in Eastern Montana.
Since it has been definitely known that the
Milwaukee is to pass through this city, many
new business enterprises are promulgated and
the year 1906 will show greater building and
business activity than has ever been experi-
enced in the city of Miles.
jNIiles City is, and has always been, a city
of metropolitan tendencies. It is a city of
554
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
about three thousand population with excellent
schools, churches, public buildings, graded
streets with paved curbs and gutters, electric
lights, an effective water system — both fire,
domestic and irrigating, and a good sewerage
system. The people of Miles City are enter-
prising and have always kept abreast of the rest
of the world in securing those comforts and
pleasurers that are beyond the reach of manv
localities. They take a great deal of pride in
their city, which is well attested to in the num-
ber of finely kept lawns, beautiful shade trees
and shrubbery that surrounds almost eveiy
dwelling in the city. The visitor's first excla-
mation, when he arrives in sight of the town,
is, "Oh, look at all the beautiful trees." ^Nlile-
sians have just cause to feel proud of their
well kept and beautiful city.
OTHER TOWNS.
The village of Terry is a thriving little
town 39 miles northeast of Miles City on
the Northern Pacific railroad and Yellowstone
river. This town was established in 1880 and
now boasts of a population of about 175.
Miles City is the county seat and banking
point. Terry is one of the shipping points of
Custer county and has a daily mail, telegraph
and express office. Stages run from this
point to \\'hitney and Sandstone semi-weekly.
Terry has two general merchandise stores,
two hardware stores, two livery stables, two
saloons, a lumber yard, confectionery store,
repair shop, photographer, hotel, and a Union
church has just been organized and arrange-
ments made for the erection of a church edi-
fice in the near future.
Ekalaka is a growing interior town in the
midst of a rich farming and stock settlement
about 85 miles southeast of Miles City, the
county seat, banking and shipping ix>int. The
town was started in 1884 and has a populatioii
of about 125. A tri-weekly stage runs from this
place to ]\Iiles City and Belle Fourche, S. D.
It boasts of a church, district school, general
store, hardware store, drug store, two hotels,
blacksmith shop, two livery stables, stage
office, three saloons, a lawyer and a physician.
The postoffices of Custer county are :
Alzada, Beebe, Blatchford, Broadus, Capitol,
Cedar, Ekalaka, Ericson. Etna, Ewalt, Excie,
Fallon, Fivemile, Fort Keogh. Garland, Gra-
ham, Hockett. Kingsley, Kinsey, Knowlton,
Midland, IMiles City, Mizpah, Moorhead, Ot-
ter, Powderville, Preston, Ridge, Sadie, Sand-
stone, Selway, Shirley, Stacy, Stone Shack,
Teedee, and Terry, 36 in all. At some of these
postoffices a general store is located, but the
majority of the offices are at ranch houses.
CHAPTER 111
DESCRIPTIVE.
"Here in the land of Herds.
The cattle of ten thousand vales
Trail to the Yellowstone;
Great bands of sheep skip gaily
O'er the bad land buttes.
And fatten on their rich exhaustless verdure."
The territory emliraced by Custer county
rger than manv states of the Union. It
larger than the state of ]\Iassaclnifetts asid
were it as densely populated, it would have a
population of over four million instead of six
thousand.
In regard to the climate of Custer county
it may be said that at least for four-fifths of
the year the skies are cloudless, with occasional
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
355
rains from April until July. During the
''heated term." July and Aug'ust, the temper-
ature ranges from 90 to 120, hut hecause of the
thill, dry atmosphere it does not have the de-
])ressing effect noticeable in more humid sec-
tions. In winter it sometimes gets to be very
cold, but usually only a short cold spell is ex-
perienced and cattle and horses run the range
during the entire winter, and are seldom, if
e\er, fed unless a great quantity of snow falls.
E\'erywhere along the Yellowstone \-alley
the soil is a thick gumbo which during wet
w eather makes traveling ^•ery disagreeable, but
when irrigated produces wonderful crops of
alfalfa and vegetables.
The county is very thinly populated and
less than half the territory embraced within
this county is yet unsurveyed. The settlements
are along the rivers and creeks. When one
considers that Miles City contains about half
the population of the county, it is very evident
that the homes in this vast scope of of territory
are few and far between. . The Tongue river
and its tributaries is the most thickly settled
and many fine homes are found along its
flanks.
The principal streams are the Tongue and
I'owder and Little Missouri rivers. Pumpkin,
()■ Fallon, Beaver and Big Box Elder creeks,
w hich, with the exception of Tongue and Pow-
der rivers rise in the Big Horn mountains in
lands" and broken country in the southern
])art of the county. The Tongue and Pow-
der rivers rise in the Big Horn mountains in
Wyoming. The soil in the narrow river and
creek bottoms produces abundant crops when
irrigated. The country between the streams is
so liroken that it will not permit of irrigation
and can never be used for anything but range
purposes. The hills are covered with a pro-
lific growth of bunch grass which starts to
grow early in the spring, and, though it dries
u]) earlv. it is \'ery nutritious food for stock
and they keep fat the year round.
Til the vicinitv of Ekalaka, about 8s miles
from Miles City, is a rich strip of farming
land where excellent crops of all kinds are
raised. It is a high plateau at the head of
Beaver creek and irrigation is almost unneces-
sary as- the water is close to the surface and
the soil is a black sandy loam. This is prac-
tically the only section of Custer county where
crops are raised without irrigation.
The development of the agricultural possi-
bilities of the \'alleys of Custer county is yet
in its infancy and few people realize the possi-
bilities and advantages of this section. It will
not be long-, however, before this great domain
will be transformed as if by magic from a bunch
grass plain into waving fields of grain, homes
will be erected at near intervals and groves
and orchards planted and agriculture will be-
come king in this county. ]\Iany who had for
years followed the less staple pursuit of range
industry have adopted the semi-range plan and
are farming in earnest with good results, and
there are now in this section some of the
model f&rms of the state.
On the north side of the Yellowstone \-al-
ley is a high, dry, broken country where farm-
ing can ne\er lie practiced successfully, but it
is an excellent range and thousands of head of
stock are pastured there every year. The ab-
sence of streams and the narrowness of the
creek bottoms of the streams that run through
this section, preclude the possibility of home
Iniilding. But on the south side of the Yellow-
stone, no such condition exists. The streams
are plentiful, the valleys wider, the soil richer,
and the agricultural possibilities when once un-
dertaken will Ije almost unlimited. Hay.
grain, fruit and vegetables thrive along these
streams and give a prolific yield.
\\'hile there is a great deal of rich and fer-
tile soil in Custer county, there is so much of
the territory that can never be utilized for
agricultural purposes, that this section will
continue to be a great stock country and its
chief w-ealth will come from stock husbandry.
Since the fact became known, about 1880, that
356
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
this was a good stock ranging country
this county has been among the fore-
most as a stock producer. Since
the hard winter of 1886-7. the stock
business has rapidly forged ahead, and, owing
to the increased prices of stock during the past
few years, the stockmen have become wealthy.
The principal revenue of the county is from the
assessments on stock.
Custer county has the reputation all over
the United States of raising the best horses
and cattle that are put on the market, and
stock buyers from all parts of the country
gather at Miles City several times a year when
the horse and cattle sales are in progress and
purchase thousands of horses and cattle which
are shipped to every market in the United
States where they again find a ready sale at
good prices. It is estimated tliat about 30,-
000 head of horses and cattle, 60,000 head ot
sheep and about 8,000,000 pounds of wool are
shipped from Custer county every year.
The people of Custer county are energetic,
broad minded and law-abiding citizens. They
take a deep interest in political and educational
matters. They have always been very careful
in the selection of men to fill the different
offices of the county who have the manage-
ment of county affairs, and only recently voted
to build and equip a $35,000 county high
school where their children may get the bene-
fits of a good education by which they will be
better fitted to enjoy the higher things of life
and better able to battle against the hardships
and struggles that they must contend with in
later life.
CHAPTER IV
POLITICAL.
The political history of the county of Cus-
ter, at one time the largest county in the
United States, dates back farther than any of
die other counties in Eastern Montana, and
reads something like a romance. The territory
which was uamed Custer county in 1877 was
set apart in 1865, when this state was a part of
Idaho territory, as Big Horn county, but there
being no settlements in any part of it, no county
organization was ever effected. The bill creat-
ing the county of Custer passed the territorial
legislature February 16, 1877, and was ap-
proved by Governor B. F. Potts on the same
day. The governor named as county commis-
sic^iers of the new county, N. Borchardt. D. A.
Ringer and John Smith, with instructions to
meet and organize the county by appointing
county officers and selecting a county seat.
The board held its first session on June 14,
1877, ^nd its first ofificial act after naming ;\Ir.
Borchardt as chairman, was to designate the
town of Miles City as the seat of government
for the new county. This was followed by the
appointment of A. Carmichael as probate
judge; John McCormick. county clerk; ^Nlat.
Carroll, treasurer; Hugh Hoppe, sheriff;
Charles Johnson, assessor, and A. B. Hicks as
coroner. For the Miles City precinct Russell
Briggs was named as the first justice of the
peace and M. T. Hall as the first constable.
On November 5, 1878, the first county elec-
tion was held and the vote was as follows :
For Congressman, Sample Orr, rep., 10;
Martin jMaginnis, dem., 342.
Delegate to Legislative Assembly, P. W.
McAdow, dem., 89 ; Paul McCormick. rep .
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
357
For District Attorney, R. P. Irwiii, dem..
54 : James Calloway, rep., 29.
The record of the votes for county officers
during- this year is not obtainable, but we
have the names of the officers who were elected
to the several county offices. They are : W'm.
Van Gasken, D. F. AIcAlillan and J. C. Guy
as county commissioners; Thomas H. Ir\-ine.
as sheriff; C. \V. Savage, as treasurer, and T.
B. Wilson as county clerk.
At the next general election lield in 1880
nearly 1,000 votes were cast, a very large in-
crease over the vote of 1878. The vote for
the congressional and district tickets was as
follows :
For Congress, Alartiii ]\laginnis, dem..
763 ;W. F. Sanders, rep., 433.
For Leg"islative .Vssemljly. James B. Flub-
bell, dem., 616; Ed Cardwell. rep., 665 ; W. O.
P. Hays, dem., 669; \\'. U\ Morris, dem..
674; Paul McCormick, rep.. 548; P. \'. Jack-
son, rep., 181 ; L. ]\I. Black, dem.. 347; W. W.
Alderson, rep., t,t,8: ^^'• H. Grover, dem., 10;
A. AI. Ball, rep., 72.
For Representatives. James H. Garlnck,
dem., 740; W. D. O'Toole, rep.. 429.
For Joint Representatives, Curtis I^. Flar-
rington, dem., 626; J. \V. .\llen, rep.. 398: J
J. Graham, rep., 126.
For District Attorney. James E. Calloway,
rep., 408; F. K. Armstrong, dem., 12.
For County Commissioners, Josiah Nich-
ols, dem., 675; Edward Fawkes, rep.. 420:
Alonzo McNeil, dem., 74; J. W. Smith, rep..
497-
1mm- Sheriff and Assessor, T, H. Irvine,
dem., 566; A. P. Flanagan, rep., 120.
I-'or Treasurer and Superintendent rf
Schools, L. Payette, dem.. 398; C. \V. Savage,
rep.. 507; Ed Flynn, ind., 274.
I'V>r County Clerk and Probate Judge, C.
G. Cox. dem.. 394; Charles ^^■alker. rep.. ^<^J :
W. H. Ros.s, ind., 214.
Coroner, T. A. Davie, dem.. 597; A. H.
Hersey, rep., 467; J. B. Prince, ind., 112.
For County Surveyor, Martin Kelly,
dem., 675; H. A. Combs, rep., 225.
C. W. Savage held the office of treasurer
until June 7, 1882, when he resigned and W.
W. Garland was appointed by the county com-
missioners to fill the vacancy.
At the general election held in November,
1882, a large increase in the numljer of votes
cast is shown. This election is indelibly
marked upon the memories of all old times
in this section, because it was at this time that
several men were elected who besmirched the
fair political record of Custer county. The re-
sult of the \-ote was as follows :
For Congress, Martin Maginnis, dem.,
1,937; A. C. Botkin, rep., 953.
For Legislative Council, Charles G. Co.x,
dem., 1,430; Walter A. Burleigh, rep., 783;
W. .-\. Burleigh, rep., 540.
Vov Representatives, P. W. Mc.-Vdow,
dem., 1,784; John J. Alderson, rep., 1,322;
S. Erwin, rep., 1,443; ^''^'l N. Foster, dem.,
■1,082.
For District Attorney, A. F. Burleig-h,
rep., 849; T. R. Edwards, dem., 1,552; An-
drew F. Burleigh, rep., ^J2.
For Sheriff, Phillip Brady, rep., 1,028; J.
W. Johnson, dem.. 1,826.
For Treasurer, Albert B. Curry, rep.,
1.005; ^^'- ^\'- Garland, dem., 1,854.
For Clerk and Recorder, Sam O'Connell,
rep., 1,019; L. S. Taylor, dem.. ,1,853.
Assessor, C. C. Gates, dem., 1,470; Wm.
Woods, rep., 782; A. P. Glanagan, ind., 305;
John Chinnick, ind., 285.
For Probate Judge, Charles Walker, dem.,
1,552; W. C. Staehle. rep.. 810; Arthur H.
O'Conner, ind., 463; Chas. Brown, ind., 35.
County Commissioners, Joseph Leighton,
rep., 1,233; James B. Hubbell, dem., 1,357;
D. A. Robertson, dem., 1,390; John M. Tink-
ler, rep., 1,270; Alonzo McNeil, dem., 1,224;
Caleb Rich, rep.. 1,435; W. H. Bullard, dem..
427.
358
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
For County Surveyor, W. B. Gaw, rep.,
2,482.
Coroner, R. G. Redd, dem., 2,824.
Superintendent of Schools, A. C. Logan,
dem., 1,744; C. B. Thomas, rep., 1,040.
The county commissioners, Russell Briggs,
J. B. Hubbell and D. A. Robertson, and County
Clerk L. S. Taylor were ousted from ofhce by
an act of the Legislature in 1883 for alleged
misappropriation of county funds and other
irregularities in their respective offices. It is
estimated that Custer county lost from thirty
to fifty thousand dollars during their short re-
gime. It was at this time that Russell Briggs,
chairman of the board of county commissioners,
took several thousand dollars and went east to
purchase furniture for the new courthouse.
Neither Mr. Briggs nor the money has ever
been seen or heard of since that time. Indict-
ments were brought by the grand jury against
the county commissioners and the county clerk,
but owing to the fact that tlieir faction con-
trolled the powers of justice at that time
in Custer county the case terminated shortly
in favor of the defendants. From that date
to the present the affairs of the county have
run along without particular incident and the
county has enjoyed a good business manage-
ment of its affairs. After the commissioners
and county clerk were removed from office by
the Legislature in 1883, W'm. \'an Gasken,
T. J. Bryan and George M. Miles were ap-
pointed commissioners and J. H. Garlock,
clerk and recorder.
A special election was held April 16, 1883,
for the election of a new board of county com-
missioners which resulted as follows :
Alonzo McNeil, dem., 149; T. J. Bryan,
rep., 830; W. H. Bullard, dem., 745: C.'w.
Anderson, rep., 845.
A second special election was held Novem-
ber 6, 1883, for the purpose of electing dele-
gates and delegates at large to the constitu-
tional convention with the following result :
C. W. Savage, rep., 449; C. H. Gould,
rep., 2}^T, A. T. Campbell, rep., 241 ; James H.
Garlock, dem., 226; Wm. Van Gasken, dem.,
292: S. R. Douglas, rep., 281 ; R. L. Edwards,
rep., 269; C. G. Cox. dem.. 180; Andrew F.
Burleigh, rep., 396; Walter Cooper, dem.,
3^4-
The result of the general election held
November 4, 1884, was as follows:
Congress — Hiram Knowles, rep., 686: J.
K. Toole, dem.. 720.
Council — \V. H. Cotant. rep., 1,366.
Representatives — J. M. Holt, dem., 759:
S. F. B. Biddle, dem.. 710: John E. Kennedv.
rep., 635; W. A. Burleigh, Jr., rep., 676.
District Attorney — Henry N. Blake, rep..
'J2-J: Robert P. Vivian, dem., 691.
Sheriff — Thomas H. Irvine, dem.. fiu:
C. W. Savage, rep., 795.
Clerk and Recorder — L. C. Deer, dem..
781: E. A. Kreidler, rep., 528: R. C. Web-
ster, Ind.. III.
Treasurer — M. Brandenberg, dem., 84s;
B. W. Ladd, rep., 551.
Assessor — Sam. O'Connell, dem., 731:
Robert Aitchison. rep., 634.
County Commissioners — Vito L. Cross,
Ind., 39: George Myers, deni., 587: L. J.
Whitney, rep.. 643: C. B. Towers, Ind.. 149.
Probate Judge — W. C. Staehle, rep., 605: W.
E. Cotter, dem., 520: Charles Walker, Ind..
-'74-
Public Administrator — A. H. Bertrand.
dem., 611 : W. H. Ross, rep., 612.
County Suneyor — C. B. Tabor, rep.. 724;
A. Hall, dem., 670.
Superintendent of Schools — A. C. Logan,
dem., 1.378.
Coroner — R. G. Redd, dem., 851: J. J.
Wood, rep., 551.
The election of November 8, 1886, resulted
as follows :
Congress — J. K. Toole, dem., 1.002: W.
F. Sanders, rep., 624.
Council — J. J. Thompson, dem., 1,052; J.
\\'. Strevell, rep., 551.
HISTORY OF CUS'll':k COUNTY.
359
Representatives — E. H. Johnson, deni..
1,067; J. ^I- Holt, dem., 1,038; Wni. Harmon,
rep., 547; T. J. Bryan, rep., 531.
County Commissioners — George Rhode,
dem., 652; Charles Daly, dem., 516; George
W. Allerton, rep., 1,053; L. A. Huffman, rep.,
921.
County Attorney — George R. Milburn.
dem., 663; W. H. Ross, rep., 575; C. R. Mid.-
dleton, ind., 371.
Probate Judge — F. M. Schwartz, dem.,
750; Wm. C. Staehle, rep., 868.
Treasurer — ^T. Brandenberg, dem., 950;
F. E. Hammond, rep., 656.
Clerk and Recorder — L. C. Deer, dem ,
1,055; '^- ^^- Leroy, rep., 567.
Sheriff— T. H. Irvine, dem., 918; C. \V.
Savage, rep., 702.
Assessor — T. J. Thompson, dem., 882; X.
Borchardt, rep.. 709.
County Surveyor — George Scheetz. tlem.,
921 ; C. B. Tabor, rep., 696.
Superintendent of Schools — Mamie R.
Southmavd, dem., 776; Louisa Coolev, rep.,
838.
Coroner— R. G. Redd, dem., 1,008; \V. 1^
Green, rep., 601.
Public Administrator — W". E. Buckman,
dem., 752; H. Mclntire, rep., 636.
A special election was held August 25.
1887, for the election of delegates to the terri-
torial council which resulted as follows :
W. A. Burleigh, rep., 192; J. H. Garlock,
dem., 108.
At the general election held November 6.
1888, the vote was as follows:
Congress — W. A. Clark, dem., 616; T. H.
Carter, rep., 650.
Council — C. R. Middleton, dem., 652; J
B. Kempton, rep.. 594.
Representatives — E. H. Johnson, dem,,
627; Thomas Alexander, dem., 624; L. B.
Rea, rep., 649; F. M. Kreidler. rep., 615.
Sheriff — T. H. Irvine, dem., 778; John
fully, rep., 495.
Treasurer — C. L. Merrill, dem.. 778; H.
F. Bachelor, rep., 602.
Clerk and Recorder — L. C. Deer, dem.
760; A. T. Campbell, rep., 511.
County Attorney — G. R. Milburn, dem.,
514; W. A. Burleigh, rep., 749.
Assessor — T. J. Thompson, dem., 781 ; J
E. Farnum, rep.. 491.
County Commissioners — George Scheetz,
dem., 721 ; N. Hockett, rep.. 541.
Probate Judge — F. M. Schwartz, dem.,
717; \V. C. Staehle, rep., 552.
County Surveyor — E. P. H. Harrison,
dem., 658; C. B. Tabor, rep.. 612.
Coroner — L. Payette, dem., 648; John
Gibbs, rep., 612.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. E. C.
Carpenter, dem., 548; Louisa Cooley, rep.,
719.
Public Administrator — J. H. Ware, dem.,
649; Charles S. Young, rep.. 611.
On account of the admission of Montana
to statehood an election was necessary and was
held .Octoljer i, 1889, which resulted as fol-
lows :
Congress — T. H. Carter, rep., 653; Mar--
tin Maginnis, dem., 489.
District Judge — W. A. Burleigh, rep.. 506;
G. R. ]\Iill>urn, dem.. 632.
Senator — Wm. Ferdon, rep.. 530; R. G.
Redd, dem., 60 r.
Representatives — Wm. Courtenay, dem.,
499; E. H. Johnson, dem., 460; C. H. Loud,
rep.. 627; H. M. Moran, rep., 628.
Clerk of District Court— F. ]\I. Schwartz,
dem.. ^JT,: C. W. Seyde. rep.. 563.
Sheriff— T. H. Irvine, dem., 569; E. T.
Jones, rep.. 595.
Clerk and Recorder — L. C. Deer, dem.,
528; A. A. Swerdfiger, rep., 635.
Assessor — C. B. Tabor, rep., 552; T. J.
Thompson, deni.. 604.
Treasurer— J. M. Holt, dem., 428; \\'. E.
Savage, rep., 756.
36o
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
County Attorney — John Fairfield, dem.,
557; W. H. Ross, rep., 600.
PuIjHc Administrator — A. D. McAusland,
rep., 658; R. G. Wear, dem., 483.
Surveyor — E. P. H. Harrison, dem., 835.
Superintendent of Schools — Louisa Coo-
lev, rep., 614; Mrs. E. V. Lewis, dem., 543.
County Commissioners — W. N. Haynes,
rep., 662; T. J. Graham, dem.. 517: J. R.
McKay, rep.. 661 ; George G. Rhode, dem ,
481 ; Jepp Rvan, dem., 389; W. S. Snell, rep.,
576.
Coroner — W. A. Goff, dem.. 457; C. S.
Young-, rep., 628.
For Constitution, 801 : Against Constitu-
tion, 59.
All county and district officers elected in
1889 hold their offices for three years.
The result of the election of November 4,
1890 for the purpose of electing a delegate to
Congress was as follows :
T. H. Carter, rep., 340: W. W. Dickson,
dem.. 279; Andrew L. Corblay, ind., 26: W.
T. Field, Ind.. 4.
The second general election since the ad-
mission of the state was held No\-ember 8,
1892, with the following results :
Congress — Benjamin R. Atkins, pro., 15:
A\'. W. Dickson, dem.. 541 ; Caldwell Ed-
wards, peo.- p., 74; C. S. Hartman, rep., 642.
State Senator — Reno Swift, rep., 648
George Scheetz, dem., 602.
Representatives — E. S. Becker, dem., 532 ;
\y. A. Cameron, peo. p., 93; L. A. Hufifman,
rep., 637: George W. Meyers, dem., 465; J. R
McKay, rep., 701 ; A. F. Wilson, peo. p.. 52.
District Judge — George R. Milburn. dem.,
612; J. W. Stevell, rep., 655.
Clerk District Court— F. M. Schwartz,
dem. and peo. p., z,22: W. I. Zimmerman, rep.,
739-
County Commissioners — J. T. Brnwn,
dem., 536; Frank Emerson, dem., ^22,: W. R.
Graham, peo. p., 104: Wm. Harnn.n. rep..
654; T. E. Hammond, rep., 680: L. M. King.
dem., 376; James Simpson, peo. p., 114: J. W.
Watson, rep., 715.
County Attorney — C. H. Loud, rep., 957.
Clerk and Recorder — A. Hall, pei3. p., 223;
A. H. Swerdfiger, rep., 964.
Sheriff— W. H. Bullard. dem., 381 : J. B.
Hawkins, Ind., 494; E. J. Jones, rep., 436.
Treasurer — A. P. Flanagan, peo. p.. 181 ;
W. E. Savage, rep. and dem., 1.054.
Assessor — H. E. Bourdette, dem., 587; C.
H. Lansing, peo. p., 107; G. E. Newman, rep.,
608.
Public Administrator — Alonzo McNeil,
dem., 607: Henry Na\-e rep.. 629.
Coroner — J. H. Austin, rep., 596: C. B.
Lebcher, dem.. 656.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. J. E.
Light, rep., 670; Kate McKenzie. dem., 508;
Mary E. McKay, peo. p., 124.
County Surveyor — C. E. Sexton, rep.,
1,020.
The election of November 6, 1894. shows
the county to be divided politically with the
People's party gaining. The results are as
follows :
Congress — H. S. Corbett, dem., 397; C. S.
Hartman, rep., 718; B. F. Maiden, soc, 16;
R. B. Smith, peo. p., 176.
Representatives — J. T. Brown, dem., 513;
S. Gordon, rep., 594; Thomas Gibb, peo. p.,
212; James S. Hopkins, dem., 573; T. B. Kel-
sey, peo. p., 107; B. Waddingham, rep., 496.
Joint Representative with Dawson County
— J. C. Auld, rep., 636; James R. Conditt,
dem., 489; A. P. Flanagan, peo. p., 171.
Clerk and Recorder — J. W. Laney, peo. p.,
144; C. F. Smith, dem., 362; A. H. Swerd-
figer, rep.. 828.
Sheriff— J. B. Hawkins, ind.. 619; W. F.
Jordon, dem., 253 ; S. A. Pepper, rep., 505.
Treasurer — L. C. Currier, peo. p., 196;
H. M. Moran, rep., so^ ; T. S. Truscott, dem,
639.
County Attorney — C. H. Loud, rep., 901 ;
G. W. !\Iyers, dem., 403.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
361
Assessor — George F. Sharp, Ind., 214; \V.
S. Snell, rep., 521 ; A. B. Snow, peo. p., 71 ;
John I. Zook, dem., 538.
Superintendent of Schools — Louisa Coo-
ley, rep., 672 ; Kate McKenzie, dem., 658.
Public Administrator — Louis Bach, rep.,
621 ; Alonzo McNeil, dem., 425; W. C. Ward,
peo. p., 243.
Coroner — P. G. Whited, rep., 762.
County Surveyor — George Scheetz, dem.,
614; C. E. Sexton, rep., 680.
At the election held November 6, 1896, a
strong Republican gain is shown and the Peo-
ple's party losing ground. Results were as fol-
lows :
Congress — O. F. Goddard, rep., 711 ; C. S.
Hartman, dem., 405.
State Senator — J. R. McKay, rep., 741 ;
Jepp Ryan, dem., 664.
Representatives — H. W. McLitire, rep.,
781 ; J. C. Lyons, rep., 526; J. T. Brown, dem.,
691 ; T. W. Long-ely, dem., 547.
Judge District Court — C. H. Loud, rep.,
857; C. R. Middleton, dem., 512.
Clerk District Court — A. T. McAusland,
'■fp" 79?'- Sam O'Connell, dem., 526.
County Commissioners — J. E. Farnum,
rep.. 765: A. Beidle, rep., 700; S. B. Shaffer,
rep.. 495: Thomas Gibb, dem.. 456; W. H.
Bullard. dem. 482; R. G. Wear, dem.. 522;
Louis Bach, ind., 344.
County Attorney — T. J. Porter, rep., 756;
Ed Butler, dem., 589.
Clerk and Recorder — H. B. Darnall, rep.,
585 ; F. U. Schwartz, dem., 72,7 > J- E- What-
ley, pp., 42.
Sheriff—John Gibb, rep., 580; J. W. Drum-
mond, dem., 481 ; J. W. Laney. pp., 141 ; S. D.
Long, ind., 163., D. C. Kelty, ind., J 2.
Treasurer — John S. Towers, rep., 615;
John S. Truscott, dem., 730; B. T. Smith, pp.,
46.
Assessor — James Hunter, rep., y'!:^-^; A. H.
Terry, dem., 545 ; W. M. Ward, pp., 46.
Public Administrator — A. Kircher, rep.,
784; A. McNeil, dem., 503.
Coroner — Joseph Bateman, rep., 680; L.
C. Bruning, dem., 578; W. H. Harmon, pp.,
64.
Superintendent of Schools — Ada M. Ben-
net, rep., 664; Mrs. Laura Zook, dem., 738.
County Surveyor — F. B. Canard, rep., 594;
George Scheetz, dem., 678; A. Hall, pp., 73.
The election of November 8, 1898 resulted
as follows :
Congress — A. J. Campbell, dem., 398; T.
C. Marshall, rep., 662 ; T. S. Hogan, pp., 100.
Representatives — J. T. Brown, dem., 536;
F. W. Finch, dem., 448; H. R. Marceyes, rep.,
630; G. T. Ligersoll, rep., 662.
Sheriff' — O. C. Cato, dem., 454; John Gibb,
rep., 440; J. B. Hawkins, ind., 380.
Treasurer — F. M. Schwartz, dem., 659 ; C.
E. Coggshall, rep., 440.
Clerk and Recorder — W. H. Frank, dem.,
468; A. H. Swerdfiger, rep., 741.
Assessor — B. S. Crawshaw, dem., 505 ;
James Hunter, rep., "JTiZ-
County Attorney — C. L. Merrill, dem.,
404; T. J. Porter, rep., 823.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. Laura
Zook, dem., 582; Catherine Wilson, rep., 694.
Coroner — E. S. Beeman, dem., 545 ; Jos.
Bateman, rep., 657.
Public Administrator — John Davidson,
rep., 835.
County Surveyor — George Scheetz, dem.,
504; W. P. Flynn, rep., 718.
At the election held November 4, 1900, the
entire Republican ticket was elected with the
exception of the surveyor and superintendent
of schools. The results were as follows :
Congress — Sam G. IMurray, rep., 961 ;
Caldwell Edwards, dem., 636.
Judge District Court — C. H. Loud, rep.,
1,569.
State Senator — Kenneth McLean, rep.,
942; E. H. Johnson, dem., 656.
362
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
Representatives — E. S. Becker, rep., 864;
C. D. Newberry, rep., 854; James S. Hopkins,
dem., 710; Frank D. 0"Neil. dem., 685.
Clerk District Court — A. T. McAusland,
rep., 1,074; H. V. Beeman. dem., 545.
County Commissioners — M. G. Maples,
rep., 885; J. W. Stith, rep., 865; Charles S.
Bull, rep., 923; R. G. Wear, dem., 739;
Thomas Gibb, dem., 642; Geo. S. Mendenhall,
dem., 607.
County Attorney — J. H. Johnson, rep.,
921 ; Sidney Sanders, dem., 695.
Clerk and Recorder — A. H. Swerdfiger,
rep., 989; J. F. Deckert, dem., 621.
Sheriff— W. E. Savage, rep., 881; O. C.
Cato., dem., 789.
Treasurer — J. R. McKay, rep., 894; F. M.
Schwartz, dem., 735.
Assessor — E. F. Crosby, rep., 920; J. H.
Burgess, dem., 714.
Public Administrator — H. B. Twombly,
rep., 925 ; John Smith, dem., 644.
Coroner — Jos. Bateman, rep., 955; T. J.
Newman, dem., 640.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. K. W.
Smith, rep., 701 ; Mrs. Laura Zook. dem., 951.
County Surveyor — \\'. P. Flynn, rep.,
749; George Scheetz, dem., 870.
The results of the general election of No-
vember 6, 1902, are as follows :
Congress — Joseph M. Dixon, rep., 559,
John N. Evans, dem., 300; George B. Sproule,
pro., 12; IMartin Dee, soc, 22.
Representatives — Z. W. Burt, rep., 562;
H. N. Sykes, rep., 540; J. S. Truscott, dem.
416; G. W. Myers, dem., 246.
Sheriff — W. E. Savage, rep., 641 ; C. E.
Tozier, dem., 356.
Treasurer — G. E. Robbins, rep., 576; G.
W. Gerhart, dem., 395.
Clerk and Recorder — H. B. Darnall, rep.,
510; John McAusland, dem., 461.
Assessor — E. F. Crosby, rep., "jii; S. G.
Hotchkiss, dem., 236.
County Attorney — J. H. Johnson, rep.,
531 ; Sydney Sanders, dem., 441.
Superintendent of Schools — Ida E. M.
Wiley, rep., 546; Laura Zook, dem., 430.
Coroner — Joseph Bateman, rep.. 572 ; W.
F. Millard, dem., 370.
Public Administrator — J. B. Hawkins,
rep., 619; Steven Forseth, dem., 326.
County Surveyor — \\'. P. Flynn, rep., 428 ;
George Scheetz, dem., 530.
At the general election held November 8,
1904, the entire Republican ticket was elected
with safe majorities. The results are as fol-
lows ;
Congress — A. C. Gormley, dem., 354; J.
M. Dixon, rep., 809; J. H. Walsh, soc, 19.
State Senator — K. McLean, rep., 618; O.
C. Cato, dem.. 575.
Representatives — H. N. Sykes, rep., 713;
G. W. Burt, rep., 564; Sydney Sanner, dem.,
503: R. H. Beasley, dem., 271.
Sheriff — W. E. Savage, rep., 821 ; Lee
Tucker, dem., 414.
Treasurer — G. E. Robbins. rep., 765;
Thomas Gibb, dem., 433.
Assessor — G. E. Crosby, rep., 848; C.
H. Emerson, dem., 344.
Clerk and Recorder — H. B. Darnall, rep.,
764; J. F. Deckert, dem., 423.
County Attorney — T. J. Porter, rep., 618;
Jos. C. Smith, dem., 574.
Clerk District Court — A. T. McAusland,
rep., 721; Emil Knutson, dem., 477.
Superintendent of Schools — Ida E. M.
Wile)", rep., 1,170.
Public Administrator — J. S. Towers, rep.,
881.
County Surveyor — B. M. Melum, rep.,
642 ; George Scheetz, dem., 534.
Coroner — Joseph Bateman, rep., 795 ; T.
J. Newman, dem., 397.
CHAPTER V
EDUCATIONAL.
Custer county is in no way behind the other
counties of Montana in educational matters
and in some cases is far in advance of them.
Tlie population of this county has always been
wide awake to the necessities of educational
facilities for her sons and daughters, and
steady progress has been made since the day of
the lirst primitive school house' to the present
time when many commodious buildings dot the
Iiillsides in charge of a corps of teachers up-to-
date and capable.
The county of Custer and the town of
Miles City both came into existence in the year
1877. School district number one formed that
year, extended from the Dakota line west to
Gallatin county and from the \\'yoming line
on the south to the Canadian line on the north
and was undoubtedly the largest school dis-
trict in the United States. During the first
ye;n- of the county's existence no school was
held, but in 1878, 3.1iles City realizing the need
of an educational institution for its children,
at Dtice took steps to start a school. .\ two-
room frame building was secured which stood
near the site of the old Grand Central hotel
and here it was with a Mrs. Harris as teacher
that the first school in Custer county saw the
light. At this first school seven pupils attended,
who were : May Maxwell, Flora Brown, Em-
ma Brown, Laura Brown, Kittie Burke, Essie
Bishop anil a colored boy by the name of
George Mercer. Here, in the small frame
school house with only the most primitive
necessities, educational matters were given an
impetus that has lasted until the present and
now Custer county stands among the first in
the state in this line.
Aliss Nettie Rogan was the second teacher
in this school and under the supervision of
Miss Rogan the pupils had an easy time. The
teacher was in love with a lieutenant at the
fort and whenever he came to see her during
school hours, the school was dismissed much
to the delight of the pupils.
On June i, 1879, there being a vacancy in
the office, C. W. Savage, county treasurer, was
by the board of county commissioners, de-
clared to be, by virtue of his office, county sup-
erintendent of common schools, and on that
day assumed his office. On the same day the
county commissioners created a school district
to be known as school district number two, em-
bracing all that part of Custer county lying
west of a line drawn north and south through
the town of Huntley.
During the year 1879, three teachers were
granted certificates to teach in Custer countw
they were: W. B. Givens, Miss Anna Ailing
and Miss Ella Sheridan.
The Yellowstone Journal of October 2.
1879, said: "W'e take pleasure in announcing
that the Miles City school will open on Mon-
day next, the 6th inst. The district trustees
have rented a building from Mrs. Whitney on
the road to the old town, a few minutes" walk
from the court house, and have engaged !VIiss
Ella Sheridan as teacher. She will enter upon
her duties with a roll of twenty to twenty-five
pupils. The school bell is one that was taken
from the wrecked steamer Yellowstone."
The school report for the year 1879 was as
follows :
Number of persons of school age, 37 ; private
schools, taught at military posts, 3; average pay of
teachers, male, $70, female, $50; amount of per capita,
$19.23; amount unapportioned, $271.42; total amount
raised by county tax for schools, $711.76; number of
teachers employed, 3. On account of lack of teachers'
reports, the average attendance, and number of days
364
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
school taught cannot be given. C. W. Savage, county
superintendent.
On December 6, 1879, school district num-
ber three was created to comprise Pease Bot-
tom.
The school report for the year 1880 is
rather meager. The persons of schoolage for
that year is given as males, 130, females, 150,
and the total amount of money collected from
all sources was $961.90.
In 1 88 1 school district numl)er four was
created to include all that porti(jn of the county
lying west of the east line of range 24 east of >
the principal meridian of Alontana. The dis-
tricts of the county were rebounded and the
boundaries as fixed in this year are as follows :
District number one — Bounded on the east
by O'Fallon creek and on the west by Big
Porcupine.
District number two — Bounded on the east
by Big Porcupine and on the west by Pompeys
Pillar.
District number three — Bounded on the
east by Pompeys Pillar and on the west by
Canyon creek.
District number four — Bounded on the
east of Canyon creek and on the west by Galla-
tin county.
District number five — Boiuuled on the west
In" O'Fallon creek and on the east by Dawson
county and Dakota territory.
School report by superintendent of schools
C. \X. Savage for the year 1881 was as fol-
lows :
Persons of school age. male 200, female 158;
average attendance, 91 ; private schools, 2 ; average pay
of teachers, $56.66; value of school houses, $700;. amount
raised by tax for schools, $I,,176.93: amount appor-
tioned, $1,627.93.
June 28, 1 88 1, the citizens of Miles City
voted on the school house c|uestion. Forty-
three votes were cast for the school house and
forty-two against, a majority of one in favor
of building a suitable structure.
February 17, 1883, the bill authorizing a
new school house at Miles City passed the
Territorial Council.
The school report by superintendent of
schools, A. C. Logan for the year 1883 was as
follows :
School census, 722; number attending, 31S: num-
ber of teachers, 12; number of school houses, 5; num-
ber graded schools, I at Miles City ; average pay of
teachers, male. $87.50, female, $62.50; value of school
houses $1,200; amount raised by tax, $4,397.90; amount
per capita, $6.54.
The first teachers' institute held in Custer
county was held at Miles City Octolier 28,
1883 and marks an epoch in the educational
affairs of Custer county. It was largely at-
tended and great interest was manifested by
all present.
The following is the school report for the
year 1884 by A. C. Logan, superintendent of
schools :
School census, 802; number attending, 282; num-
ber of teachers, 10; school houses, 6; graded schools,
I ; private schools, 2 ; pupils, 42 ; average pay of teach-
ers, male, $70. female, $62.50; average value of school
houses, $3,000; total value of school houses, $18,000;
amount raised by county tax, $8,628.06 ; per capita,
$10.78: total amount apportioned, $8,854.06.
The school reports for the next few years
are rather vague and hard to get accurately,
but the schools of Custer county progressed
rapidly and great advancement was made in
every district and especially in the city schools
of Miles City.
A review of the Miles City schools pub-
lished in the Yellowstone Journal of Septem-
ber 17, 1887, is appropriate here and we quote
from that journal :
"The history of the public schools of Miles City is
a matter worthy of careful record and in order that
future residents may not be without information as
to the growth of the educational facilities in our city,
we have gathered the most important facts in regard
to the schools from their inception to the present time.
The first session of public schools ever held in Miles
City was taught by a Miss Schofency (should be Mrs.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY
365
Harris ) in a frame building on Park street opposite
the Grand Central hotel. The next building occupied
by the school is a log house on Main street opposite
Conrad's store. This building is now used for a
Chinese laundry. The next school found shelter in the
Grand Central from which it moved to a frame build-
ing— once a hospital — on the corner of Pleasant and
Ninth streets. From the hospital building which was
burned in 1883, the school returned to the Grand Cen-
tral and thence to their present quarters in the hand-
some brick building which stands on a half block on
Palmer street between Eighth and Ninth streets. This
building which cost $15,000. is two stories high with a
large basement underground. The upper story contains
a hall with a seating capacity for 200, a school room and
a library. Through the center of the building on both
floors extends a spacious hallway. The upper floor
has no stairways communicating with other doors. The
basement has ample storerooms for wood and coal and
also contains two large Ruttan furnaces which supply
every room of the building with pure, warm air, thus
combining ventilation and heating in a successful man-
ner. The building is a substantial brick structure, well
finished, furnished and lighted. The yard, which is
surrounded by a neat iron fence, contains about forty
growing Cottonwood trees, that will one day make the
school house square a place of beauty to the eyes of all
beholders."
The advancement of the schools of Custer
county is very apparent when we compare the
report of 1884 and report of 1901, which
was as follows :
Persons of school age, male, 697, female, 642 ,
number of teachers, male. 35, female, 34; private
schools, I ; number attending private schools, 31 ; num-
ber of days attendance, 82,061 ; average daily atten-
dance, 556; school houses,^^ 17; value of school houses
and grounds, $47,995; school houses built, 2; amount
raised by tax, $47,664.27. Mrs. Laura Zook, Supt.
The school rejiort for 1902, shows a slight
decrease caused by the organization of Rose-
bud county. The report was as follows :
Persons of school age, male 702, female
685 ; one private school with eight pupils at-
tending; school houses built 4; daily attend-
ance 92.157: school houses in county 21 ; value
of school houses and grounds $36,570; amount
collected by tax $33,770.16. Mrs. Laura
Zook. superintendent.
The report for 1904 by superintendent of
schools, .Mrs. Ida E. M. Wiley, shows a small
increase over that of 1902, Below is the re-
port:
Persons of school age, male 815, female
725; number of teachers employed, male 5,
female 30; two private schools in county with
an attendance of 7 pupils ; number of days at-
tendance, 102.651; number of school houses,
26; value of school houses and grounds,
$41,331; total school money collected, $38,-
703.26.
School report for the year 1905 was as fol-
lows :
Census, male 876, female 761 ; average sal-
ary paid teachers, male $60, female $50; num-
ber of teachers, male 8, female 35 ; number of
private schools, one with 20 pupils attending;
average attendance in county schools 960;
value of school houses and grounds, $37,660;
amount expended for text books, $911.20;
number of volumes in libraries, 4,645; value
of libraries, $3,194; number of school houses
owned by districts, 28; cash on hand August
4, 1904, $11,999.39; amoimt applied to dis-
tricts, $17,070.72; total amount raised and on
hand, $41,731.72; disbursements $30,185.24.
Mrs. Ida E. M. Wiley, Superintendent of
Schools.
The school report for the year 1906 is not
yet completed but will show an increase in at-
tendance, value of school property, and more
advanced lines of study.
A county high school was established at
Miles City in 1902 and a part of the city
school building was secured in which to hold
school. An election was held in December 1905
for the purpose of voting on the question of
bonding the county for $35,000 to build and
equip a free county high school. The bond
issue carried by a majority of 227.
The high school course in Custer county is
as follows :
First year — Algebra, physical geography,
botany, English, composition and declamation ;
must elect one of the following: Latin, Eng-
366
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
lish words and American masteqiieces.
Second year — Algebra, geometry, zoology,
civics, ancient history, composition and de-
clamation. Must elect one: Csesar, English.
Third year — Geometry, English, English
classics, mediaeval history, modern history,
composition and debate. ^Nlust elect one:
Cicero, German, chemistry.
Fourth year — American history, arithmetic,
physics, English literature, composition and
debate. Must elect one: Virgil, German, Eng-
lish history, French history, and assigned read-
ings.
The board of trustees are: Kenneth Mc-
Lean, pres. ; Mrs. Ida E. M.Wiley, sec. ; J. H.
Truscott, Sydney Sanner, \V. E. Savage, J.
E. Farnum and Albert Kircher.
The force of teachers for the ensuing year
are: R. H. Daniels, principal; Miss Zoe Bel-
lew, Miss Winifred Wilson and Mrs. Eva
Crane Farnum.
URSULINE CONVENT.
The educational history of Custer county
\vOuld be incomplete without mention of the
Ursuline Convent located at 2\Iiles City. This
is an institution of which the residents of this
county justly feel very proud.
Miles City claims the honor of having the
first Ursuline convent in the Rocky mountains.
In the year 1877 the town was founded and
the winter of 1884 beheld the Ursuline Nuns
with characteristic energy and enterprise
pushing forward the higher education of the
children in the embryo municipality.
The Nuns who made the foundation here
were from the Ursuline convent of Toledo,
Ohio. The Rev. Father Lindesmith, chaplain
of the United States army post at Fort Keogh
— that gallant soldier priest whose memory is
held so dear by all the old timers in this town
— wrote the Nuns in reference to their pro-
posed foundation in Miles City, saying that "it
was no use for them to come to Montana un-
less they could rustle." But pioneer life in
unsettled communities was no new experi-
ence to the Nuns and had for them no terrors.
They arrived in Miles City, January 18, 1884,
and the hearty welcome extended to them
that day was but the herald of the warmth,
appreciation and generosity which has ever
been the share allotted to them by the citizens
of Miles City. Nevertheless, the prophetic
words of their good friend, Father Linde-
smith, were verified and they had to "rustle."
The first school opened by the Nuns was
in temporary quarters, a five-room cottage on
Palmer street, secured for that purpose at a
rental of thirty dollars a month. It was not
long, however, before the Nuns had raised a
structure of their own and teachers and pupils
with joyful hearts moved into the little white
building on the south side of the track, com-
monly known and lovingly remembered as
"the old convent."
There the work was carried on successfully
until 1895. I'"^ November of that year the convent
caught fire. 'The alarm being duly given, was
responded to by the Miles City fire department,
but owing to an unfortunate accident the city
water was not available in sufficient quantities
and the convent was burned to the ground.
The Nuns and pupils, thus rudely thrust out
into the winter snow, found refuge and wel-
come in the houses of their many friends until
such time as the Nuns were recalled to their
Mother House at St. Peter, Montana, and the
children in sadness returned to their homes.
Many prominent citizens thereupon sent a
delegation to the Bishop of Helena requesting
the return of the Nuns to Miles City, and
promising liberal aid for the building of the
school. In fulfillment of this promise, these
kind friends donated a new and more desirable
site for the convent. The Nuns then began
the erection of the handsome structure whose
portals were thrown open on October 5, 1902.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
367
The people once more showed their apprecia-
tion by a welcome warm and true.
Classes were organized at once. Terms —
$200 per year for board, laundry and tuition.
Embroidery and plain sewing, drawing, paint-
ing, pyrography, elocution and physical cul-
ture are taught free of charge to all pupils of
the institution. Instruction in music, piano,
organ, violin and other stringed instruments,
$40 per year.
PART VIII
DAWSON COUNTY
CHAPTER
CURRENT EVENTS.
That part of the great state of Montana
v.itn which this work has to deal was at an-
early period a part of the Territory of Louis-
iana, the history of which has been given in a
previous chapter. Later this was successively
a portion of the Territories of Nebraska, Da-
kota and Idalio and lastly, in i864< became a
part of the Territory of Montana. Of the many
counties formed in 1864, soon after the terri-
tory was organized, Dawson comity was one of
the first created and the boundaries were as
follows :
Commencing at the intersecting point of
parallel of latitude 47 degrees north with the
meridian of longitude 108 degrees west and
thence along said parallel 47 degrees to merid-
ian of longitude 104 degrees; thence along said
meridian north to latitude 49 degrees ; thence
along said parallel 49 degrees to meridian of
longitude 108 degrees; thence south along said
meridian of longitude to place of beginning;
and the county seat of said county of Dawson
be and the same is hereby located at Fort An-
drew.
There were no settlers in the county at this
time, though there were a number of soldiers
24 '
at the fort, and a county organization was
not efifected.
The county of Dawson was again created
in 1869 and the county seat as named in the
enabling act was located at Fort Peck. The
boundaries remained the same as in 1864. No
organization was effected at this time and the
county of Dawson was attached to the county
of Choteau for judicial and other purposes.
For countless ages this vast territory had
been the hunting ground and stronghold of the
\arious Indian tribes and its fertile plains and
Ininch-grass hills had been the feeding ground
of innumerable herds of buffalo and great
bands of elk, antelope and deer.
With the occupation of this virgin terri-
tory by the military in 1876-7 and the scatter-
ing of the great bands of Indians that had
heretofore made this their stronghold, the
white settlers soon became cognizant of the
wonderful richness and fertility of this section
and immediately moved westward and started
settlement in this new domain. In 1877, ^
number of cantonments or temporary posts
were established along the Yellowstone valley.
and in the vicinity of these cantonments where
they would be under the protection of the sol-
370
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
diers. settlements were started. After a time,
as the Indians became more peaceable and
the settlers became more tlaring and confident,
settlements were established at greater dis-
tances from the posts and in a short time this
great territory which had been the homes of
che Indians and wild animals, was dotted with
settlements of white men, and the Indian tep-
ees of former years were displaced by the log
cabins and painted houses of the white men.
Among the first to settle in what is now the
county of Dawson, were George Grant and J.
L. Burns on what is known as Burns Creek,
William Crane on Crane Creek and a man col-
kxjuially known as "French Joe," who settled
on Fox creek. These men located here in 1878
and it was nearly two years before more set-
tlers moved to this great county. About 1880,
a number of settlers braved the dangers of the
frontier and made settlements here, and among
them were, Emmett Dunlap, George McCone,
N. ■ R. Brown, Henry Harpster, William
Brake, Frank Fletcher and Warren Surrine.
When the route of the Northern Pacific
railroad had been determined upon and it be-
gan its march westward, the town of Glendive
was started and the first influx of settlers came
in. In 1 88 1 when the railroad was completed
to the tow'n of Glendive, and this town had
reached the proportions of a small city, the set-
tlement became rapid and in a short time the
population and wealth of this section had
grown to such an extent that county division
and organization became a paramount ques-
tion.
While the county had been created for a
great many years, no county organization was
ever effected and it had been attached to Cus-
ter county for judicial and other purposes.
In September 1883, a bill was passed by the
Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Mon-
tana, recreating the county of Dawson, ex-
tending the southern boundary line ten miles
south of the original line, and provided for
j its organization by naming the county officers.
j and made Glendive the county seat.
In 1884, the building used as a court house
was found to be too small and inadequate for
; the growing business of the new county and a
I contract was let ]>y the commissioners lor the
'■ building of a new court house to cost $25,000.
f This substantial brick structure with jail ac-
' conmindations was completetl in 1885 and was
at that time one of the best court houses in the
I state.
The year 1883 marks the passing of the
bufYalo in this section and the trade in bufifalo
hides and meat which had heretofore been one
of the chief industries in this section, had gone
j forever, and the raising of stock became the
])aramount industry in this county. The fer-
tile plains which had formerly been dotted with
herds of buffalo and antelope, became the feed-
ing ground for thousands of head of cattle and
sheep. Large droves of cattle were driven
here each year from the southern ranges or
from the ranges farther east, which had be-
come overstocked. Almost before the settlers
here realized it the Yellowstone valley and
Dawson county in particular had become noted
as a feeding ground and hundreds of eastern
capitalists invested in cattle and sheep and sent
them to this fertile range where they increased
and waxed fat. The stock industry suffered
a set back in the winter of 1886 and 1887,
when thousands of head of stock perished on
the ranges, and this section did not recover
from the bad eft'ects of that winter for several
years. Up to that time no thought had been
given the proposition of winter feeding and
few were in a position to feed their cattle dur-
ing the winter. The large owners suffered
more severely than the "Granger" or small
rancher, as he had a few acres of ground
from which he cut hay and in that way was
able to sa\'e many head of stock that would
otherwise have perished. This was a valu-
able lesson to the stockmen and since that time
I
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
2>7^
they ha\-e made prn\'ision for feeding their
stock in the winter if necessary, althougli it is
seldom necessary in this section where the
winters are comparatively short and not se-
verely cold. It also had the effect of cntting
down the size of the herds, and, while the
number of head of stock in this county is as
great as it e\er was, they are owned In' a larger
numlier of people and the count_\- has benefitted
Hie Iiusbandry of sheep has become one of
the most important industries of this section
of the state and there are at this time nearly
400,00(5 head of sheep in this county \-alued
at a million and a quarter of dollars. From
fi\e to eight million pounds of wool are an-
nually shipped from this county, and with the
increased prices of mutton and wool during the
jjast few years, the shee])men have become
wealth}-.
The affairs of Dawson county ha\'e always
run along smoothly and there have been but
few happenings worthy of historical record
since the formation of the county.
In February 1893, the county of Dawson
lost aliout half of its territory when all that
jjortion of Dawson county north of the mid
channel of the Missouri rix'er was cut off and
created into a new county named X'alley coun-
ty. This still left Dawson county with 13,-
22~ square miles of territory and it is yet one
of the largest counties in the state, being nearly
as large as the combined area of Rhode Island,
Lonnecticut and Xew Jersey.
During the year 1894, the desire for im-
proved facilities for crossing" the Yellowstone
ri\-er took public expression as an issue in the
November election of that year. The people
desired that the county should own the bridge
and the question of issuing bonds was decided
by a vote of 336 for, to 125 against the propo-
sition. Bonds were issued in the sum of $39,-
000 and the contract let for the construction
of the liridge which was completed' in Febru-
ary, 1896. The bridge is 1.236 feet from
bank to bank with a draw span 326 feet long.
In 1899, the ice gorged above the town and
when the gorge broke the ice rushed down the
river with terrific force and carried away tiie
middle span of the bridge. The lx)ard of
county commissioners at once ad\ertised for
bids for the construction of a new bridge and
in 1900 the present bridge was completed at
a further cost of $25,000. 'Die new bridge
was built eight feet higher alxive the watei
than the former one and now Dawson county
boasts of having the best and largest bridge
across the Yellowstone river.
While man}' of the small \alleys of this
county had been utilized for raising hay and
grain for many years, the great agricultural
possibih'ties of this section has recently been
brought to the notice of the settlers and rapid
strides are being made in the matter of re-
claiming and utilizing the fertile soil. Num-
erous small irrigation ditches have been built
and the result has been so encouraging that
more land is being tilled each year and the
yields are enormous. The government has re-
cently let contracts for the reclamation of
about 80,000 acres of semi-arid land in the
Yellowstone valley. A dam is being built
across the Yellowstone seventeen miles below
Glendi\-e and the water will be taken from that
stream at the mouth of Thirteen Alile creek.
The ditch will be forty feet 'wide at the lx>t-
tom, about eighty miles long, and will water
that section known as the wishbone of the
Missouri. The water will cost the settlers from
twenty to twenty-five dollars per acre to he.
paid in ten annual installments and the go\'-
ernment agrees to maintain the dam and head
gates permanently. The dam is of the over-
flow design and will always retain sufificient
water to supply the canal at the lowest stages
of the river. Of course, navigation above this
point will lie intercepted, but the progress of
natural conditions, as regards modern trans-
portation methods, will serve to offset any ob-
jections against the construction of the dam.
372
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
With railroads and electric lines in close pros-
pect, there will be no necessity for steamboat
navigation.
A strip of territory forty-six miles east
and west and about seventy miles north and
south is now being surveyed by United States
surveyors in the eastern part of Dawson
county which will be of inestimable value to
the rapidly incoming population, as this terri-
tory has never been surveyed.
A company has been formed for the pur-
pose of colonizing that portion of the county
known as the Redwater divide which contains
about 900 square miles of territory, of which
more than half can be farmed without irri-
gation.
The assessed valuation of all property in
Dawson county since its organization in i88j,
has been as follows :
1883, $840,034; 1884, $1,236,754; 1885,
$1,350,000, approximate; 1886, $1,500,000, ap-
proximate; 1887, $1,089,350; 1888, $1,464,-
326; 1889, $1,743,797; 1890, $2,406,481;
1891, $3,058,719; 1892, $3,396,341; 1893,
$2,207,256; 1894, $2,086,751; 1895, $2,075,-
414; 1896, $1,719,013; 1897, $1,994,299;
1898, $2,183,831; 1899, $2,152,459; 1900,
$2,548,279; 1901, $2,945,942; 1902, $3,973,-
535; 1903, $5,066,818; 1904, $4,863,498;
1905, $4,934,728; 1906, $5,159,598, an in-
j crease over 1905 of a quarter of a million
dollars.
With all the incontrovertible advantages
that Dawson county offers for the selection and
establishment of permanent homes and for the
successful pursuits of diverse industries, its
inherent and visible wealth, the salubrity of
its climate, the superior characteristics of its
people, moral, intellectual and refined, with
the beneficial influences of splendid schools,
and religious institutions, there is no place in
the state that presents greater opportunities
for the accumulation of wealth than are to bt
found within its borders.
CHAPTER II
CITIES AND TOWNS.
Glendive has been aptly named the "Gate-
way of Montana," or "Pearl of the Yellow-
stone," and its location and commercial en-
vironments entitle it to either of these cogno-
mens. Nestling in a natural amphitheatre,
surrounded on almost every side by pictur-
esquely rugged hills, through which the broad,
majestic Yellowstone river sweeps its way, the
charming little city of Glendive appears to the
traveler from east or west like a veritable oasis.
In its miniature valley location, the famous
river skirts the western limits of the town, and
presents a feature of interesting change with
the seasons of the vear. In the summer time,
when the beauties of nature are at their best,
the scene from some neighboring elevation as
the sun sinks to rest beyond the undulatin,g
licjrizon, is enchanting in its kaleidoscopic hues,
while in the autumn the tints that fall on cra,g
and hill are as soft as nature's painting on a
shell.
The idea of building a town at the present
site of Glendive was conceived by .Major
Lewis Merrill, U. S. A., H. F. Douglas and
others in the year 1880, when the Northern
Pacific railroad commenced to stretch itself
in this direction. The prairie a short distance
east of town was first selected and a small set-
%
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
373
tlement was started there in 1880, but the
railroad swung around and came out on the
flat wliere the town now stands. When the
Yellowstone Land and Colonization Company
laid out the present townsite in the summer
of 1880, the old town was deserted and its fevv-
inhabitants immediately tonk up their aliode
in the new town.
In 1880, Douglas Mead & Company, who
had been running a sutler store along thc-
right-of-way of the railroad while it was
building, started the first mercantile establish-
ment in the new town, and were soon fol-
lowed Ijy \\'eeks and Prescott, and Jones and
Schaefer, who also engaged in the mercantile
business.
The railroad was completed to the town
of Glendive in the spring of 1881 and a large
influx of settlers followed its advent. New
business enterprises were launched and the
town soon assumed the jimportions of a small
city. Douglas Mead & Company, the first
merchants, erected the first substantial business
block in the city in 1881. Among the new
business enterprises started in that year were :
Hardware store by Hurst & Company; hard-
ware store by ^Ym. Ijiwe ; drug store opened
by H. S. Davis, and a number of wet goods
emporiums. In 1882 the first church, the
Methodist, was erected in the growing- town.
Up to and during the year 1883, the prin-
cipal industry in this section was the killing of
the bufYalo for its hide and meat, and the vol-
ume of business from this industry alone
amounted to several hundred thousand dollars
per year. In 1883 the poiiulation of the thriv-
ing town was estimated at 1,500 people, but
quite a large percentage of these were, how-
ever, people who floated around and worked a
short time in a place.
The stock industry, which has started in
i88r, had been constantly growing, and in
1884 had assumed gigantic proportions. The
place of the bufifalo hunter had been filled by
the cowbov, and large herds of cattle and
sheep fed on the nutritious grasses where for-
merly the buffalo and antelope held full sway.
The town of Glendive being situated in the
center of one of the largest grazing sections of
the west, became the outfitting point for thou-
sands of stock men and the \'olume of busi-
ness amounted to several hundreds (jf thou-
sands of dollars per year.
The first disastrous fire in Glendive oc-
curred on the 24th day of March, 1887. The
fire was discovered about two o'clock in the
morning between Gassman's jewelry store and
the barber shop, and an alarm was immediately
given. A strong' wind was blowing- at the time
and before assistance arrived the fire had
gained great headway. The barber shop and
jewelry store were consumed in a short time
and the flames spread rapidly, the citizens be-
ing unable to confine them to the burning
buildings. The structures being mostly frame,
burned rapidly and fiercely, and the heat was
so intense that water could only be thrown
from a distance, without any material effect.
The fire was undoubtedly the work of an in-
cendiary. The losses were as follows:
Richmond, $500; barber shop, $100;
Gassman, jewelry store, $1,000: Merchants
Hotel, house and fixtures, $6,000; H. S. Davis,
drug stock. $1,500, no insurance: A. J. Davis,
four buildings, $3,000; Henry Dion, $500;
Oswald & Co., building, $2,000; Lee Bros.,
$1,500; Harry Helms, $2,000; M. Farrefl,
$300; Ed. Butler, building, $1,000; Wm.
Lyons, fixtures, $100; Poutet & Gallagher,
building, $500; stock, 1,500; clothing stock
fully insured.
This was a serious blow to the growing
town, coming as it did, just on the eve of the,
hard winter of 1886-7, ^"t the people of
Glendive were possessed of a large amount of
energy- and integrity, and instead of becoming
discouraged, they put their shoulders to the
wheel and in a short time had overcome all ob-
stacles and were again enjoying the prosper-
ity of the old days.
374
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY
For a number of years prior to 1896, the
Yellowstone Land and Colonization Company
had had considerable dispute in regard to the
title to the townsite which they had laid off
and sold in 1880 and 1881. The Northern Pa-
cific Railroad Company claimed the land as
being a part of their grant and the following
gleaned from the records of the county clerk
of Dawson county will l>e of interest :
"From memoranda and information at
hand it appears that the Yellowstone Land and
Colonization Company, in the years 1881 and
1882, claimed all that portion of section 35,
township 16, north of range 55, east principal
meridian, lying east of the Yellowstone river,
by prior right and occupancy, and while lands
adjoining were claimed by this company by
purchase from individuals filing upon the same
under the act of congress of July 17, 1854,
granting lands to persons under and by virtue
of Sioux Half Breed script, it does not appear
from the records or information at hand that
the Yellowstone Land and Colonization Com-
pany received any deed, grant or otherwise,
either from the government or any per-
son claiming the same, any right to said sec-
tion 35, whatsoever.
"Nevertheless, deeds were issued by the
Yellowstone Land and Colonization Company
to subdivisions of section 35, township 16,
north of range 55, east M. P. M. until a pat-
ent was issued by the United States to the
Northern Pacific Railroad company, January
15, 1896, after which time all parties holding
deeds from said Yellowstone Land and Coloni-
zation Company were obliged to repurchase
said lands from the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company, or its grantees, or forfeit all right
and title thereto."
In October, 1902, the proposition of incor-
poration which had been agitated by the resi-
dents for some time, was voted upon and car-
ried by a large majority. Prior to this time it
was thought that the county government was
sufficient for all needs, but the town had
reached that point where it was necessary for
local improvements which could not be secured
under the old system. Sidewalks, graded
streets, fire protection, and water system were
needeil. Since incorporation many changes
have taken place, many new and handsome res-
idences have been built, lawns improvetl,
streets have been graded and many blocks of
cement walks have been laid, and many new-
business blocks erected.
In December, 1902, the Glendive Fire De-
partment was organized with the following
members: Jerry Cain, chief; Frank J. Lucas,
assistant chief ; Eugene Crotean, foreman hook
and ladder company; Frank Parrott, assistant
foreman of hook and ladder company ; J. H.
Pennington, foreman hose company; Ray
Lowe, assistant foreman of hose company : Otto
Carlson, steward; members: Steve Brittner,
\V. D. Nuens, H. A. Sample, C. A. Parcher,
J. S. Gillis, F. H. Hudson, Clark Brooks, C. A.
Mclntyre, J. I"". Dawe, E. P. Hockinbeamer,
C. A. Banker, George Quilling, Frank Spar-
ger, H. B. Read, H. J. Case, A. E. Anderson,
John Hagan, Wm. Hurst, Dr. Donahue, Har-
ry Stubbs, Stanley Guy, Gabriel Ruff and
Donald Mack.
The town experienced a sixty thousand
dollar fire in February, 1903. The fire started
about two o'clock in the morning and the or-
igin was unknown. On account of the scarc-
ity of water little could be done to stop the
spread of the fire and in a short time only the
ruins were left.
The losses were as follows : T. F. Hagan.
owner of buildings, $25,000, insurance, $11,-
500; G. D. Hollecker, merchandise, $30,000,
insurance, $16,000; C. F. Bean, postoffice fix-
tures, $600, no insurance; A. S. Foss, photog-
raphers' supplies, $1,000, no insurance; G. F.
Goodhue, household furniture, $600, no insur-
ance; I. O. O. F. and other secret societies,
$1,000, no insurance: Da\-is & Farnum, drugs,
$700.
The fire department is entitled to great
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
375
credit for their heroic effort to stop the spread
of the flames, and had it not been for their or-
ganized assistance, many more buildings
would have been destroyed and the loss would
have been much greater.
Because of the poor quality of the drinking-
water that was secured from the wells and the
inadecpate fire protection, the proposition of a
water system had been agitated for some time,
but it was not until the present year that it ma-
tured. In January an election was held to vote
on the proposition of bonding the town for
$50,000 to install an adequate water system.
At this election 132 votes were cast, 123 for j
and 9 against the proposition. The city council
immediately let the contract for the work and
the system is now more than half completed.
The water is to be taken from the Yellowstone j
river and two large settling tanks have been j
constructed. The tank at the river bank will
have a capacity of 200,000 gallons and the
tank located on the hill above the town will
have a capacity of 300,000 gallons. This will |
insure a supply of clean water for domestic
and other purposes free from the sedimentary
contamination which now prevails. The pump
has a capacity of 750 gallons per minute with
two intake pipes of tweh-e inches in diameter^
The plant will be turned over to the city early
in September and Glendive will have a water
system second to none in the state.
A sewerage system is to be built in the near
future and the plans have been drawn, and bids
asked for. The plans as drawn by the city en-
gineer provided for a twelve-inch waste pipe
to the river, but the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company, which will soon install its machine
shops here, offered to pay half the cost of the
system if a twenty-four-inch waste pipe was
used.
In April. 1906. the Dawson County So-
cial Club was organized with a membership
of seventy and club rooms have been secured
in the spacious block now being erected by
Harry Helms. If the present plans are carried
out Glendive will have one of the best equipped
club rooms in eastern Montana. The officers
of the club are: Dr. A. A. Baker, president;
Theo. Lentz, vice president ; H. N. Dion, sec-
retary; E. S. Haskell, treasurer; G. D. Hol-
lecker, T. F. Hagan and L. R. Barnett. di-
rectors.
Glendive has a well drilled and well disci-
plined militia company which was organized
in 1905, and now has a membership of sixty.
This company has among its members some of
the best rifle shots in the northwest ^nd each
year a number of these are chosen to represent
Montana at the national shooting tournament
held at Seagirt.
There are three religious denominations
which have, church edifices, the Episcopal,
Catholic and Methodist. They each have a
large and devoted membership and their aux-
iliary societies of young men and women are
in a flourishing condition. There are several
other denominations which have organizations
here but no regular church services.
There is probably no city of the size of
(ilendive. anywhere, that boasts of such an ar-
ray of fraternal societies, with their convenient
auxiliaries as can be found here. Brothers and
sisters of almost every order and degree com-
pose the majority of the adult inhabitants and
this has much to do with the charming social
characteristics of the town. The Masonic
fraternity, which embraces the following
lodges : Blue lodge, Commandery, Chapter
and Eastern Star, is in a flourishing condition,
and owns the Masonic Temple at the corner of
Merrill avenue and Bell street. Other lodges
are : Knights of Pythias, I. O. O. F., and Re-
bekahs, A. O. U. W. and Degree of Honor,
B. P. O. E., F. O. E., Orients, M. W. A.,
Royal Neighbors, Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire-
men. Brotherhood of Railway Conductors and
A. R. U.
The officers of the town since its incorpora-
tion have been :
376
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
1902 — Mayor, J. H. Miskimin; council-
men, A. S. Foss, C. E. Bell, W. F. Jordan and
E. P. Baldwin ; clerk and attorney, H. J. Hal-
\-orsen : police judge, J. C. Sorenson ; treas-
urer, C. A. Banker.
1903 — Mayor, Henry Dion; councilmen.
Joel Gleason, W. B. Foster, C. E. Bell and
Guy R. Lowe; clerk and attorney, H. J. Hal-
vorsen; police judge, J. C. Sorenson; treas-
urer, C. A. Banker.
1904 — Mayor, Henry Dion; councilmen,
Guy R. Lowe, J. M. Rapelje, Joel Gleason and
C. E. Bell; clerk and attorney, H. J. Halvor-
sen; police judge, J. C. Sorenson; treasurer,
C. A. Banker.
1905 — Mayor, D. R. Mead; councilmen,
W. F. Jordan, J. C. Taylor, J. M. Rajjelje and
Guy R. Lowe; clerk and attorney, H. J. Hal-
vorsen; police judge, J. C. Sorenson; treasurer,
C. A. Banker.
1906 — Mayor, D. R. Mead; ci.iuncilmen,
J. M. Rapelje, D. J. Donahue, W. F. Jordan
and J. C. Taylor; clerk and attorney. H. j.
Halvorsen : police judge. J. C. Sorenson;
treasurer. C. A. Banker.
Glendive is making a very satisfactory-
growth this season, both in the increase oi
p<3pulation (which is now more than 3,000).
the number of new residences and business
blocks built or under construction, and the
greatly augnnented volume of business in all
lines. It has partaken in a liberal measure of
the brimming cup of prosperity passed around
so generously over the entire northwest during;
this year. The indications are also, that the
bright prospects for this city and county have
only begun to appear: that a steadily increasing
progress will be recorded as the vast ranges are
peopled with new settlers and new lines of
railways built. The present outlook for Glen-
dive and eastern Montana is indeed optimistic
in a most marked degree.
WiB.vux, the second town in point of size
and importance in Dawson county, was started
in 1 88 1. The first name given the new town
was Beaver, but this name did not last long
and it was soon chang-ed to Mingusville. In
1887, the name of the town was again changed
to Wibaux, named after Pierre Wibaux, the
rich stockman who has lived there for the past
twenty-six years. This town is located in the
famous Beaver creek valley, on the Northern
Pacific railroad, six miles from the Dakota
state line and thirty-one miles east of Glendive.
Being situated on a broad, fertile plain, its
advantages soon became known, and with the
increasing settlement of the surrounding coun-
try, the commercial importance of the town
was assured. The town has grown from a
dug-out in 1 88 1 to a flourishing little city of
about 700 people.
The town was platted in May, 1896. by
Morris Nolan and wife, but it has never been
incorporated.
In May of last year. Wibaux was visited
by a $26,000 blaze, which swept away the prin-
ciual business block of the town. The losses
were as follows: Orgain Co., $15,000; Cor-
nell &, Smith, rooming house, $3,500; C. B.
Lantis, barber shop, $500; Mrs. O'Neil, house,
$1,000: Mrs. Pickering, hotel, $5,000; Gar-
land Kidd, household furniture. $1,000.
The town sustains three churches, the
Catholic. Episcopal and Congregational. It
also contains the usual complement of business
houses found in towns of this size. It is a great
shipping point and thousands of head of cattle
and sheep are shipped from it each year.
Wibaux has a splendid future ; its inhab-
itants are enterprising, progressive and ambi-
tious, and its church and school facilities are
equal to every need. The people are wrapped
up in their little city, eager to promote its
progress, and extend a welcome to all desirable
citizens to join them in the work of develop-
ment of their rich and enterprising community.
SinxEV is a village on the Yellowstone
river, in Newlon township, first settled in 1887,
and is fifty-five miles northeast of Glendive,
the county seat, and twenty-five miles south-
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
m
west of Fort Buford, the shipping point on the
Great Northern railway. It has a bank, saw-
mill, and a Methodist church. It also has daily
stages t(j Alondak and Glendive. The popu-
lation of the town is about 200 and being lo-
cated in the center of the most fertile section
of eastern Montana, its prospects for becom-
ing a thriving town are exceptionally bright.
With the completion of the government irri-
gation ditch which is now under construction
a large influx of settlers are expected in this
section and a railroad line down the Yellow-
stone valley will undoubtedly be constructed in
the near future.
ToKNA, a postoffice in Dawson county
with a population of seventy-five, is located on
the Yellowstone river, in Nevvlon township,
first settled in 1881, thirty-six miles east of
Glendive, the county seat and shipping station,
and twenty miles southwest of Sidney, the
banking point. Tri-weekly stages to Glen-
dive, Sidney and Ridgelawn, and telephone
connections.
Other postoffices in Dawson county are:
Adams, Circle, Cohagan, Enid, Fairview, Gos-
sett, Hodges, Jordan, Kismet, McMillan, Mos-
by, Newlon, Norvelia, Ridgelawn, Three
Buttes and Viall.
CHAPTER ill
POLITICAL.
The political history of Dawson county
covers a period of twenty-four years. Al-
though the county was first created in 1S64
and again in 1869, no attempt was matle to
form a county organization until 1882. Prior
to this time it had been attached to Custer
county for judicial and other purposes, but
with the coming of the railroad and the rapid
settlement in this section, it was found neces-
sary to have a separate organization to take
care of the rapidly increasing business. Ac-
cordingly, in September, 1882. the county of
Dawson was organized with Glendi\e as the
county seat.
The first officers of the new county were
as follows : E, K. Weeks, Ebon Slawson and
Robert P'outet, county commisioners ; J. F.
Maloney. probate judge ; George R. Tingle,
clerk and recorder; Henry Dion, sheriff; D.
R. Mead, treasurer; John P. Nolan, assessor.
Mr. Nolan resigned the office of assessor and
on November 2^,. 1882. D. S. Prescott was ap-
pointed to fill the unexpired term.
The first act of the county commissioners
after the organization was to establish voting
precincts throughout the county. Four pre-
cincts were established, number one at Glen-
dive, number two at Burns House, number
three at Newlon school house and number four
at Keith station house. The appointment of
election judges for the election to be held No-
vember 7, 1883, was the next act of the com-
missioners and the following judges were ap-
pointed for the precincts following their
names : W. M. Coleman. J. E. Walton and
H. E. Tuttle, judges precinct No. i ; J. L.
Burns, E. Dunlap and G. F. Grant, judges pre-
cinct No. 2; John O'Brien, David Stewart and
W. W. Newlon. judges precinct No. 3 ; Morris
Nolan, N. F. Fountain and .\ndrew Smith,
judges precinct No. 4. The township of
Newlon was next createrl and set apart and
378
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
composed all that portion of the county lying-
west of the Yellowstone ri\'er and north of
Burns creek, which territory comprised nearly
half of the present county of Dawsi n and all
of the present county of \'alley.
The political record for the year 1883 is
lost to history, as is also the vote of the elec-
tion held November 4, 1884. The names of
the candidates for ofifice for the year 1884 are
a matter of record and the name of the can-
didate who was successful is given first, as
below :
For Congress — Hiram K. Knowles, rep.,
J. K. Toole, dem.
For Representati\e — George R. Tingle,
dem. ; Gus Grisy, rep.
For County Commissioners — Andrew Mc-
Lain, rep. ; George McCone, rep. ; John Lee,
dem. ; D. Cavanaugh, dem.
For Probate Judge — James AlcCormick,
rep. ; H. J. Haskell, rep. ; Win. E. Lonnegan,
dem. ; Ale.x. Gillespie, dem.
For Treasurer — .\llen J. McMillan, dem.;
Hope S. Davis, rep.
For Clerk and Recorder — W. H. Ray-
mond, rep. ; F. N. Brown, dem.
For Sheriff— H. C. Tuttle, rep.; N. W.
Comford, dem.
For Assessor — N. R. Brown, pp.; M. N.
Brown, dem. ; J. L. Burns, rep.
For Surveyor — W. W. Newlon, rep. ; Ira
Hall, pp.; Wm. Lonnegan, dem.
For Supt. of Schools — J. N. Ray. rep. ;
Dr. Daniel Mcintosh, dem.
For Coroner — Dr. A. R. Duncan, rep.,
E. W. Narry, dem.
In the election of November 2, 1886, the
Republican party was generally successful in
electing its candidates, though some of the
Democratic candidates were elected. The re-
sult of the vote was as follows :
For Congress — J. K. Toole, dem., 217;
W. F. Sanders, rep., 202.
For Representative — Ale.x. S. Gillespie,
dem., 171 ; C. R. Scobey, rep., 241.
For County .Attorney — H. J. Haskell, rep.,
254; James Ramsey, dem., i ; John Trumlnill,
dem., 152.
For County Commissioners — Wm. L. Sin-
gleton, dem., 184; Emmet Dunlap. rep., 211;
Peter Gallagher, dem., 163; S. L. Bean, rep.,
235; Ebon Slawson, dem., 188.
b'or Probate Judge — Fred C. Klein, dem.,
153; James McCormick, rep., 264.
For Treasurer — A. J. McMillan, dem.,
204; Joseph C. .Vuld, rep., 209.
I'nr C'lerk and Recorder — G. N. Chun,
dem., 1O2; W. H. Raymond, rep., 248.
For Sheriff — Thomas Matthews, dem.,
194; H. C. Tuttle, rep., 217.
Fur Assessor — Jesse Reeves, dem., uj2:
-M. M. Carson, rep., 219.
For Supt. of Schools — A. R. Duncan,
rep., 206; E. W. Narry, dem., 206.
For Surveyor — N. E. Young, dem., 186;
W. W. Newlon. rep., 224.
For Coroner — .-\. J. Hogg, rep., 404.
For .\dministrator — J. B. Kelly, dem.,
177; A. L. Smith, rep., 235.
.\t the election held November 6, 1888,
442 votes were cast for the respective candi-
dates for office. The Republican candidates
were again generally successful but some of
the Democratic candidates were elected. The
result uf the vote was as follows :
For Congress — W. A. Clark, dem., 213;
T. H. Carter, rep., 229.
For Representatives — Chas. Bowers, dem.,
171 ; H. J. Haskell, rep., 247.
l-'or County Commissioners — .X. W. Sny-
der, d.eni.. 206; George F. Grant, dem., 22/:
Henry E. Day, rep., 198; George McCone,
rep.. 223.
For County .\ttorney — John Trumbull,
dem., 171 ; Thomas C. Holmes, rep.. 253.
For Sheriff — Morris Cain, dem., 204;
Joel Gleason, rep., 223.
For Treasurer — Joseph C. Auld, rep., 399.
For Clerk and Recorder — A. N. Savage,
dem., 159; James McCormick, rep., 267.
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY,
379
For Assessor — D. Cavanaugli, dem., 289;
M. M. Carson, rep., 137.
For Probate Judge — Taylor John, dem.,
229; J.^M. Ray, rep., 194.
For Administrator — A. L. Smith, rep.,
4-'5-
For Coroner — F. C. Klein, dem., 224;
W'm. Lowe, rep., 202.
For Supt. of Schools — .Mice Cavanaugli,
dem., 271; Mrs. Nan. Little, rep.. 156.
For Surveyor — C. C. Staples, rep., 215;
N. L. Miller, dem., 213.
A special election was held May 14, 1889.
for the purpose of electing delegates to the
state constitutional convention, which resulted
as follows ;
H. J. Haskell, rep., 212; Alfred Myers,
rep., 141; O. F. Goddard, dem.. 140; 1). O.
Cowan, dem., 122.
After the organization of the state and the'
adoption of the constitution, it was necessary
to hold another election for the election of
county officers. Accordingly an election was
held in Dawson county on October 1, 1889,
which resulted as follows :
For Congress — Thos. H. Carter, rep.. 281 ;
Martin Maginnis, dem., 242.
For Governor — Thom. C. Powers, rep.,
289; J. K. Toole, dem.. 256.
For Constitution. 364. Against Constitu-
tion, 25.
For Senator — W. S. Becker, dem.. 290;
D. R. Mead, rep., 249.
I'Vir Clerk of District Court — J. G. Ram-
sey, dem., 316; Frank Mclntyre, rep., 197.
For County Attorney — Thomas C.
Holmes, rep., 377.
For County Commissioners — Angus
Brown, rep.. 235; Emmett Dunlap. dem., 82;
George F. Grant, dem., 257; Charles Krug,
dem., 270; Edward Marron, rep., 224; George
McCone, rep., 247; C. A. Thurston, dem., 230.
For Clerk and Recorder — James McCor-
mick, rep., 339; John W. Whaley, dem., 194.
For Sheriff — Joel Gleason, rep., 342; Tay-
lor John, dem., 195.
For Treasurer — Joseph C. Auld, rep.. 290;
J. R. Widmyer, dem., 248.
For Assessor — D. Cavanaugli, dem., 312;
M. AL Carson, rep., iij.
For Administrator — Chas. F. Little, rep.,
275; John Dejong, dem., 252.
For Coroner — N. W. Comford, dem., 2'6i\
S. E. Grinall, 'rep., ly-^.
For Supt. of Schools — Alice Cavanaugh,
dem., 301 ; Gertrude Ci. Hooper, rep., 237.
For Sur\eyor — H. L. Miller, rep.. 300:
B. F. Peer, dem.. zz-j.
Only the record of the vote for the con-
gressman is available for the election held No-
vember 4, 1890, which was as follows:
l'"(.)r Congress — Thomas H. Carter, rep.,
161; A. L. Corbley, lab., 11; \V. W. Dixon,
dem., 139; W. 1\ Field, pro., 8.
The result of the vote cast at the election
of November 8, 1892, was as follows:
Democratic electors. 268; Republican elect-
ors, 343.
For Governor — T. E. Collins, dem., 276;
Wm. Kennedy, pp., 30; John E. Rickards,
rep., 309; J. INI. Waters, pro., 15.
For Senator — Thos. P. Cullen, dem.. 315;
Id. Hodgson, rep., 302: E. W. Harvey, pp., 9.
For Congress — W. W. Dixon, dem., 259;
Caldwell Edwards, pp., 29; Charles S. Hart-
man, rep., 328.
For Location of State Capital — Anaconda,
3; Boulder, 3; Bozeman, 222; Deer Lodge, 8;
Butte, 7; Great Falls, 132; Helena, 267.
For Clerk of District Court — Chas. F.
Bean, rep., 324; Hubert C. Clancy, dem., 297.
For Sheriff — D. Cavanaugh, dem., 306;
Joel Gleason, rep., 313; Henry C. Opie. pp.,
20.
For Treasurer — James S. Ahny. pp., 32;
Alex. S. Gillespie, dem., 319; E. S. Johnson,
rep., 271.
For Assessor — M. H. Brown, dem., 333;
3So
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
N. R. Brown, pp., 40; Neil Stewart, rep., 266.
For Clerk and Recorder — James McCor-
mick, rep., 372; Jesse E. Walter, dem., 252.
For County Attorney — Thos. C. Holmes,
rep., 294; John J. Kerr, dem., 282.
For Supt. of Scliook — Alice Cavanaugh,
dem., 262; Eva Harpster, pp., 72; Alvira A.
Truax, rep., 304.
For Administrator — John B. Kelly, dem..
259; Chas. Tilyou, rep., 334; Thos. C. Tyrrell,
pp., 26.
For Surveyor — A. M. Baird, rep., 475.
For Coroner — M. J. Garrity, dem., 239;
J. H. Hunt, rep., 354: G. W. Stoddard, pp.,
20.
For County Commissioners — Harry
Helms, dem., 346; Wm. Lindsay, rep.. 308;
Archibald Morton, rep., 298; George H. Mont-
ford, rep., 41; O. D. Policy, dem., 282; B. F.
Peer, dem., 219; Andrew Smith, dem.. 312.
Following is the result of the vole of the
election held November 6, 1894:
For Congress — H. S. Corbett. dem., 109;
Chas. S. -Hartman, rep., 270; Benjamin Mai-
den, soc, 4; Robert B. Smith, pp., 100.
For Location of State Capital — Anaconda,
113; Helena, 389.
For Sheriff — S. D. Bovee. rep.. 246: D.
Cavanaugh, dem., 252.
For Clerk and Recorder — J. H. Lemley,
dem., 190; James McCormick, rep., 302.
For Treasurer — Henry Dion, rep., 245;
Ale.x. S. Gillespie, dem., 242.
For Assessor — M. H. Brown, dem., 181:
J. M. Rhoade-s, rep., 316.
For County Attorney — Thos. C. Holmes,
rep., 293; E. B. Kennedy, dem., 192.
Superintendent of Schools — Mrs. Mary
Ha,gan, dem., 211; C. R. Scobey, rep., 271.
For Administrator — T. W. Berry, dem.,
145; Wm. Lowe, rep., 328.
For Surveyor — L. N. Allen, dem., 153;
E. Harpster, rep., 319.
For Coroner — Thomas Lee. dem., 189; T.
J. Pollard, rep.. 289.
At the general election held November 8,
1896, the Republican candidates were gener-
ally successful. The result was as follows :
Republican Electors, 384; Democratic
Electors, 175; Socialist Electors, 3.
For Congress — Chas. S. Hartman, rep.,
112; O. F. Goddard, dem., 359.
For Governor — Alex. C. Botkin, rep.,
347; Robert B. Smith, dem., 195.
For Senator — Jos. C. .\uld, rep., ^2j;
Chas. A. Thurston, dem.. 228.
For Representative — ^\'m. Lindsay, rep.,
265; Charles Ivrug, dem., 2^^; Daniel Green-
wait, pp., 34.
For Clerk of District Court — Chas. F.
Bean, rep., 296; John H. Lemley, dem., 261.
For County Commissioners — Chas. R. No-
ble, rep., 345; Alex. M. Baird, rep., 296; T. J.
Pollard, rep., 306; Harry Helms, dem., 258;
B. H. Peer, dem., 163; Andrew Smith,, dem.,
218; J. F. Butler, pp., 7; James Brooks, pp.,
21; James Tarbell, pp., 11.
For County Attorney — Thos. C. Holmes,
rep., 363; August H. Sawyer, dem. 191.
For Clerk and Recorder — James McCor-
mick, rep., 555.
For Sheriff — C. R. Scobey, rep., 259; D.
Canavaugh, dem., 307: Thomas Kean, pp.. 10.
For Treasurer — James \\'. McKenzie. rep.,
305 ; Alex. S. Gillespie, dem., 226; J. S. Almy,
pp.. 30.
For Assessor — E. J. Lemoyne. rep., 335;
Ira M. Ailing, dem., 214; Jerry Cain, pp., 8.
For Administrator — W'm. Lowe, rep., 365;
Wm. Peoples, dem., tOo.
For Coroner — S. J. Washington, rep., 298;
G. E. Osterwind, dem., 234.
For Superintendent of Schools — Mary
Dilts, rep., 190; Mrs. Marie Eisenhart, dem.,
63; Nora Johnson, pp., 316.
For Survevor — Richard R. Cummins, rep.,
487.
The result of the election held Novemlier
8, 1898, v.-as as follows:
For Congress — Thos. S. Hogan, pp., 34;
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
381
A. J. Campbell, dem., 169; Thos. C. ^Marshall,
rep., 299.
For Senator — Thomas Cullen, dem., 318:
Henry J. Haskell, rep., 197.
For Representative — Alex. S. Gillespie,
dem., 224; \Vm. Lindsay, rep., 284.
For Sheriff — D. Cavanaiigh, dem., 292;
Joseph C. Hurst, rep., 229.
For Treasurer — James \\'. AIcKenzie, rep ,
497-
For Clerk and Recorder — James McCor-
mick, rep., 302 ; H. R. Schwanke, dem., 207.
Mr. McCormick died July 11, 1900, and R. L.
Wyman was appointed July 16, 1900, to till
the unexpired term.
For County Attorney — Thomas C,
Holmes, rep., 487.
For Assessor — M. H. Brown, dem., 299;
C. C. Staples, rep., 212.
For Superintendent of Schools — Estella
Bovee, dem., 256; Nora Johnson, rep., 261.
For Surveyor — R. R. Cummins, rep., 275;
Wm. Graham, dem., 22^.
For Administrator — Wm. Lowe, rep ,
476.
For Coroner — Wm. F. Jordan, dem., 226;
S. J. W'ashington, rep., 271.
At the general election held November 4,
1900, the Republican candidates were success-
ful with one exception, that of the office of
the state senator. The following is the result
of the vote :
Republican Flectors, 518; Democratic
electors, 236 ; Socialist electors, 2 ; Labor elec-
tors, 5.
For Congress — Samuel G. Murray, rep.,
493; C. F. Kelly, ind. dem., 2; Caldwell Ed-
wards, dem., 248; Martin J. Elliot, soc, 3.
For Governor — David E. Folsom, rep.,
480; Thos. S. Hogan, ind. dem., o; Joseph K.
Toole, dem., 268; Julius Fox, soc, 4.
For Senator — Wm. Lindsay, rep., 380;
Thos. P. Cullen, dem., 404.
For Representative — George McCone, rep.,
436; C. A. Thurston, dem., 327.
For County Commissioners — J. A. Mor-
ton, rep., 442; W. C. Gleason, rep., 468; A. M.
Baird, rep., 414; Harry Helms, dem., 376;
John B. Kelly, dem., 363 ; Chas. Stierle, dem ,
270..
For Sheriff — John Kennedy, rep., 404;
George B. Williams, dem., 383.
For Treasurer — Hope Davis, rep., 405 ;
D. H. Driscoll, dem., 359.
For Clerk and Recorder — R. L. W'yman,
rep., 459; H. R. Schwanke, dem., 293.
B^or Clerk of District Court — Jens
Rivenes. rep., 425 ; Gilbert N. Burdick, dem.,
341-
For County Attorney — Thomas C.
Holmes, rep., 450; C. C. Hurley, dem., 313.
For Superintendent of Schools — Grace
Skinner, rep., 758.
For Assessor — A. H. Johnson, rep., 405;
M. H. Brown, dem., 365.
For Surveyor — R. R. Cummins, rep., 466;
W^m. Graham, dem., 285.
For Administrator — Wm. Lowe, rep., 488 ;
J. H. Lemley, dem., 268.
For Coroner — S. J. Washington, rep.,
478; John Butler, dem., 266.
The following is the result of the election
held November 6, 1902 :
For Congress — Joseph M. Dixon, rep.,
415; John M. Evans, dem., 160; George B.
Sproule, ind. dem., 9; Martin Dee, soc, 13.
For Representative — George McCone, rep.,
442; G. N. Burdick, dem., 201.
For Sheriff — John Kennedy, rep., 280;
George B. Williams, dem.. 390.
For Treasurer — Hope Davis, rep., 419;
Albert Johnson, dem., 223.
For Clerk and Recorder — R. L. Wyman,
rep., 398; Fred Goulding, dem., 260.
For County Attorney — Thos. C. Holmes,
rep., 308; C. C. Hurley, dem., 340.
For Superintendent of Schools — Grace
.\. Skinner, rep., 523.
For Assessor — A. H. Johnson, rep., 430:
M. H. Brown, dem., 230.
382
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
I-'or Sur\-eyor — R. R. Cummins, rep., 501.
l-"(ir Administrator — H. A. Sample, rep.,
408; John Butler, dem., 206.
For Coroner — \X. B. Foster, rep., 413: D.
J, Donahue, dem.. 216.
At the general election held November 8.
1904, the Republican ticket was again suc-
cessful in nearly all cases, but the Democrats
succeeded in electing five officials. Following
is tlie result :
Republican electors, 743 : Democratic elec-
tors, 183.
For Congress — A. G. Gormley, dem., 244;
J(.se])h M. Di.xon. re]).. 767: John M. Walsh.
For Governor — Joseph K. Toole, d.em ,
378; Wm. Lindsay, rep., 663: M. G. O'Malley,
soc, 17.
For Senator — George McCone. rep.. 741 ;
Tullie Cato, dem., 294.
For Representative — F. P. Lieper, rep,,
705; Robert Dorg, dem., 339.
For Sheriff — J. A. Culwell, rep., 442:
George B. Williams, dem., 635.
For Treasurer — John Sorenson, rep., 506;
Fred J. Goulding, dem., 557.
lujr ,\ssessor — A. H. Johnson, rep., 592;
Chet Murphy, dem,, 463,
For Clerk and Recorder — R. L. W\man,
rep., 693 ; C. L. Rood, dem., 347.
For County Attorney — Jens Rivenes, rep.,
460; C. C. Hurley, dem., 600.
For Clerk District Court — H. A. Sample,
rep., 725; L. X. Allen, dem., 318.
For Superintendent of Schools — Grace A.
Skinner, rep., 529; Esfella Bovee, dem., 530.
For Administrator — Frank Sparger, rep.,
575; B. F. Dawson, dem., 420. Mr. Sparger
committed suicide in April. 1905. and E. L.
Herrick was appointed.
For Surveyor — E, S. Baer, dem., 609.
For Coroner — A. E, .\iken, rep., 581 ; D.
J. Donahue, dem., 413,
The citizens of Dawson county have al-
ways exercised exceptionally good judgment
in the selection of the men to fill the various
county offices of their county and the political
record of this county is clean.
CHAPTER IV
DESCRIPTIVE.
Prior to the advent of the Northern Pa-
cific railroad in 1881, Dawson county, and in
fact, most of extreme eastern Montana, was a
wilderness, remote from the farthest outposts
of civilization and inaccessible save only by
dangerous Indian trail and primitive and ex-
pensive river navigation. But with the inva-
sion of the iron horse the savage aspect of the
land was subdued and the footprints of indus-
try reached out into the rock rimmed valleys
in every direction. The supremacy of the
wolf and coyote in the buffalo's once lordly do-
main was superseded by the importation of
cattle, horses and sheep that no\y roam upon
a "thousand hills," The great ranches of the
princes of the plains extended their dominion
over the primeval soil, and hamlets sprung up
where hitherto solitude had reigned.
This transfusion of life and industry was
chiefly facilitated by the first settlement of
Glendive. It was the nucleus around which
the rich and growing commonwealth of the
county extended itself in the establishment
of homes and the foundation of wealth. As
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
383
soon as population and wealtli permitted,
boundaries were laitl and the county organi-
gation was perfected. Public highways were
constructed and improvements and develop-
ment pursued. When the historic days of the
stage coach, with its panoply of war, were
ended, and the steel highway brought this
region into union w'ith the more populous dis-
tricts of the east and west, the growth of the
town and county was accelerated, and new ter-
ritory continued to be opened up. Progress
and prosperity came with the onward march of
immigration and the concomitant increase in
commercial affairs, and so extensive has busi-
ness become that today the arteries of trade are
opened throughout a region with a radius oi^
more than 100 miles.
The topography of the county was recog-
nized as being especially adapted for stock
raising purposes. The vast ranges with their
rich, succulent grasses and numerous valleys,
rock bound and sheltered from storm, were
susceptible of sustaining thousands of head of
cattle : and here, too, was the sheepman's para-
dise. Water was plentiful in the numerous
creeks and streams throughout the entire
region, and the majestic Yellowstone river
with its immense volume of water traversing
the southeastern part of tiie county, made ir-
rigation projects possible for the aid of the
farmer in his agricultural pursuits.
The main industry of the county since its
formation has continued to be stock raising
and it is one of the most extensive in the state.
.\n idea of the capital invested in this business
may be had from the assessed valuation as
given in 1906 which was as follows: Horses,
13.787, valued at $526,556; cattle, 57,679, val-
ued at $1,079,027; sheep, 396,791, valued at
$1,171,379. These figures do not include
hogs, the valuation of which will not reach $2,
000, this, however, is a growing- industry and
many of the farmers are going into this busi-
ness more extensivelv each vear.
The lower Yellowstone valley is undoubt-
edly one of the richest valleys in the state
and its possibilities under agriculture are un-
limited. This valley starts about fifteen miles
below Glendive and continues to the North Da-
kota state line. It has an average width of
from four to six miles and is about sixty miles
in length. Its topography differs from that of
most ri\er \alleys, in that it has a gentle slope,
sufficient for good drainage, from the foot
hills to the river, while the descent the other
way conforms throughout its entire leng-th !o
the fall of the river. It has a rich alluvia-
soil varying in depth from ten inches to two
feet, with a clay subsoil underlaid with gravel.
The annual rainfall has always been sufficient
to insure good crops and a total failure has
ne\-er been known in this section.
The climate is unexcelled for purity and
health. Malaria is an unknown disease. So
dry and clear is the atmosphere in winter that
a temperature of forty degrees below is less
noticeable in its effects than one twenty degrees
below would be in countries that have a damp
atmosphere. Very cold weather, however, sel-
dom lasts for more than a day at a time.
The water lioth from the springs and wells is
excellent and a well of poor water is a rare
exception.
As an agricultural district the vallev is.
as yet, practically undeveloped, but enough
settlers have been engaged in the past twenty
years in crop raising for profit, to demonstrate
that it is no longer a theory, but a well estab-
lished fact, that the valley returns a more
bountiful yield, in proportion to the cost of
production,- than many of the agricultural belt
states. Hay, grains of all kinds, vegetables
and fruits yield prolifically in this district.
With the completion of the government ir-
rigation ditch and the reclamation of the semi-
arid land in the valley, thousands of settlers
will find homes here, and in a few short ^•crars
the Yellowstone valley will be kn(jwn through-
3f^4
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
out the land as tlie most prosperous agricul-
tural section in the state.
The paramount industry of the valley, how-
ever, is the growing of stock, which dwarfs
all others in comparison. The rich, nutritious
grasses of this section renders the Yellowstone
valley the very paradise of stock growers. The
bunch grass starts early in the spring, grows
rapidly, and after maturing, possesses the
peculiar quality of curing on the stump with-
out losing its flavor or fattening qualities,
making the very best of winter pasturage and
cattle are often found on the range in the se-
verest weather, in prime condition. The val-
ley range is unusually well watered through-
out its entire length by clear running perennial
streams of pure water flowing out from the
foothills at intervals of from four to eight
miles, crossing the valley and emptying into the
Yellowstone.
Dairying and poultry raising as side in-
dustries have received considerable attention
and are sources of considerable revenue to the
settlers.
Beaver creek valley is another of the rich
valleys of Dawson county and has more nat-
ural advantages than any other section of the
county. This valley in Dawson county ex-
tends about thirty miles. The soil is
remarkably rich, and is of much value for
agricultural and horticultural pursuits. Gar-
den truck and fruits thrive well and there is
no section of the state where diversified farm-
ing can be carried on with as great success and
with less cost than in this favored spot.
The country to the north and west of
Glendive is essentially a prairie country,
though more rolling and broken than most
of the prairie countries in the state. To the
south and east are the "Bad Lands'" vvhich are
famous as feeding grounds for stock.
That part of Montana and Dakota known
r.s the "Bad Land>. ' which begins some fifty
miles east of Glendive. and extends north and
south a distance of 120 miles, forms one of
the interesting regions of the United States.
It is a mighty labyrinth of nature. Hills of
every conceivable form and hue. cones, wedges
and giant cubes, deep valleys, wild gulches,
colossal fortifications of nature, patches of
trees on scoriae land, agatized stumps, hay
meadows and streams, petrifactions, crimson,
white and yellow mounds, mighty gorges and
smiling dells, with rocks abounding every-
where, resembling sphynxes, pyramids, obe-
lisks, temple ruins and cathedral spires, are
the features prominent from every point of
view. The "Bad Lands" are becoming of
more interest each year and there is an inde-
scribable charm in the surroundings that is
fascinating in the extreme. This is also a
paradise for the sportsman as all kinds of
wild game are to be found in this section.
In the matter of fuel Dawson county is
exceptionally well favored, at least half the
county being underlaid with excellent seams
of lignite coal. Coal has been found as far east
and south as W'ilbaux and Glendive creek; as
far north and east as Culbertson ; as far north
and west as the Big Dry creek and as far
south and west as Sanford. Many of the de-
posits are free from bone and are of good
thickness. The best producing area at present
is near Glendive. The mine being due east
of the city and is owned and operated by the
Electric Light Co. Many tons are taken from
this bank annually as the lignite is used to a
great extent by the people of Glendive. From
Glendive to Wibaux are some good outcrop-
pings on either side of the railroad. The best
r_iines, near Wibaux, are alx)ut eleven miles
southeast of the town on Glendive creek,
where one outcrop is nearly twenty feet thick.
Heavy deposits occur near Sidney on the Yel-
lowstone river about 15 miles west of the Da-
kota line, and numerous outcroppings are
found along the streams that empty into the
Yellowstone from the south. The following
HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
38s
is an anal3'sis of the Dawson county ligniite:
Moisture, 14.925; Vol. Comb, matter 39.400;
Fixed Carbon, 42.200 and ash, 1.475.
Dawson county is destined to become one
of the richest counties in the state of Montana.
With the completion of the irrigating ditches,
the settlement of its semi-arid lands by agri-
culturists, the building of a railroad down the
valley of the Yellowstone to Fort Buford and
the contemplated change in course of the
Northern Pacific, will give this section an im-
petus that will not be stayed until its many re-
sources are fully developed, and Dawson
county will have become one of the foremost
counties in the state.
25
JOSEPH T. BROW
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
CAPTAIN JOSEPH TALIAFERRO
BROWN. After the traveler has been jostled
over one hundred miles of stage road up the
Tongue river valley from Miles City, he ar-
rives at Birney in the pink of condition to
keenly enjoy the frank and hearty welcome
and entertainment so characteristic of the
Montana stockman's home. Entering the por-
tals of Captain Brown's stone residence, he is
more than charmed by the air of southern re-
finement and culture apparent everj'where,
which is more conspicuously pleasant as the
welcome is pronounced as only a southerner
transplanted to Montana can speak it.
Since the days of the sixties Captain
Brown has been a leading figiu'e in this por-
tion of the state and he is numbered with the
mcst successful and influential men of Mon-
tana, and quite in keeping with the purpose of
our volume we are privileged to take up to
some extent the thread of his life's work and
present salient points for the reading and re-
flection of those who would exemplify those
sterling traits which win genuine success.
Copiah county, Mississippi, owns the Cap-
tain as her son and January 26, 1849, marks
the date of his birth. Captain H. G. D. Brown,
the father of our subject, was born in Union
district. South Carolina, on February 29,
1824, and while still an infant went with his
parents thence' to Mississippi. The mother of
this infant, Elizabeth (Rice) Brown, was the
daughter of a wealthy and aristocratic family
of South Carolina and her marriage to Mr.
Brown was opposed by her people, owing to
the lack of finances possessed by Mr. Brown.
Therefore, being a woman of pluck and great
capabilities, she persuaded her husband to leave
the old 'state of their birth. South Carolina,
and make their way out into the wilderness
of the Mississippi country. Discouragement
and trial awaited them, but as a pilot star,
her determination never failed and she was
often the power that persuaded her husband
to stick to the new plantation, bravely saying
that she would not under any consideration
return to her people. After years of this try-
ing work, they lived to see their three sons
highly honored and become leading men of the
countn,-. Their sons w^ere Edwin R., who
became one of the wealthiest men in the
state of Mississippi: Albert G., who be-
came governor of Mississippi and later
United States senator; and H. G. D., who was
the infant when they went to their new home
in the west. Of this latter one we will now
speak more particularly. He was kept on the
plantation until si.xteen years of age when he
was placed to acquire a military training. As
the naval academy was not then established at
Annapolis, he was placed on the man of war
which was to be the training ground of the ca-
dets. Upon the establishment of the academy,
after he had been on the man of war for two
years, he was ordered home from a foreign
port and immediately matriculated as a mem-
ber of the first class of that now world famous
institution, the United States Naval .Vcademv,
BIOGRAPHICAL SIvETCHES.
founded in 1845 through the efforts of George
Bancroft, Secretary of War. In May, 1846,
when war was declared with Mexico, Mr.
Brown left the academy to join the naval force
sent for the reduction of Vera Cruz. He per-
sonally took part in the bombardment of castle
San Juan de Ulua, the fortress guarding the
port and city of Vera Cruz. After serving
with distinction until the close of the war he
returned to the academy and graduated in due
time with honors. During his naval career,
he married, and soon after his graduation he
resigned his position and returned to the plan-
tation. He remained thus engaged until the
breaking out of the Civil War when he organ-
ized a troop of artillery known as "Brown's
Battery." This battery was captured at Fort
Hudson and after the war, Mr. Brown re-
turned to the plantation, where he remained
until his death in 1877. He was a man with
a splendid record and was accounted a mili-
tary man of skill and bravery. He had mar-
ried Mary P. Taliaferro, a native of Virginia.
Her paternal ancestors, of Norman extraction,
came from England in 1640 and settled in
Virginia, and the family was always well rep-
resented in all American and Indian wars, and
one member, William B. Talielerro, was gen-
eral under Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War.
Another member of the family is now United
States senator from Florida.
Reverting more particularly to the career
of Captain Brown of Birney, we note that he
was reared on the Mississippi plantation and
later graduated from the Kentucky Military-
Institute. Although his parents were wealthy,
they were nearly ruined financially by the rav-
ages of the Civil War. When Joseph T. was
s lad of fourteen years, he entreated his mother
to allow him to go to war, but she refused and
was not to be persuaded from her decision.
His father was in the conflict, and so young
Brown felt it his duty to take up arms and ac-
cordingly ran away from home and joined the
Confederate armv under General Forest. He
was not regularly enrolled as a soldier but was
in the battle that occurred soon after he
joined the regiment. After this battle he de-
termined to return home, but feared the treat-
ment he might receive at the hands of his par-
ents, whom he had dishonored in his disobedi-
ence. The Colonel of the regiment, a south-
ern gentleman, Mr. Roberts, seeing the plight
of the lad, wrote the following letter :
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brown: — This will
be handed to you by the j-oung hero, Jos. T.
Brown. You must not scold him as he has
more than acted well his part. Joe borrowed
a gun and went into the fight and fought
through like a tiger, receiving a bullet in his
pantaloons. He fs the admiration of all. God
bless and preserve him. Yours truly,
"CoLOXEL Roberts.
j "July 5th. 1864."
The following February, Joseph T. again
I made his way to the army and joined it. He
remained until the close of the war and then
went to the Kentucky Military Institute and
finished his course, graduating in 1870. Soon
after that he started for Texas, and having
little money he accepted a position as surveyor
on the Texas & Pacific Railroad, having per-
fected himself in civil engineering in his course
at school. He was careful of his money and
invested in cheap land in Texas. Later he
went to \'irginia and graduated from the de-
partment of law in the University of Virginia,
receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Re-
turning to Texas to look after his land he was
offered the position of attorney for the same
railroad he had suneyed for and accepted the
position. Later he was general claim agent
and retained this position till the road went
into the hands of a receiver. Soon thereafter
he went to Indian Territory, purchased a band
of cattle and came overland to Montana, set-
tling on the place where we now find him.
From that time to the present Captain Brown
has been one of the energetic and leading men
of this portion of the state, has prospered won-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
389
derfully in the stock business, has lands, cat-
tle and other property so that he is about the
heaviest taxpayer in his county. He was pres-
ident of the Montana Stockgrowers Associa-
tion four terms, was elected on the Demo-
cratic ticket a member of the state legislature
in 1897 and has always taken a deep and active
interest in the advancement and upbuilding of
the state.
In early days the Cheyenne Indians were
killing settlers and destroying property and so
Captain Brown organized the Company C of
the First Montana Infantry to protect the set-
tlers against the Indians. At the breaking out
of the war with Spain, this company became
Troop I of the Third Regular United States
\'olunteer Calvary and went to Chickamauga,
and our subject was captain of the troop when
it was mustered out of service at the close of
the war.
In 1883 Captain Brown married Miss
Mary G. Humphreys, who was born at Fort
Gibson, Mississippi. She was educated in
W'hitworth College. Her father, Daniel B.
Humphreys, a native of Mississippi and a
wealthy planter there, was lieutenant in the
Confederate army. His paternal ancestors
came from Wales to the colonies in early days.
His grandfather, Ralph Humphreys, was a
colonel in the Revolution and the grandson of
that patriot, Benjamin G. Humphreys, was a
general in the Confederate army under Gen-
eral Lee. Mrs. Brown's mother, Katherine
Watson Shelby Jeffers, in maiden life, was
born in Mississippi a direct descendant of
Evan Shelby, of Revolutionary fame.
To Mr. and Mrs. Captain Brown three
children ha\e been born, namely. Albert G.,
a student at the University of \'irginia; Joseph
T.. with his parents on the ranch: Natalie, a
bright and charming young lady who has in
her own right a nice band of stock and takes
a great interest in stock raising and ranching,
generally.
Captain Brown is a large land owner as
well as one of the leading stockmen of the
state, and his home place is improved in a be-
coming manner and he and his wife are known
far and near as most hospitable, kind and capa-
ble people. In political matters the Captain
is a stanch Democrat and has always been a
man with the courage of his convictions. Poli-
tics never appeals to him from the wire pulling
side, but, as a most fascinating science, he has
always delved into it and its kindred, political
economy, that he might be well informed upon
the grave issues of the day, and so has kept
himself fully abreast of the ad\-ancing times.
WILLIAM B. STONE resides three miles
east from Miles City and there owns a good
farm. He gives his time to general farming
and is one of the substantial men of the county.
His experience in various portions of the west
would be A-ery interesting reading had we the
time and the space to detail the same. But it
would take a volume and we shall be forced
to content ourselves with an epitome of his
career, and in detailing this we take great
pleasure. Mr. Stone is of the typical fron-
tiersmen, although he did not come west as
soon as some, still he has a wide experience in
the ways of the pathfinder and hunter and his
travels have taken him all through the plain
country.
Beginning with his advent to life, which
occurred in Clay county, Missouri, April 16,
1857, we note that he was reared on a farm
and educated in the public schools of his
county. Jacob A. Stone, his father, was born
in the vicinity of Lexington, Kentucky, and
came to Clay county in 1844, being one of the
first settlers in that vicinity. He married Mi-
nerva Harbaugh, born near his own birth
place, and they remained in Clay county until
the death of the father, J. A. Stone. The
mother still lives, aged seventy-nine. When
our subject had reached budding young man-
390
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
hood, he took a trip overland to Texas, and
liking the journey, he soon was on another.
Whether for pleasure or for business we are
not told, but these two journeys served to
give him a taste of plain life and camping,
and especially, as he had caught the spirit of
hunting on these journeys and had some ac-
tual experience in slaying that king of the
plains, the buffalo, he decided to try his hand
in a larger way. So, in 1879, accompanied by
his brothers, John and Charles, and a neigh-
bor's son, James Story, they set out overland
for Miles City. Their outfitting point was
Kansas City, Missouri, and as soon as they
reached the plains they began hunting. For
six years in eastern Dakota and western Mon-
tana they continued this work and many and
many a herd has fallen before their rifles. In
the meantime. Mr. Stone had taken a home-
stead about five miles east from Miles City and
that was the point of rest when they were be-
tween hunts. Like all other hunters, Mr.
Stone has had many and thrilling experiences,
but always found a way to get out of the diffi-
culty. Although the Indians were hostile
much of the time, still he had no great diffi-
culty with them, still on several occasions he
had to repel them with the rifle. White horse
thieves, or to be more explicit, white colored
men, who followed horse stealing, were more
troublesome to the hunters than were the In-
dians. After remaining here for about seven
years, Mr. Stone went back to his home in
Missouri and in 1892 returned to this county
and purchased the ranch where he now resides.
Just before coming out the last time, however,
Mr. Stone, in the spring of 1892, with his
young wife, having been married in 1891, took
another trip overland to Texas. Having pur-
chased his present ranch, he set to work to fur-
ther improve the same and make it a good and
valuable place, as it is at this day. Mrs. Stone,
in maiden life, was Miss Ada Thomas, and at
time of her marriage to Mr. Stone was the
widow of John Galvin, and her parents, John
and Sarah (Eaton) Thomas, were natives of
Kentucky and came in early days to Clay
county, where this daughter was born. In
Clay county Mrs. Stone was reared and edu-
cated and her trip to Texas when she joined
her husband was her first long journey. Mr.
and Mrs. Stone has a large family and the
children are named as follows : John Galvin,
by her first marriage; Lewis, Jesse, Clara,
Robert, Charlie, Oscar, Ivlinerva, and an infant
daughter yet unnamed.
Mr. Stone has always evinced a becoming
interest in political and educational matters and
is a progressive man and one of the real build-
ers of the county, as he is always laboring for
advancement and improvement. He has won
and retains the respect and esteem of all who
know him and his standing in the community
is of the best.
HANS JONAS HALVORSEN, a prom-
inent young attorney of Glendive, was bom at
Sole, Norway, January i, 1873. His father,
Jonas Halvorsen, was born in the same place
August 7, 1844, and after receiving his edu-
cation followed farming there. In 1881 he
came to the United States and located in Yel-
low Medicine county, Minnesota, and a year
later came to Glendive. For two years he did
carpenter work and then moved to his ranch
five miles out from Glendive, starting in the
sheep business, which he has since followed.
In October, 1 871, he married Lisabet Kalberg,
who was born at Sole, Norway, April 17,
1841. They are both living at the ranch home
in this county. Five children were bom to
Mr. and Mrs. Halvorsen, three boys and two
girls. One son died when young. The other
children besides our subject are Mrs. Carrie
Barnett, near Indianapolis; John, at Baker,
Washington, and Josephine, living at Glen-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
391
dive, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Halvorsen have
always been adherents of the Lutheran church
and he is a Repubhcan in pohtics.
Our subject was first educated in the pub-
lic schools at Glendive and in 1892 went to the
Concordia Academy at Moorhead. a church
school, whence he graduated in 1894. Then
he attended the Northern Indiana Normal
school at Valparaiso, Indiana, completing the
scientific course in two years. After this he
came home and for two years following, to
1896, he was busied on the ranch. Then Mr.
Halvorsen returned to Valparaiso and took up
the study of law in the same institution, grad-
uating in the class of 1900. Immediately
thereafter, he returned to Glendive and opened
an office and since that time he has given his
attention to the practice of his profession. Also
he is interested in stock, sheep and horses, but
his time, is given to the law. From the start
he secured a good practice and has now a large
clientage. He has served in the office of city
clerk and city attorney since the incorporation
of the town in 1892.
Politically, Mr. Halvorsen is a good strong
Republican, while in religious persuasion he
is allied with the Lutheran church. He is
known as a keen and forceful lawyer and pos-
sessed of legal lore which enables him to grasp
the various cases of his practice in a masterful
way. He has won many friends and has a
brilliant future. Mr. Halvorsen has never em-
barked upon the matrimonial sea, but enjoys
the quiet pleasures of the jolly bachelor.
ANTHONY H. ARNESON has the dis-
tinction of having won from Montana as fine
a success in a financial way as one could ask
for. Being a man of sound judgment, energy
and intelligence, he has brought to bear and
marshalled his powers in a successful manner,
and the result is that he has won out himself
evei-y point along the way. His residence i?
only seven miles northwest of Big Timber,
being in the Swamp Creek valley, and his home
has been here practically all of the time that
he has been in Montana. Fillmore county,
Minnesota, is his native place and the date of
his birth is September 24, 1861. His father,
Hans A., was bom on September 22, 1810,
in Norway and came to Wisconsin in 185 1, via
canal and boat from New York city to Beloit
and then to Minnesota in 1854, where his
death occurred in 1887. The mother was
Haagine Johnson in maiden life. She was
born in May, 1818, and died in 1892. It is
of interest to note that when our subject's par-
ents came across the ocean, the voyage took
seven weeks and the emigrants were all obliged
to furnish their own provisions. This entailed
great hardship and in those early days of the
fifties, when Mr. Arneson landed in the wilds
of Wisconsin and later on the bleak prairies
of Minnesota, it required no small courage to
overcome these obstacles, especially as the
settlers of those days had to face savage and
murderous Indians. Nevertheless, he built a
home, raised a large family and died a re-
spected and well-to-do citizen. Our subject
was the youngest of twelve children, ten of
whom lived to be over twenty and eight of
whom are still living. He has one brother,
Edward, who resides at Rockford, Washing-
ton, and his oldest brother is a veteran of the
Civil War. In an old school house in Minne-
sota. Anthony H. received his education, sav-
ing three months spent in a boarding school
in Iowa. He farmed with his father until
twenty-eight years of age and the three
months spent in the school in Iowa being the
only time that he was absent from the old
homestead. When Mr. Arneson finally de-
cided to leave home, he began looking over
the state of Minnesota and spent ten months
in the western portion of it. Then he decided
to come to Montana and directly we find him
in Big Timber, where he spent two weeks in
assisting to build the foundation for the
392
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Grand Hotel. He carried the hod during these
two weeks and remarks now that that was all
the time he wished to spend at that business.
Then he came to his present place, which was
owned by his brother, Edward, and T. T.
Olson. He purchased Mr. Olson's interest in
the section of land and five hundred sheep and
also took a homestead. This was his start in
Montana and he was in debt for a portion of
the purchase price. After that, followed years
of hard labor, self-denial, and much hardship,
but he and his brother labored steadily along
and in due time the reward came. He now
owns a very large tract of land, thousands of
sheep and one hundred and thirty head of cat-
tle, besides much other property. In 1900,
his brother and he constructed the only pri-
vate reservoir in the country, which is a lake
covering about fifteen acres, and it being of
much value to the estate. In the spring of
1895, Mr. Arneson went to Rockford, Wash-
ington and purchased one fourth section of
wheat land. In 1906, he traded this for his
brother's interest and returned here to reside
permanently. Mr. Arneson has made his prop-
erty a beautiful place, as he has improved it
with a fine residence, barns, corralls, outbuild-
ings and everything needed on a first-class
stock and general farming ranch. His excel-
lent taste and judgment are manifested in all
of his labors and he has one of the choicest
places in Sweet Grass county, while he him-
self stands one of the representative men of
the great and progressive state of Montana.
In June, 1902, Mr. Arneson married Olena
Birkeland, a native of Norway. She came to
the United States alone, leaving her people in
Norway, and took up the battle of life on her
own account. Since then, her parents have
died. Our subject and his wife have four
children, Hattie J., Elmer M., Joseph A., and
Gladys A.
Mr. Arneson is an intelligent Republican
and manifests a keen interest in everything of
county, state and national affairs and is always
ready to aid every enterprise for the upbuild-
ing of the country.
He and his family are members of the Lu-
theran church and are highly respected people.
JACOB T. SANFORD, born in English-
town, Monmouth county, New Jersey, Septem-
ber 14, 1842, resides now on a ranch — a fine
one — three and one-half miles west of Laurel,
Yellowstone county. His father. Daniel I.
Sanford, a native of Connecticut, removed
from that state to New Jersey. He was a
farmer, of Scotch descent, and came to New
England in the colonial days. The mother,
Mary Ann (Tilton) Sanford, was a native
of New Jersey. Her ancestors were English.
In the public schools of New Jersey our
subject was educated. At the age of thirteen
he left home and bound himself to a jeweler
for five years. In 1861 he enlisted in Com-
pany G, Third New Jersey Infantry, for three
months. Having served three months he was
mustered out and re-enlisted in Company B,
Twenty-eight New Jersey Infantrj'. He was
in the Army of the Potomac, and participated
in the battle of Fredericksburg, where he was
wounded. He was also in the battle of Chan-
cellorsville, and again received a wound, on ac-
count of which disability he was discharged.
He then returned to New Jersey and opened
a jewelry store at New Egypt, remaining there
until his wound so disabled him that he was
compelled to relinquish his business. He then
removed to Philmont, New York, in 1876,
going into business with his brother-in-law,
George W. Phillip, in the manufacture of
hosiery. Mr. 'Phillip died, the business
changed hands and our subject accepted a po-
sition as superintendent of a hosiery mill at
Baldwinsville, New York. There he remained
until his health failed, and in 1885 he came
to his present location and purchased the prop-
erty where he now resides. Since then he has
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
393
improved his ranch, converting it into a fine
property.
In 1864 he was united in marriage to Cor-
neha T. Cowperthwait, born in Egypt, New
Jersey, where she grew to womanhood and
was married, coming west with her husband.
Her father was of Welsh descent, named
James. Her mother, Cynthia (Richman)
Cowperthwait, were in America many years,
and the Indian chief. Black Hawk, was one of
her ancestors. Mr. and ^Irs. Sanford have
four children: Arthur H.. Fred I., James M.
and Lilian C.
Mr. Sanford is a member of the Royal
Arch Masons, of Billings. He was a charter
member and president of the Yellowstone
Fair Association. He is a stanch Republican
and although never being a candidate for of-
fice he takes an active part in the various cam-
paigns. He was a delegate to the first state
convention ever held at Billings, and has at-
tended other conventions since. His beautiful
home is known as Mountain View Ranch, and
he has converted it from a barren waste.
ARTHUR R. SICKLER, proprietor and
operator of the American Hotel of Forsyth, is
known far and near as one of the enterprising
and accommodating hosts of the state. He
was lx)rn in Wyoming county, Pennsyl\-ania,
October 14. 1868, the son of Miles A. and
Elizabeth ( Sherwood ) Sickler, nati\-es of
Pennsylvania. The mother flied in June. 1906.
in her eightieth year. She had been a con-
sistent member of the Methodist church during
her life. The father is still living in his native
state, aged eighty-eight. Our subject is the
youngest of six children and received his edu-
cation in the common schools and at Keystone
Academy at Factoryville, Pennsylvania. When
nineteen he came west to AA'yoming and took
a position on a horse ranch where he remained
three years. Then two years were spent on a
cattle ranch after which he followed the east-
ern circuit with a string of horses. Returning
to Wyoming he soon made his way to Butte
and later came on to Forsyth, landing here in
1897. Various occupations kept him busy,
among which was one year at the ice business
in Sheridan, Wyoming. In 1903 he returned
to Forsyth and purchased tiie American
House, the principal hotel of the city and since
that time he has given his entire attention to
the management of this hostelry, making it one
of the choicest stopping places in the state.
Mr. Sickler has excellent adaptability and is
one of the most successful hotel men in the
country. In addition to the hotel he conducts
the railroad lunch counter and has an interest
in a meat market. Mr. Sickler is a stock-
holder and director in the H. H. Fletcher
Company, a large mercantile establishment in
Forsyth.
The marriage of Mr. Sickler and Miss
Alattie O. Rosengrene occurred Februarv' 24,
1900. Mrs. Sickler was born at Marine Mills,
Minnesota, in 1875, ^''^i' father, Nelson R(isen-
grene, being a farmer there.
Politically Mr. Sickler is a Jeffersonian
Democrat and active in his party. In May,
1905, he was chosen mayor of Forsyth, being
the second incumbent of that ofiice. He- is a
progressive and successful man, a leading citi-
zen of the county and has always labored for
the advancement of the country, thoroughly
belie\ing in the resources and the excellencies
of this portion of the state.
GEORGE W. WAKEFIELD has cer-
tainly had a most active, energetic and event-
ful career in the various sections of what has
been known as the "west." His life for half a
century has been an incessant scene of activity
and adventure and his experiences would be
well worth recording a volume for that pur-
pose could he but recall the incidents that have
394
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
marked his pathway, as much historic lore
would thus be brought to light in the form of
personal reminiscence and would have the ac-
curacy of an eye witness. We are pleased to
have the data that Mr. Wakefield has given
for the sketch that follows and we can but
realize the dominant energ}^ that must have
controlled him in his incessant lators.
George W. Wakefield was born in Bangor,
Maine, October 15, 1833, being the son of
Benjamin and Betsey A. Wakefield. The
mother died when George was a lad of ten
years. The father was born on the Kenne-
bec, Maine, followed farming in his native
state till 1855, when he came to St. Anthony,
Minnesota, which is now a part of Minneapo-
lis. Our subject was educated in his native
state and when eleven went to work as a bell
boy in a hotel. Later he took up teaming and
finally learned the blacksmith trade. When his
father came west, he was ready and when
twenty-two he landed in St. .\nthony. He
took charge of the teamsters of a lumber camp
and in the spring of 1857 started a road house
on the Mississippi road eighteen miles out of
the city. One year later he went down the
Red River of the North with a dog train as far
as Fort Gary and returned in January. 1859.
That spring he left Minnesota for Colorado
and crossed the plains to where Denver now
stands, reaching there on July 3. He was soon
mining in Colorado gulch and the following
year with his partner, David St. Clair, he went
with the stampede to Mexico but found noth-
ing. Returning we soon find him in Califor-
nia and then in Carson City, arriving at the lat-
ter place just as the spring floods were wiping
out everything. After the flood he went to
Lena, Nevada, and leaving his partner there
he made his way to the Eraser region in Brit-
ish Columbia. He soon came from those
fields and was in Portland in 1862. As soon
as he could replete his treasury, he struck out
for the Oro Fino fields in Idaho, and in the
fall of 1863, he made his way across the moun-
{ tains to the Alder gulch. In the fall of 1864
j Mr. Wakefield crossed the plains back to Min-
neapolis, and in the spring came back to 2^Ion-
tana and again took up the pick and the sho\el
and worked in the Blackfoot region, wintering
in Sheridan. The following spring found Mr.
Wakefield in the dairy business and inside of
six months he cleaned up three thousand dol-
lars. Being attacked with a serious fit of gold
fever about this time he sold out and while en-
route to the mines bought a ranch. This was
on the Stinking \\'ater and he remained on
this property for two years. He did well and
one season sold his entire crop for five cents
per pound. Finally he sold the ranch and
went into the hotel business at Point of Rocks.
In the fall of 1872 he removed to Bozeman
and engaged in the hotel business, handling
also a livery barn. In 1883, in company with
Senator Hoffman, Mr. Wakefield started the
first transportation coach into the park region.
In 1892 he sold out to the present Transporta-
tion Company doing business in the park. In
September, 1895, Mr. Wakefield removed to
Livingston and operated the Albermarle hotel
and also had charge of a portable camp outfit
in the park. In addition to these enterprises
he had a ranch in the adjacent sections to Liv-
ingston. Since this time Mr. Wakefield has
resided in Livingston where he makes his
home at the present time.
December i. 1854, Mr. Wakefield married
Miss Margaret Britton, the daughter of Robert
Britton. Mrs. \Vakefield is a native of New
Brunswick. One child has been born to this
union, Libbie, now the wife of Dr. S. F. Way.
Mr. Wakefield is a Republican and a member
of the Elks.
HARRY DUFFIELD. the earliest settler
in the Joliet country, is today one of the lead-
ing citizens as well as one of the best known
men in the valley. His place in the histoi"y of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
395
this county is evident to all and it is a pleas-
ant task to outline the leading features of his
busy and successful career. His birth oc-
curred in Wellington county, Ontario, March
II, 1854, and he conies from a strong and old
family reaching far back into the early cen-
turies. His father. Emanuel Dufheld, was
born in Yorkshire, England, and came, when
twelve years old, with his parents to Welling-
ton county, Ontario. They settled on a farm
and Emanuel grew up amid the frontier sur-
roundings and cleared up a farm from the tim-
ber, in the cultivation of which he remained
all his days, his death occurring January 2.
1893, li's age being seventy-one. He was an
honored and highly esteemed man, possessing
in a hig'h degree those c|ualities of worth and
substantiality that make the lx)ne and sinew
of any well regulated community. Our sub-
ject's paternal grandfather was born in York-
shire. England, and the family had for years
been on the estate of the elder Lord Ferbisher.
Emanuel Duffield married Sarah Benham. a
native of London, England, and an immigrant
to Ontario w-ith her parents when a young girl.
Her father, James Benham. settled in Welling-
ton county, and she was called to the world
l^eyond in 1862 when our subject was a young
lad.
It is said by many who have made the
subject matter of careful study, that the public
schools of Ontario are the best in the Eng-
lish speaking world. Be that as it may. we
are well aware that they are most excellent and
in these our subject received his educational
training, remaining in the home place until he
had reached his majority. Then he deter-
mined to try the world for himself and soon
had decided to migrate to Nebraska. For one
year he worked there for wages and then went
with the wave that was sweeping toward the
Black Hills. Lead City was his objective
point and with that place as headquarters he
spent three years in prospecting, after which
he was engaged in the Homestake and other
large mines in the northern hills. It was 1882
when he bade farewell to the Black Hills and
came on west seeking an opening for business.
Billings attracted him and for a time he was
occupied in building and contracting in com-
pany with his brother, William, who had come
to Montana a few months previous. In 1886
Mr. Duffield went to the vicinity of Cook City,
where he got out logs, driving them down
Clarkes Fork to the mouth where he erected
a sawmill and put the logs into timbers for the
construction of the Rocky Fork and Cook
City Railroad. For some time he operated
the sawmill in this vicinity and then he became
one of twenty-four who paid the Indian, Long
Bear, and his family, $2,ocx).oo to relinquish
their claim to two townships so that Mr. Duf-
field and the other purchasers could obtain
homesteads on this land. He filed on his home-
stead in October, 1894. Since that time Mr.
Duffield has purchased two other homesteads
and part of a third. He has given his atten-
tion to handling the ranch, raising stock and
improving his property. He owned a portion
of the land where Joliet is now built and also
owns the land surrounding that place. His is
a valuable estate, well improved and wisely
handled.
Mr. Duffield has Ijrothers and sisters
named as follows: William, who died on
June 16. 1898, at Joliet; James, in Canada;
John and Emanuel, in Michigan; Alfred G.. at
Joliet, Montana ; David, in Canada ; Lucy, wife
of Bert Kingsbury; and Hannah T. Duffield.
On July I. 1888. Mr. Duffield married Miss
Mary E. Hobbs. Mrs. Duffield was born near
Mindoro. Wisconsin, April 2, 1858. She was
reared in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, and
finished her education at Black River Falls
high school. She was occupied in teaching in
LaCrosse County and in July, 1884, she came
to Montana where she continued teaching. Her
father. John Hobbs, was born in Devonshire,
England, and came to Albany, New York,
when a child, with his father. Thev soon
396
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
journeyed to Ohio and thence they went to
Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin. When twenty
years of age he went to Lewis Valley, La-
Crosse county and was one of the five first set-
tlers in that locality. For four years he served
his country in the Civil War, being in Com-
pany B, Second Wisconsin Cavalry. On May
30, 1896, he arrived in Montana and his death
occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
H. Dufiield, July 3, 1897. He had married
Mary Newcomb, who was born in Tioga coun-
ty, Pennsylvania. She came with her parents
to Wisconsin when a young girl, and in that
state her wedding was celebrated. Her death
occurred May 19, 1903. Mrs. Duffield's broth-
ers and sisters are named as follows : John
George, Cyrus E., Bishop H., Albert M.,
Rachel L., wife of William Barclay, Clara A.,
wife of Jame Barclay, Eh'a I., wife of A. G.
Dufifield, Martha E., wife of W. Potter, of Red
Lodge, Sarah T.. wife of H. H. Roberts,
Louella G., wife of E. L. Grewell.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Duf-
field are William A., born May 30, 1889;
Elva L., born July 11, 1892; Ethel A., born
February 15, 1895: and Elizabeth Mary, born
July 28, 1899.
It is interesting to note in this connection
that Mrs. Duffield's paternal grandfather,
Archelaus Hobbs, was bom in Devonshire,
England, and married Mary Jollow, also a na- I
five of Devonshire. This venerable gentle-
man's father, the great-grandfather of Mrs.
Duffield, was a landlord in Englantl. Mr.
Duffield was commissioner of Carbon county
for four years and he is always keenly inter-
esterl in the upbuilding and advancement of
the comnnmitv and labors for those ends.
WILLIAM NEWTON HAYNES came -
Virginia City in 1879, traveling by
, via the Utah and Northern, now
the O. R. & N., as far as that road
was constructed, and then by freighting
outfit from Valley City to Virginia
City. In the spring, 1880, he rode the stage
from Virginia City to Miles City, paying six-
teen cents per mile, and arrived here with a
tired body and found a wilderness of sage
brush in every direction. He looked the
country over and finally decided to lo-
cate and selected a pre-emption which forms
part of his now valuable estate, located some
two miles east from Miles City. He went
to work to erect a cabin for his family which
he sent for as soon as he located, and then
began the laborious operation of clearing up
the sage brush to begin cropping the land. He
soon bought more railroad land and has added
from time to time until he has a fine large
ranch, one of the excellent ones of Custer
county. Mr. Haynes has made the transform-
ation scene from the sage brush to the fertile
and well kept fields and his improvements are
fully in keeping with the farm which gives
him a fine home place.
Referring to the earlier life of Mr. Ha\nes
we find that he was born in Johnson county,
Iowa, :March 2, 1847. His father, Philo
Haynes, was b(5rn in New London county,
Connecticut, where he grew up. Then he
came to Iowa, having spent some time in Ohio,
where he married Miss Electa Chapman, a na-
tive of Warren county, that state, and who
accompanied her husband on to the prairies
of Iowa. Our subject was reared on a farm
and received his education in the country
schools and then, when grown to manhood, en-
gaged in farming for himself. It was 1879.
as we have mentioned. when he detemiined to
try the west and so pulled up stakes and made
his journey for Montana. He has never re-
gretted, although he has had some hard work
in getting the place subdued and to producing,
but now he is one of the wealthy men of the
county and has great love for Montana. As
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
397
we stated before Mr. Haynes sent for his fam-
ily in the spring of 1880, and they have labored
together for the time since. In those days the
Indians were hostile and gave the settlers lots
of trouble. Mr. Haynes, however, never had
much trouble with them and he always con-
tinued steadily at work on his farm despite the
fact that they were threatening and did many
depredations. In the fall of 1880 Rain-in-The-
Face was captured and his bands then became
more calm. That same fall a band of hostile
Sioux Indians was captured and held in
camp on the Tongue till the follow-
ing spring, when they were transported
by boat to the Standing Rock agency.
Then the settlers had peace and since
then there has been little trouble of any kind
with the savages.
In 1868 Mr. Haynes married Miss Belle
White, who was born in Crawford county,
Ohio, and came with her parents to Iowa in
1 85 1. The wedding occurred in Iowa and to
them have been born the following named
cluldren : Philo, Nellie, wdfe of Henry Buck
of Ravalli county, this state; Charles, a Metho-
dist minister; Berton, and Glen. The last
named is deceased. The last two named were
born in Montana but the others are all natives
of Iowa. Ivlrs. Haynes' parents are William
and Sarah (Ouaintance) White, natives of
Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. Philo
Haynes is a minister of the gospel and is now
stationed at Fort Benton. Mr. Haynes as-
sisted to erect the first school house in Miles
City and has had much to do with every one
built since then. For thirteen years he gave
of his time to serve on the school board and
this shows his keen interest in educational
matters and the fact that he has been chosen
county commissioner shows the confidence the
people have in him as well as in his ability.
Mr. Haynes is a man oi sound principles, has
displayed excellent judgment and the success
he has won in all lines speaks volumes for his
abilitv and substantialitv.
THOMPSON A. KEMMIS has spent
over twenty years in die Yellowstone valley
and is thus entitled to be classed with the pio-
neers of this part of the great state of Mon-
tana. He was born on September 29, 1829, at
Salem, New York, the son of Samuel D. Kem-
mis, who was also born in New York state
March 22, 1802. After being educated in the
common schools, the father learned the trade
of hatter and in 1836 went to Michigan. The
next year he removed to Illinois, Henry
county, and there farmed until his death in
1857. On October 2, 1828, in New York,
Mr. Kemmis .had married Miss Mary Rood,'
who was born May 20, 1799, in the Empire
State. She died in Indiana in 1837. Two
children besides our subject were born to this
union, Mrs. Lydia Robinson, now deceased,
and W. H. Kemmis, living in Illinois. From
the schools of New York state and Illinois, T.
A. received a good business education and in
1853 threaded the weary trail across the plains
to Oregon City, where he dwelt one year ; then
he journeyed on down the Rogue river and
spent one year, after which we find him in
Yreka mining and there he remained until
June, 1856, when he returned to Illinois and
farmed for two years. In 1858, Mr. Kemmis
went to Iowa with ox teams and broke prairie
land for one year; then he journeyed on to Ne-
braska and farmed for a decade. During the
Civil War he had enlisted in the Union army
and served two and one-half years on the fron-
tier posts. In 1868 he left his Nebraska
farm and went back to Iowa and there
tilled the soil until 1884, in which
vear he came to Sidney and settled
one and one-half miles southwest of tow^n,
where he now resides. During the interven-
ing time since that settlement, he has given his
attention to general farming and stock raising,
although recently he has sold most of his stock.
He has two hundred and seventy-eight acres
of very fine land and all improvements neces-
sarv to make it a first-class ranch.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
On May lo, 1869, Mr. Kemmis married
Jane E. Betty, who was born at Bakersfield,
Vermont, on July 2^, 1848. When four years
of age she came with her parents to Iowa and
there received her education. In early life she
was converted and has always lived a devout
Christian life. The children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Kemmis are Walter D., a farmer near
Sidney, Montana; William, died in infancy;
John F., a farmer near Sidney, ^Montana;
Thompson .A., a farmer at Newlon, Montana;
Ora J., a merchant at Sidney, Montana; Will-
iam C, a farmer at Sidney, Montana, and
Phoebe A., living at Sidney. Mrs. Kemmis'
father, John F. Betty, born at Johnson, Ver-
mont, July 4, 1821, educated in the common
schools of his native state, always followed
farming. In 1852 he came to Iowa and pur-
chased a farm. At the breaking out of the
Civil War he enlisted and served three years
for his country. In 1891 he broke up the old
home in Iowa and came to Sidney, Montana,
where he died April 17, 1904. On August 2,
1845, he married Phoebe Whittemore,who was
born in Eden, Vermont, June 13, 1819. She
was a very religious and devout woman and a
stanch supporter of the Methodist church. To
this couple six children were born, four boys
and two girls, and all are now dead save Mrs.
Kemmis and Mrs. Annette Meadows, who is
mentioned in another portion of this work.
Mr. Kemmis was formerly a Whig and is
now a Republican. With his wife he is a mem-
ber of the Methodist church and is looked up
to as one of the leading men of the community.
ABRAHAM M. GROSFIELD resides
twelve miles northwest of Big Timber on
Swamp creek. Like many of the thrifty and
well-to-do citizens of the United States, he was
born in Norway, Stavenger being the spot and
December 27, 1864, the date. His parents were
Matthias and Karan Marie Grosfield, both of
whom were natives of Norway, and there re-
mained until their death, the father being aged
sixty-nine at that time. They were the par-
ents of eight children, three of whom are in the
United States, our subject, a brother, T. M.,
residing in this county, and a sister in Chicago.
Mr. Grosfield was reared and educated in his
native land and there spent the first nineteen
years of his life. Then he came
to the United States, journeying direct
to Halstead, iMinnesota, where he re-
mained six years, working for wages al-
most all of the time. At the end of
that period, he came to Montana, selecting
Big Timber as the objective point. After one
summer's work, he returned to Norway and
spent eighteen months mid the scenes of his
childhood. During this time he married Miss
Eline Hegdahl, the daughter of a neighboring
farmer. The year was 1892. Mrs. Grosfield's
father is dead and her widowed mother still
lives in Norway. At the expiration of his visit
of eighteen months, Mr. Grosfield with his
young wife embarked for the United States,
again coming direct to Big Timber. He took
a bunch of sheep on shares and rented a ranch
and handled them for two years. During this
time the increase of sheep was sufficient so
that he had a small band of his own to work
with and since that time he has been constantly
employed in the sheep business, having nine
thousand of these profitable animals, besides
three hundred and fifty cattle and thirty
horses. In 1895, Mr. Grosfield bought out a
settler and located the place where he now re-
sides. He has ten thousand acres of land, one
thousand of which is very fine bottom land and
produces first-class crops. He has improved
the place with a two-story nine-room residence,
plenty of barns, outbuildings and so forth and
handles about three hundred acres to crops.
Mr. and Mrs. Grosfield are the parents of
five children, Edwin, Magnus, Marie, Arthur
and Arne.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
399
In politics he is a Republican, but not es-
pecially active, although he takes a keen inter-
est in everything for the upbuilding of the
country.
FRANCIS J. JELLISON, born in Maine
February 22, 1849, is a prosperous Yellow-
stone county farmer, residing four miles south-
west of Billings. His father, Nathaniel, was
born in Trenton. ]Maine. and his ancestors
came from England. He died in 1905 at Phil-
brook. Montana, aged seventy-eight. The
mother, Elizabeth (Jordan) Jellison, also a
native of the Pine Tree state, was descended
from an old New England family, her father
being one of the early settlers and founders of
Otis, Hancock county, Maine, moving there
from Ellsworth.
Our subject was reared and educated in
Otis, and following his school days worked
in a sawmill. It was in 1882 that he came to
Montana, first going to Fort Benton, and
thence to the Musselshell, where during the
summer he worked in a sawmill, ajid at the car-
penter trade in the winter. In 1887 he brought
his family out from Maine and secured a
homestead, upon which he attempted to raise
some cattle. But the sheepmen drove him out,
and he came to the Yellowstone valley, with
which country he was much pleased. He then
purchased the place upon which he now resides,
one hundred and twenty acres of irrigated land
devoted to diversified crops.
September i, 1870, our subject married
Ellen S. Jordan, a native of Otis. ISIaine. her
father. Isaiah, having been born in the same
town. Her mother, Abigail (Remick) Jor-
dan, a native of Otis, was descended from one
of the oldest and most prominent Maine fam-
ilies. She died in 1900. Our subject has three
children : Augustus, Andrew and Lenora,
wife of Eugene Carpenter. She is living with
our subject. The latter has two brothers.
Timothy J. and Edwin J., both residing near
subject. He has one sister, Monira, wife of
Richard R. Jellison, no relative of subject.
Mr. Jellison, our subject, is a member of the
Odd Fellows, and politically a Republican.
JOHN E. EDWARDS has certainly
earned the distinction of a man "who does
things," as will be readily seen from the brief
epitome of his life's career that follows, and
fortunate it is for the business interests of
Forsyth that he has been identified with them,
since it is the progressiveness and energy of
such men who make cities and create the com-
merce of this prosperous state. He was born
in Warsaw, Illinois, in 1866. Oliver Edwards,
his father, a native of Springfield, Massachu-
setts, was a descendant of the family from
which sprang the noted Jonathan Edwards.
He was a skilled machinist and was called to
England to assume charge of the Gardiner
Gun Company at London, which manufac-
tured a naval weapon. This was in 1879 and
he spent two years in this capacity. Prior to
this time he had, for ten years, been manager
of the Florence Machine Works, in Florence,
Massachusetts. He was widely known in ma-
chine circles as a man of great genius and abil-
ity and was the inventor of the Florence oil
stove. He retired from active pursuits in 1882
and died at Warsaw, Illinois, at the age of
sixty-nine. In 1861 he had enlisted in the Re-
bellion and shortly afterward organized the
Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Regular In-
fantry at Spring-field and was elected
colonel. He was with Sheridan in the
Shenandoah, during the entire war arfcl at its
close, when discharged, he carried the rank of
brevet major general. Oliver Edwards was
a stanch Republican, was many years
mavor of Warsaw, always evinced a keen in-
terest in the upbuilding of the country and
fraternally was a Mason and a member of the
400
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
G. A. R.. being commander of the Warsaw-
post. Mr. Edwards had married Miss Annie
E. Jolinston, a native of Warsaw, Illinois
where she now lives aged sixty-five. She has
been a life long member of the Presbyterian
church. Our subject and one sister, Julia, at
home with her mother, are the issue of the
marriage.
John E. was educated in the schools of
Warsaw and Ouincy and in 1883 went west to
Colorado, riding the range in that state and in
Texas. In 1889 he journeyed to Fergus coun-
ty, this state, and remained there eight years,
being superintendent of a stock ranch. Em-
barking in the mercantile business at Junction,
Yellowstone county, in 1897, he contfnued one
year. Then he was appointed Indian agent of
the Crows in this state and before his term
of four years was up he was appointed Indian
inspector. He resigned from the service in
1902 and settled in Forsyth, where he has
been engaged in banking, being one of the or-
ganizers of the Forsyth State Bank and its
first president. In 1905, he organized the
Bank of Commerce with a capital stock of
fifty thousand, officers as follows: Mr. Ed-
wards, president; Chas. M. Bair, vice-presi-
dent; E. A. Richardson, cashier; and P. J.
Bunker, assistant cashier. Mr. Edwards built
the electric light plant of Forsyth in 1905, or-
ganized the Forsyth Telephone Company in
1904 and is now its president; is interested
with E. A. Richardson in the Richardson Mer-
cantile Company at Forsyth and in other stores
at other places; is president of the Rosebud
Land & Improvement Company, headquarters
at Forsyth, which company has constructed a
ditch for irrigation, twenty-five miles long in
Rosebud county ; and is heavily interested in
grading contracts on the railroad construction.
All this extensive and various business Mr.
Edwards is carrying forward with a display
of execution and wisdom that is insuring the
best of success and it is his pleasure to build
up the country and forward its interest by
lively business enterprises and active creative
labor.
In 1892 Mr. Edwards married Miss Julia
Anderson, a native of Montana and the daugh-
ter of Reece Anderson, a pioneer freighter
and cattle raiser of this state. Two children
have been born to the marriage, Annie and
Eunice. Mr. Edwards is Republican and fra-
ternally belongs to the Elks and Eagles.
HON. GEORGE WARREN BREW-
STER is a member of the old American fam-
illy founded in the New World in 1620 by
Elder William Brewster, who was one of the
founders of famous old Plymouth Colony, hav-
ing come across the ocean in the Mayflower.
Our subject is in the seventh generation from
this noted founder, both of the Brewster family
and the cherished name of Plymouth, in Amer-
ica. The career of William Brewster is a part
of the history of the United States and the
family has always been prominent in affairs
of state and church. At present our subject
is residing three miles south from Birney, in
Rosebud county, and devotes his attention to
raising stock and farming. He has achieved a
splendid success in this line of endeavor and
has. also, made a good record for himself in
matters of state. At the last election for leg-
islators, Mr. Brewster's name was proposed
and his nomination on the Republican ticket
straightway followed, as did his election at the
polls. He made a good run, although he did
not personally press the canvass. He has
shown himself an able exponent for his con-
stituents and displayed that faithfulness to
principle that wins hearty approval.
Referring to the earlier portion of Mr.
Brewster's life, we find that in old Boston,
Massachusetts, his birth occurred, the date be-
ing December 18, 1856. The father, Nathan
C. Brewster, was born in Duxbury, Massachu-
setts and when grown to manhood removed
HON. GEORGE W. BREWSTER
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
to Boston, where he engaged in business. He
married Mary Beaton, a native of Cape Bre-
ton, who came with her parents to Massachu-
setts. Our subject grew up and was educated
in Boston, graduating from Partridge Acad-
emy. In 1875, lis decided to try the west and
chose Nevada as the objective point, taking up
mining at Virginia City. In the fall of 1880.
he came to Butte and in the spring, two years
later, he sought out his present location and
settled down to farming and stockraising. Pre-
vious, however, to taking up these occupa-
tions altogether, Mr. Brewster gave his atten-
tion to hunting. At first he began with horses
in the stock business, but later added cattle
and he is now one of the leading stockmen in
the county. In addition to his stock, Mr.
Brewster possesses one of the choicest ranches
on Tongue river, all irrigated and well im-
proved.
In 1896, Mr. Brewster married ]\Iiss Grace
Sanborn. She was born in Greeley, Colorado,
and there was reared and educated. She grad-
uated from the state normal school and re-
cei\ed a very liberal training. Her father,
Jiihn Sanborn, a native of Connecticut, was
one of those who formed the Union colony
under the direction of Meeker in Kansas' dark
days. He died in 1876. His widow, Jerusha
( Davis) Sanborn, is a sister of General George
\V. Davis, who was for eighteen months mili-
tary governor of Porto Rico, and was until
recently Inspector General in the Philippines.
He retired, being up to age limit and then was
appointed a member of the canal commission.
To Mr. and Mrs. Brewster three children
have been born, George Warren, Lyman San-
born and Burton Bradley.
Mr. Brewster has always shown himself a
worthy citizen, ever ready to assist in any pub-
lic endeavor, broad minded and a close student
of events and issues as. they transpire in the
political and economic world. He is a stanch
Republican and is well posted on the f|uestinriS
and issues at the present time, ready, always.
to show forth a good reason for his positions
and capable of defending them ably.
CHARLES J. POTTER has resided in
Montana for more than twenty years and is
entitled to a place among the pioneers and
those who have made the state what it is at
the present time. He was born in Lasalle
county, Illinois, July 16, 1859, being the son of
Piatt H. and Elizateth (Beaubien) Potter.
The father was born in Onondago county,
New York, August 16, 1832, and followed
farming. His father. Hart Potter, was also a
native of New York state. The well known
Bishop Potter is a second cousin to our sub-
ject's father. Mrs. Potter, the mother of
Charles J., was born in Chicago, February 8,
1842. and his father, Mark Beaubien, was a
Canadian by birth. He came to Chicago in
1834, took a quarter section of land, built the
first hotel and the first brick building in that
now famous city. His farm is now covered
by the city and his name figured prominently
in the annals of the city.
Charles J. finished his educatinn in Mon-
mouth College, Illinois, and first started for
himself when twenty-two, being retained as an
expert by the Deering self binder company.
After four years in this capacity, Mr. Potter
determined to try the west and in 1883 we find
him in Montana with his brother in the stock
business on the Shields river. There a creek
and a well known basin have received their
names from him and his brother. He took a
homestead there and the nearest neighbors were
twenty miles distant. For some tiine Mr. Pot-
ter followed the sheep and cattle business there
and still owns his property there and is inter-
ested in the stock business.
The marriage of Mr. Potter and Miss Har-
riet E. Rose occurred on Januarj' 5, 1887, and
two children have been born them, Lilian E.,
lorn June 27, 1889, and Glencarn C, born
402
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
April 13, 1 89 1. Mrs. Potter's parents, John
G. and Abigal S. (Gorton) Rose, was born at
Block Island, Rhode Island, July 28, 1813, and
New York state, respectively. The father fol-
lowed sailing in early days, then came to Illi-
nois and settled on a farm where he remained
till his death when he was eighty-four years
of age. Mrs. Potter was born in De Kalb
county, Illmois. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are con-
sistent member of the Episcopalian church
and are esteemed citizens. He is a staunch
Republican and also belongs to the W. O. W.
aiid Grand Fraternity Lodges.
CLAUD E. HUDSON, at the present time
cashier of the Bank of Joliet, has shown re-
markable ability in handling finances in that
he has achieved a most gratifying success in
this connection as will lie manifest from the rec-
ord of his life. A man of keen foresight, excel-
lent judgment, receiving and retaining the im-
plicit confidence of his associates, because of
his reliability and his wisdom, he has been en-
abled to so handle the resources in his hands
and to take advantage of opportunities until he
has placed himself from the clerk's counter to
the head of a sound financial institution, the
creation of his own hands, and which is rapidly
widening and gathering strength.
Claud E. Hudson was born in Mexico,
Indiana, on July 6, 1878. the son of D. L. and
Emma (Hartpence) Hudson, natives of Penn-
sylvania and Mexico, Indiana, respectively.
The father was a druggist by profession and
came from his native state to Indiana in early
days, located at Argos. Later he removed to
Mexico and there he resided, continuing in
business until his death which occurred when
our subject was but two years of age. Thus
early Claud was brought face to face with the
stern realities of life with his widowed
mother. He gained his early training from
the public schools and while very young went
to Nebraska where he continued his studies,
graduating from the high school in due time.
After that he entered the college of Orleans
and completed the commercial course. All this
was accomplished before he was nineteen years
of age and it gives us some idea of his dili-
gence in study. In 1897, Mr. Hudson came
on west, searching for an opening, and finally
decided to locate at Joliet. He secured em-
ployment as a clerk in a store and continued
steadily at that until 1904, when he entered the
bank at Bridger, continuing for one year. Then
he returned to Joliet and opened tlie Bank of
Joliet, capitalizing it at ten thousand dollars.
His deposits now run seventy-five thousand
and the business of the institution, under the
wise management of Mr. Hudson, is rapidly
increasing. He has shown himself keen but
conservative, manifesting qualities that are of
rare worth in financial matters and so has
gained the cunlidence of the entire community
and he is one of the most substantial of the
business men of Joliet.
In 1899 Mr. Hudson brought his mother
from Nebraska to dwell with him.
In political matters Mr. Hudson is always
keenly interested, but he is not partisan, always
laboring for those wise measures which are for
the lasting benefit of all and the advancement
and improvement of the country in general.
JONAS P. STOLE. Sweet Grass County
has many well to do stockmen, a large portion
of whom have made their present holdings
since settling here. Among this number is Mr.
Stole and a short story of how he has won his
success can liut add to the praise of Montana
and become an encouragement to all who
would seek to gain a like success. His estate lies
fifteen miles north of Big Timber, on Swamp
Creek, and is well improved and valuable. On
January 5, 1868, in Norway, Jonas P. Stole
I was born to Peter and Anne Bertine Osmurds-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
403
datter (Mysse) Stole, who now reside in their
native country, age about sixty-five. Jonas
P. is one of eleven children, all of whom are
living, several being residents of Sweet Grass
County, and was educated in his native land.
He was reared on a farm and remained with
his father until 1886, in which year he became
possessed of a strong desire to see the New
World. Accordingly, he came to this country
located first in Minnesota, where eighteen
months were spent in Norman County. It was
1888, when he arrived in Big Timber and soon
thereafter he went to Melville, where he did
ranch work, herded sheep and did carpentering,
ha\ing learned this latter trade in Norway. For
several years he worked for wages and during
this time he made a couple of trips to Minnesota
staying there two years on one occasion. In
i8c)4 he came from Minnesota to Montana and
selected the nucleus of his present estate, tak-
ing the same as a homestead. It was a raw
piece of land and Mr. Stole was practically
without capital and for several years he had a
very hard time ; but he was a man whose spirit
knew no such word as fail and the result was
that little by little he forged ahead until he
was enabled to go into stock raising and then
things came easier. Now he has a very large
estate which is most beautifully situated on
running water and having for a background
the snow capped mountains. He handles about
two thousand sheep besides cattle and horses
and is doing general forming. The same skill
and determined efforts that enabled Mr. Stole
tu begin the work of opening the farm and
sticking to it, notwithstanding adversities and
obstacles came thick and fast, are the powers
tlint led irim step by step in his work of accum-
ulating a fortune and building a beautiful
Montana home.
In 1892, Mr. Stole married Miss Eglund,
a native of Norway, whose parents now are
farmers in Minnesota. To them the following
children have been born, Agnes, Palmas,
Selmas. George and Joseph Gustav.
Mr. Stole is a Republican in politics, while
he and his family are members of the Lutheran
church.
JOHN C. STAFFER. The subject of
this article was born in Bohemia, May 16,
1858, and at present resides at Billings, Mon-
tana, where he is a prosperous cigar manufac-
turer. His parents were Frank and Barbara
Staffek, natives of Bohemia and now living in
Billings.
To New York our subject came with his
parents in 1867, and in that city he learned the
cigar-maker's trade. He resided there ten
years, and then went to Cincinnati, Ohio re-
maining eight years, thence to Billings, Mon-
tana, in 1885. He came here an entire stranger,
principally for the benefit of his health, which
had become somewhat impaired. He opened a
cigar store on Montana avenue, and turned out
the first cigar ever manufactured in eastern
!Vlontana. From the start his trade was an
excellent one. In 1887 he moved on the south
side of Minnesota avenue. He employs eight
people and his trade extends all over the east-
ern portion of the state.
December 28, 1876, our subject was mar-
ried to Christina Nelson, a native of Germany.
The ceremony was solemnized at Springfield,
Massachusetts. Her father and mother were
both Germans. Politically Mr. StafTek is a
Republican, and has served two terms in the
city council. Fraternally he is a member of the
K. of P., Modern Woodmen, Eagles and a
member of the fire department, having served
sixteen years. He owns a fine liome. No.
3016 First avenue.
JAMES F. KENNEDY, one of the suc-
cessful business men of Forsyth, came west
when the now thri\'ing town of Forsvth was
404
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
but a dot on the map. Since that time lie has
assisted in building the town as he has fol-
lowed contracting and building for a number
of years. At the present time, Mr. Kennedy
is at the head of a prosperous furniture and
undertaking business, being a skilled cabinet
maker, from training in youth. He handles a
good business and is rated one of the very sub-
stantial men of this part of the state.
Beaver county, Pennsylvania is the native
place uf our subject and in 185 1 the year of his
birth. He was reared on a farm, spending the
years until 1864 in the native place. At the
date last mentionetl he came with his parents
to Jackson county, Iowa, and there continued
farming with his father, completing, also, his
education in the common schools. At twenty-
one he started in life for himself, at first work-
ing on a farm, and later learning the carpen-
tering and cabinet trades. It was 1893 when
he landed in Forsyth and at once went to work
in contracting and building, which he vigor-
ously prosecuted for five years, at the expir-
ation of which time he purchased a furniture
store and added undertaking, which lines he
has continued in since.
In the fall of 1874, ]\Ir. Kennedy married
Miss Bertha Hunsche, of Marshalltown, Iowa
whose father. Rev. Fred Hunsche, held orders
in the German Lutheran church. Our subject
and wife have one child, Mabel, who is married
to Hari-y H, Fletcher of Forsyth.
Mr. Kennedy is a member of the K. P.
ajid the I. O. O. F., being grand patriarch of
the state of Montana. Politically he is a wheel
horse with the Republican party and is one of
the progressive men of the county.
PHILIP WESCH, of the firm of Wesch
& Cederholm, contractors and builders, Bil-
Hngs, was born in the southern part of Ger-
many, Baden, June 2T, 1859, the son of Johann
V. and Atelheite (Drummer) Wesch. The
father died while subject was an infant. The
mother died in 1870, in Germany.
Having completed his studies in the public
schools of Germany, our subject learned the
trade of carpenter with his brother. In 1882,
when 24 years of age, he came direct to Wis-
consin, and remained one year in Waukesha.
Thence he went to South Dakota where he re-
mained five years. He built the South Dakota
L'niversity, and on its completion went to Hot
Springs, South Dakota, and erected the Sol-
diers" Home at that place ; the fine Evans Hotel,
a five-story cut stone city hall, and court house,
also several business blocks, and a large woolen
mill at Edgemont. He came to Billings in
1899, where he erected the Northern Pacific
freight house, the Billings library. Northern
Hotel. City Hall, and a number of mills and
warehouses, churches, etc. For four years he
has been associated with ^Ir. Andrew Ceder-
holm.
In 1885 Mr. Wesch was joined in
wedlock with Bertha George, a native
of Germany, who died at Hot Springs
in 1900. In April, 1901, he was mar-
ried to Hermina George, sister of his
first wife. Her father was a native of northern
Germany, and passed from earth in South
Dakota. Her mother, Amelia (Wetzel)
George, li\es with our subject. The latter has
two brothers, \'alentine and Tobias, both in
Germany. He has two sisters, Rosina and
Adelhite, living in Germany. His wife has one
brother, Paul.
Politically our subject is a Republican, but
not an active partisan. He is a member of the
I. O. O. F., Eagles, A. O. U. W., Yeomen, and
Mountaineers. Mr. and Mrs. Wesch have
four children, Rosa, a graduate of the high
school, Walter, Leo and Florence.
HON. GEORGE A. BRUFFEY, one of
Montana's earliest pioneers and most indus-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
405
trious state builders, is residing about ten miles
southeast from Livingston where he is en-
gaged in general farming with stockraising and
dairying. He was born in Virginia, September
24, 1S4J, the son of John and Elizabeth (Call)
Bruffey, both natives of Virginia, also. The
father's father, Patrick Bruffey, was a native
of Old Dominion State and was sheriff for
many years. On the father's side of the house
they came from French extraction and were
early settlers in the colonies, but they have
married into Scotch and Irish since those days.
]\]r. Bruft'ey's mother was the daughter of Wil-
liam and Emily Call, who owned Augusta
county as their native heath. On this side of
the house came many patriots of the Revolu-
tion, William Call being one oi them. He died
in 1859, aged ninety-five. He was in the Rev-
olution as well as a soldier in the war of 181 2.
When George was two years old his father
moved to Iowa and there he received his edu-
cation before he attained his eighteenth year.
At that time he began life's duties for himself
and for two years he was engaged in buying
cattle, sheep and hogs in western Iowa. Two
years later he came west and traded with the
Indians in 1862, we find Mr. Bruft'ey manufac-
turing brick in Colorado. In the fall 1863,
in company with forty others, he made his way
with ox teams to Alder gulch and there mined
until 1866 when he remo^■ed to Jefferson river
and began farming. The grasshoppers ate up
his crop so he abandoned that venture. Next
we see him herding cattle and in 1867 he built
a toll niad from Butte to Boulder City, which
was a trnal failure. The following winter,
however, Mr. Bruft'ey got a start by wintering
freighting stock and came out in April, 1868,
with one thousand dollars capital. He pros
pected all summer and later went to mining
in Silver Bow and made another thousand dol-
lars. In August, 1869, in company with Har-
rison Jordan, Mr. Bruffey opened a cheese fac-
tory and followed that vocation for six years,
estaI)lishino-, in the meantime, the Fish Creek
Station. In 1889, Mr. Bruffey removed to Park
county and located his present place and since
that time he has been occupied as stated in the
beginning of this article.
On February 12, 1871, Mv. Bruffey married
Miss Matilda J. Ridlen, the daughter of- Wil-
liam and Malinda (Devore) Ridlen. The Rid-
len family settled in Maine in 1650. To this
marriage have been born the following named
children: Margerie S., November 24, 1871;
Almedia I., March 22, 1873; Primees A., No-
vember 21, 1874; Silvia S., February i, 1877;
Fatima, September 15, 1878; Memrous E.,
June 21, 1880; Emma J., June 17, 1882; Lora
A., i\Iay 22. 1884; G. Minot, March i, 1886;
Elzina S., May 31, 1888; and Ruth M., Jan-
uary 10, 1893. -"^'1 o^ '^'"'^ children are living ex-
cept Ruth, who was slain by an infuriated bull,
July 19, 1905.
Mrs. Bruffey is a member of the Methodist
church. Mr. Bruffey is an active Democrat,
was at the Kansas City convention, 1900, with
W. A. Clark, and is usually a delegate to the
state conventions. In 1874 he was chosen to
the lower house and in 1896 he was again
sent to the same position. He was in the legis-
lature that authorized the erection of the state
capitol and was present at the laying of the
corner stone. Also he was present at the spike
driving on the Northern Pacific. Mr. Bruffey
has been postmaster at Bruffey postoffice for
sixteen years, and served as postmaster at Fish
Creek on Salt Lake Road from 1874 to 1889.
He is a well known citizen of Park county and'
one of the leading men of enterprise in this
section of the state.
JOHN W. KRISE. living five miles south
from Livingston, in Spring Basin, is one of
the early settlers in this county and has been a
a continuous resident here since the date of his
immigration. His occupation here has been
farming and stock raising, although by trade
4o6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
he is a skilled miller. He was born in Penn-
sylvania, on February 25, 1840, the son of
Jacob and Elizabeth Krise, both natives of
the Keystone state, also, the former born in
1810 and the latter in 181 1. His paternal
grandsire, Philip Krise, was also a native of
Pennsylvania. The father of John W. was a
miller and followed his trade all his life in his
native state. During his young days our sub-
ject received a good business education and
also perfected himself in the milling busi-
ness, and as early as sixteen was installed
as a full master of the business. At that
time he began life's duties on his own responsi-
bility and followed his trade until 1881, when
he came to Montana and settled in the Gal-
latin valley, ten miles west from Bozeman.
Three years were spent there and then came a
move to Park county and he selected a portion
of his present estate as his homestead and here
he has bestowed his labors since. Prosperity
has followed him, for he has been thrifty and
industrious and he now owns four hundred and
eighty acres of land, well improved and valu-
able.
In 1857, Mr, Krise married Miss Margaret
K. Smith, the daughter of John Smith of
Pennsylvania, who followed carpentering.
Three children were born to this marriage and
only one of them is now living. Mrs. Jennie M.
Rowe. She resides in Livingston and has two
children, one daughter and one son.
For nearly fifty years Mr. Krise and his
faithful wife traveled along the pilgrim way
together and then, on the 25th, of November,
1904, she was called to the world beyond. She
was a Christian and belonged to the Congrega-
tional church with her husband. Mr. Krise is
a Republican and belongs also to the A. F. &
A. M. He is a member of the G. A. R. In
April, 1 861, he enlisted in the Seventh Penn-
sylvania Volunteers and after the war enlisted
again, this time in the marine service and
served four years. Mr. Krise is known far and
near as one of the substantial men of the county
and is enjoying the competence his wise labors
have provided.
DA\'ID FEDEX, the efficient superin-
tendent of the county poor farm, located some
four miles east of Miles City, in Custer
county, is one of the well known men of the
county and has earned a good reputation by
his consistent and careful walk in business and
social lines. He is a man of good executive
ability and was appointed by the county com-
missioners to this important position in 1900
and has manifested capability in the discharge
of the duties incuml>ent upon him in this ca-
pacity since that time. The management of
the farm is excellent and the care of all the
inmates is wise and done to the satisfaction of
all taxpayers and Mr. Peden is to be recom-
mended for his good work.
In the vicinity of Edinburgh, Scotland,
November
1867, David Peden was born.
being the son of John and Ellen (McFadden)
Peden, both natives of Scotland and now living
in Custer county. The father came to the
United States liefore our subject was born and
then returned for his family. They first came
to Baltimore and later migrated to Michigan,
where our subject was reared and educated.
After the family hatl dwelt some years in
^Michigan they journeyed on west and finally
landed in New Mexico, and thence they came
to Alontana. David was but a small boy when
they all came from Scotland and he well re-
members the various places the family dwelt.
It was 1888 when he went to New Mexico and
there he followed cowboy life for several years.
Finally in 1892, he was employed by the Con-
cord Cattle company to assist in bringing a
herd of two thousand eight hundred and sixty
head of cattle all the way from New Mexico
to Montana and three months were consumed
in this hard task. So well did he like Custer
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
407
count)- that he determined to remain iiere and
here lie has been since. He remained in the
employ of the Concord company until he was
appointed to his present position and since that
time he has given his time to the management
of the county farm, also handling the famous
imported French stallion, Boygodis.
In 1887 IVIr. Peden married Miss Lettie
Nelson the daughter of George and Belle
(Brown) Xelson, all natives of Scotland and
immigrants to this country when Mrs. Peden
was a small girl. The children born to this
union are Julia, Earl, and Agnes. Mr. Peden
is a member of the Masons, Yellowstone No.
26, Blue Lodge, and is a progressive and up-to-
date man and loyal citizen.
It is of interest to note the recent ex-
perience of their oldest child, Julia. At the
time she was still under fourteen, as she was
on her way to school, she disco\-ered a bridge
on the Northern Pacific was burned down and
knowing it was about time for the passenger,
she ran at once back home, saddled her pony
and rode at top speed to meet the train. She
caught it as it was about to pull out of Miles
City and told the conductor her story. The
railroad officials highly commended the deserv-
ing act of the plucky girl and t<:> show their
appreciation ga\e her one hundred dollars.
JOHN O'BRIEN, one of the respected
and esteemed citizens of Dawson county, is
at the head of a nice general merchandise bus-
iness at Newlon. In addition to this he owns
a section of valuable land, handles from one
hundred to two hundred head of cattle and a
small bunch of sheep. For a quarter of a cen-
tury he has been in this locality and has so
manipulated his business that he has not only
prospered exceedingly but has won the con-
fidence and good will of all who know him.
John O'Brien was torn at Co\'ington, Ken-
tucky, on March 12, 1850, being the son of
J. H. O'Brien, a carpenter. The latter was
born in Ireland in 1826. Was there educated
and came to the United States in 1845, locat-
ing in Brooklyn, New York. Two years later
he went to Kentucky and at the breaking out
of the civil war he enlisted in the Eighth
Ohio Cavalry and ser\-ed through the entire
conflict. He w'as honorably discharged, then
settled in Tennessee where he died in 1870.
Our subject was educated in the common
schools of Ohio and there remained the first
sixteen years of his life. Then he enlisted in
the regular army, it being 1866, and was sent
to Florida in Novemtor of that year wdiere
his command remainetl one year. After that
he was transferred to Fort Steele on the North
Platte river and remained one year, then went
to Fort Buford, Dakota, where he continued
j until his honorable discharge came in 1870.
For six years following that he was occupied
in various kinds of enterprises along the Mis-
souri river in Dakota, and in 1876 went to
the Black Hills he had intended to remain,
but, owing to ill health contracted there, he
came to the Yellowstone valley and drove
stage. After one year of this work he was
employed in a store at Fort Buford for eight
months. Finally, in 1880, he came to Newlon,
Montana and opened a mercantile establish-
ment and also engaged in farming and stock
raising and for twenty-six years he has contin-
ued steadily in this enterprise, giving his skill,
wisdom and undivided attention to that.
On August II, 1881, Mr. O'Brien married
Miss Ellen Kennedy, who was born in Penn-
svlvania in 1852. .\fter receiving her educa-
tion from the public schools there, she went
to Chicago, later to Minnesota and later to
Dakota and in the spring of 1880 came to
Montana. Mr. O'Brien was called to mourn
the death of his wife in May, 1904. She had
borne four children, two girls and two boys
and only the sons, George T. and James D.,
are now living. They are with ttieir father at
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Newlon. George T.. being now married, is
an active member of the firm.
Mr. O'Brien is a Democrat in politics al-
though not very active and an adherent of the
Catholic church.
He has a fine stock of mercliandise of over
five thousand dollars and is a substantial, up-
right and candid business man.
OLE BIRKELAND is the proprietor of
nine hundred and sixty acres of fine land which
lies five miles southwest of GreycliiY. seven
hundred and sixty acres of land which was
hundred are now under the ditch. When he
first came here lie was practically without
money, but succeedetl in getting hold of one
hundred and sixty acres of land which was
improved with a little fourteen by sixteen
shack and he faced the problem of supporting
the family ujxjn a ranch and improving the
same without any capital to start on. How
well he has succeeded is very evident from
the above estimate of his land holdings. Eew
men have done better and few men are more
capable when it comes to the question of "do-
ing things" as our President so frequently
speaks of. An outline of Mr. Birkeland's life
will be interesting and instructive to any
young man who is starting in life in the face
of obstacles. He was born at Stavanger, in the
western part of Norway, December g, 1868.
and his parents. Osten and Metta (Olson)
Birkeland, were natives of the same place and
there reside now, the former sixty-seven and
the latter seventy-seven years of age. The
father followed farming and practiced as a
veterinary, being also a practical horticulturist.
Our subject is the third of six children,
four of whom still live, he being the only one
in this country. After obtaining a good busi-
ness education in the common schools, he was
apprenticed at the age of fourteen years for
three years to learn the shoemaker's trade.
At the end of one year, he bought himself out,
as the phrase is. which means that he had
so thoroughly learned the trade that he was
enabled to start a shop for himself, and in
order to do that he had to reimburse the man
he was working for, for the two years time of
apprenticeship yet to serve. Then he opened
a shop and conducted it for three years. After
that, he turned his attention to carpentering
and followed that and contracting in company
with a brother, from whom he learned the finer
[joints of architectural work and this occu-
l)ied him until he left for the United States.
In connection with it, he also bought and sold
stock. He had a good business but his desire
to come to the Xew World was so strong that
he disposed of everything and on May 27,
1895, he landed in Halstad. Minnesota. His
first uork was contracting for a bridge in
Xorman county, after which he wrought for
wages until March, 1896, when he came to
Bigtimber, landing there with sixty-seven
cents. He immediately went to work carpent-
ering and soon afterwards went out on a sheep
ranch, where he was occupied for two years,
after which he bought his present place. It
was very difficult for him to get a start but
he succeeded in getting a bunch of sheep on
shares and after three years of very hard work
he had a bunch of his own. In addition to his
land holdings as mentioned above, which are
well improved, he has considerable stock, such
as cattle and horses and twelve thousand head
of sheep. His irrigated land produces four
hundred tons of alfalfa annually and his is an
exceedingly beautiful place.
On June 4, i8g8, Mr. Birkeland married
Mrs. Inga (Hoyem") Halverson, the daughter
of J. and Oline Hoyem, natives of Norway,
where the widowed mother lives, the father
having died some time since. Mrs. Halverson
had two chddren by her former husband. Rona
and Ingra Halverson. To our subject and his
wife, tlu'ee children have l>een born, Olga,
Evstean and Lulu.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
409
Mr. Birkeland is an active Republican, He
tai-:es an especially keen interest in school mat-
ter and was the principal mo\'er in the organi-
zation of District No. 11.
In religious persuasions, he and his wife
are niembers of the Lutheran denomination.
j\Ir. Birkeland has certainly shown him-
self to be an energetic, progressive man, and
the success he has wrought out stamps him as
a first-class financier, being now one of the
substantial men of the countv.
SIDNEY F. MORSE, city clerk of Bil-
lings, Montana, was born in Gilmer, Lake
County. Illinois, July 16. 1850. His father,
Abial. was a native of Pomfret. Vermont, and
bis grandfather, who served in the war of
1812, of Massachusetts. His great-grand-
father Morse was a veteran of the Revolution.
The old Alorse family, highly distinguished,
came from England at an early clay. From
this branch descended Professor Morse, in-
ventor of the electric telegraph. Although
widely scattered the descendants are still
prominent in business circles, bench and bar.
Sidney F. Morse recei\ed his early educa-
tion in the common schools uf lllim^is, alsn
attended the Clark Seminary, imw Jennings
Seminary, at .\urora, Illinois. From the age of
17 until J I be taught school. In 1873 'i*^
moved to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where
for six years he was engaged in business. He
came to Montana in 1879, locating at Martins-
dale. ]\Iea,gher county, where he built an 1 np-
erated the first sawmill in the Musselshell \al-
ley. In 1884 he removed tn a r:mcb in what is
now Fergus county, Montana. He continued
ranching until 1888, when he rem<ived to Bil-
lings. I'ntil 1893 he was cashier ;md Incal
agent of the Northern Pacific railwa.y com-
pany at Billings. In 1892 was elected treasurer
of ^'elln\vstone county, serving two years.
He ;\fterward served one term as coun-
ty clerk. He then accepted the position
of cashier of the First National Bank
of Billings, remauuug m that ix^sition
icur years, resigning on account of ill health.
Fie was nominated ior the legislature in 1902.
The result was a tie vote, and the governor
called another election in which he was de-
feated by one vote. In the spring of 1903 he
was appointed chief of police at Billings, re-
sigiiing- at the end of the term, and was then
appointed city clerk.
On attaining his majority Mr. Morse was
married, Februarv
at W'auconda,
Lake county, Illinois, to Eliza B. Ault, torn in
New Orleans, March 14, 1850. Her father,
.\ndrew J. Ault, died in Mississippi. He was
a graduate of West Point, but owing to ill
health was not in the army. Her mother was
a native of New York, and died when she was
an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Morse ha\'e three
children, William H., I'rank A., and Earle G.
who were soldiers in the Spanish war. Mr.
Morse has one sister, Martha .\. Clark, of
Libertyville, Lake county, Illinois. ]Mrs.
Morse has one brother and one sister. Dr.
Andrew J. Fox, of New York City, (Fox be-
ing his adopted name ) and Mrs. .Anna O.
Ford, of Chicago. Mr. Morse is a member of
.\shler Lodge No. 29, A. F. & A. M., of which
he is Past Master, and has been deacon in the
grand lodge. He is Past High Priest of Bill-
ings Chapter, No. 6 R. A. M., and a member
of the Eagles. He is Past Patron of the O. E.
S., Edna Chapter 15. and bis wife is P. M.
of Edna Chapter No. 15. O. E. S. Politically
be is a Democrat.
CHARLES L. HARRIS, one of the lead-
ing land attorneys of Montana, and at present
residing at Billings, was born at Port Ludlow,
Jefferson county, Washington, Februaiy 5,
1872. the son of Frank and Elizabeth (Skill-
beck- Waters) Harris. The father was a native
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
of New York, dying on Puget Sound in 1894.
He represented his county in the territorial
legislature, and was one of the prominent and
leading members of the house, serving as
chairman of several important committees,
among which were ways and means and cor-
porations. He erected one of the first sawmills
on the sound, and was for many years a well
known and highly respected citizen of that
locality.
The mother of our subject was a native
of England, and was married to James Wat-
ers, they located upon the sound, where he
afterwards died. By her marriage with Wat-
ers she had one son now residing at Pasco,
Washington, James Waters. July 4, 1871,
she married Frank Harris, the father of our
subject, separating from him about eleven
years thereafter. At that period they were
engaged in the hotel business at Ainsworth,
Washington, during the time of the construc-
tion of the Nothern Pacific Railroad, the
father also being master mechanic of the ma-
chine-shops of that company located at Ains-
worth. He was one of the supervisors of the
construction of the famous "Doctor Baker
Railroad" between Walla Walla and Wallula
Junction, Washington, in the days when two
by fours and scrap-sheet iron constituted the
rails. Leaving the employ of the road he en-
gaged in the sawmill and lumber business in
the Blue Mountains and Pomeroy, Washing-
ton, and upon leaving there he went to Ains-
worth, Washington. In 1884, she mo\-ed to
Pasco, and conducted the Pasco, Windsor and
other hotels until the fall of 1905. She has
retired from active business and resides at
Pasco with her son, James Waters.
In the public schools of Washington our
subject received his elementary education, af-
terwards studying law with Judge N. T. Ca-
ton, one of the best known end ablest attor-
neys of the big bend country in the State of
Washington. Mr. Harris was admitted to
practice June 4, 1895, at Walla Walla, Wash-
ington, and later in the Supreme Court of
the same State. He followed his profession at
Pasco for three years, where he was elected
county attorney before he was of age, and on
that account could not legally qualify for the
position. Twice he was a Republican candidate
for the legislature in 1894 and 1896, and was
one of the leading and active Republicans of
♦hat county — Franklin — which at the time men-
tioned was' overwhelmingly Democratic. I\Ir.
Harris has made a specialty of land and real
estate law, and enjoys the reputation of being
one of the best land attorneys in Montana.
It was in 1898 that he came to Billings
where for one year he engaged in commercial
business, and then resumed the practice of law.
In 1901 he served as deputy clerk of the dis-
trict court resuming the practice of law. in
1902 he was elected countv attorney and
served one term. He did not become the
candidate ()f his party for the secontl term,
but took up general practice, making- a s])e-
cialty of real estate and land law.
July 4, 1897, our subject was united in
marriage to R. Irene Crane, of North Yakima,
who was born at Freeport. Illinois. The cere-
mony was solemnized at Pasco. Her father
James, W. Crane, died at North Yakima,
W'ashington. in 1902. They have one child,
Charles F., born March 30, 1898. Mr. Harris
has no brothers or sisters, but one half brother,
James Waters, of Pasco, Washington. Fra-
ternally our subject is Past C. C. Knight of
Pythias, at Pasco, a member of the Eagles,
A. O. U. W., Royal Highlanders, and Brother-
hood of American Yeomen. He and his wife
are members of the Episcopal church.
JOSEPH Z. NORTHWAY has served
the county of Rosebud in an official capacity
for a long time and is one of the respected citi-
zens of this portion of Montana. His birth
occurred in Orwell, Ohio, in 1861, his parents
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
411
being L. P. and Esther ( Chandler) Northway.
The father followed farming and bronght his
family to Minnesota in an earlj day, in which
state our subject was reared and educated. In
1883 Joseph Z. came west to ^Montana and la-
cated where Forsyth now is, it then being but
a town in embryo. He was soon riding the
range for cattle and continued the same busi-
ness for five years. Then he acted in the (?a-
pacity of clerk in a general merchandise estab-
lishment and one year later went into the sheep
business for himself. Five years he was oc-
cupied thus and then went to clerking again,
continuing that until 1902. In that year he
was nominated for sheriff of Rosebud county
and as promptly elected, being the second in-
cumbent of that office. After a term of two
years he was re-elected and served till 1906,
when he was again chosen for the office by the
people. In political matters, Mr. Northway is
a Republican and is a man alive to the issues
of the day. He has shown himself a very ef-
ficient officer and as an executive of the law,
he shows those cjualities which commend
him to the admiration of all law abiding and
make him feared by those who would disturb
the quiet of the community.
In 1889, Mr. Northway married Miss Ida
M. Thompson, who was born in Dwight, Illi-
nois, in 1 87 1. One child has been born to this
union. Glen Ellwood. ]\Irs. Northway is a
is a consistent member of the Presbyterian
church, but her husband is not a regular com-
municant with any denomination. In frater-
nal matters Mr. Northway is allied with the
Eagles and the K. P. He is one of the well
known men of the county and stands high in
the esteem and good will of all.
JOSEPH G. HOOPER is at present fol-
lowing the occupation of general farming
about seven miles southwest of Greycliff on
lower Deer creek. The Crow reservation oj^ened
in 1892, and he decided it v/as tlie place for
him tiT locate and accordingly the ne.xt year he
hitched up his team at Butte and drove over.
Many had overlooked the claim that he now
occupies owing to it being covered with under-
brush and some timber. He secured it and
went to work clearing off the brush. It proved
to be extra fertile land and he is now getting
an average of five tons of alfalfa per acre,
having one hundred acres under the ditch. Mr.
Hooper has a fine orchard which is doing
splendid!}- and he is very sanguine regarding
the future of this portion of Montana as a
fruit country.
Referring to the earlier portion of our sub-
ject's life, we note that he was born in Devon-
shire, England, April 27, 1857. His father,
William Hooper, was a miner by trade and is
now a resident of Ishpeming, Michigan, aged
eightv-fi\e. He marrietl Elizabeth Gribben,
who died in 1904, aged sixty-five. When
Joseph was two years of age, his parents
moved to Michigan during the first copper ex-
citement and later moved to New Jersey. They
lived in addition to these two states, in Penn-
sylvania and Massachusetts and some others.
Consequently, Mr. Hooper does not look to any
special place as the scene of his childhood
days. He followed his father's steps and when
fifteen worked his first shift underground as a
watchman in Berks county, Pennsylvania,
since which time he has mined in various por-
tions of the United States. When twenty he
went to Ishpeming, Michigan, and spent four
years in the iron mines of the Upper Penin-
sula, then he journeyed to the Black Hills,
Dakota, where one year was spent. Leaving
there on January 28, 1883. he journeyed by
team to ^Miles City, a trip of fifteen tlays. Dur-
ing this trip they were camped one night on
the banks of tlie Mizpah River and while there
the ice broke up in the river and formed a
gorge a little below their camping place, which
resulted in surrounding them with water in
a verv short time. Being a little distance from
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the wagons, they were kept witliout food for
three days. Finally they reached Miles City,
whence he went by rail to Butte and engaged
in mining. Later, he mined in Phillipsburg,
Granite and other places. These labors occu-
pied him until the time the Crow reservation
was opened, when he came here, as stated
above.
On December 17, 18S1, Mr. Hooper mar-
ried Miss Lizzie Gerry, who was born in Aus-
tralia and reared in Isiipeming, Michigan. Her
father, John Gerry, died in 1882 and his widow
is still living, aged sixty-eight. Mr. and Mrs.
Hooper had two children, one of whom died
in infancy and the other between three and
fovir years of age.
In politics, he is a Republican, but not es-
pecially active, though interested in the ques-
tions and issues of the dav.
WTLLIA^I H. ALLEX, M. D. It is pa-
tent to all that the grave issues of life and
death as well as the proper enjoyment of life
are more closely bound up in the physician's
life than in that of any other class of men or
wi'iiien. Thus it is that the public mind in-
stinctively demands that these professional
luen above all others should be of unquestioned
principles of uprightness, excellent character
and deep erudition. Answering to these just
requirements, there is, too. no other class of
men who can step forth and so vitally assist
the human race as the physicians, and the re-
sult is that today 'we are accustomed to re-
gard with much appreciation the true and skill-
ful man who gives his efforts to ameliorate
the suffering of his fellows and teach them
how to better presen-e intact the i3<iwers given
by a beneficent Creator, That Doctor Allen
measures well to the demands of the discrim-
inating public is evidently manifest inasmuch
as he has under his care a large ami ever in-
creasing practice and is held in very high es-
teem by all who know him.
December 5, 1856, marks the day
of his birth, and the e\'ent occurred
in East Smithfield, Pennsyhania, which
also, is the native place of his par-
ents, William H. and Cornelia (Wood)
Allen. In 1630 came the progenitors
of the Allen family to cast their lot with
the struggling colonists and froiu that time
onward they manifested the same spirit that
so pervaded the atmosphere of the New World
that General Gage was astounded into believ-
ing it was a birthright inherited by each one
l-.orn this side of the Atlantic. Many members
of worth descended from this family, but one
man has so impressed his personality upon the
pages of history that every truly American
family treasures as a household word that
name of Ethan Allen, The family came
from the north of Ireland to these shores, but
were of Scotch descent. The Wood family
were of English ancestry, and they, too,
were among the early colonists. Mostly Ixith
lines have been people of agricultural pursuits.
At Newton, a few miles from Boston, is lo-
cated the farm which the first Allen coming to
the New World settled on and it is still in the
name of the family. Our subject's grandfa-
thersboth removed to Bradford county, Penn-
sylvania, about 1825. settling on farms ad-
joining, where they spent useful careers and
remained until the time of their departure to
the world beyontl. In William H. Allen, the
father of Dr. Allen, we find a man nf stanch
and superl) character, one who always was
found nn the side of advancement, upbuilding,
sound principles and with courage to stand in
support of the same. His fostering care was
of inestimable service in starting and main-
taining schools and encouraging higher educa-
tion. W'hen the final issue came and the clash
of arms must prove the \-alue of true princi-
ples, he, imbued the same stanch spirit as his
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
413
illustrious ancestor, hesitated not to take up
arms and stand for his country and its flag.
He fought until overpowered bV disabilities,
when he was remo\'ed from the field and sent
liome. He had been one of the first men to
engage in the oil business in Pennsylvania
and after the war he removed to vVaverly,
New York, where he took up merchandising
and there remained until the day of his death,
January 31, 1906. He had always taken a
keen interest in political matters and was often
times chosen for oiKices, as county commis-
sioner and so forth, but he never sought office.
The Blue Lodge of Masons claimed him as
an active member and his record was of a
man of high spirit, with life's work well done.
Our subject's paternal grandfather was born
in Massachusetts.
The Doctor was nineyearsof age when the
family went to W'averly, New York, and there
he secured a fine high school course. In 1880
he graduated from the Uni\'ersity of Buffalo,
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine and
immediately he went to practicing, having be-
gun when he was but twenty-three years old.
At first he located at Athens, Pennsylvania,
with a relative. Dr. E. P. Allen, but soon re-
turned to his birth place and there continued
his profession. It was 1886 when he turned
his face toward the west, locating first in Phil-
ipsburg, Montana, where in connection with
the practice of medicine he became interested
in mining. He was physician for the Hope
Mining Company, and in 1891 he removed to
Horr, becoming physician for the coal and
coke companies, remaining until 1897. when
the height of the country, which produced ill
health, compelled him to seek a lower alti-
tude. At Joliet he was successful until 1904,
when he went to Red Lodge, but soon returned
to Joliet, where he is occupied with the prac-
tice of his profession at the present time. In
addition to this work, the Doctor has occupied
himself considerably with the oversight of his
stock and fruit ranch near Joliet where he has
a fine property.
On January 20, 1882, Dr. Allen married
Miss Edith L. Dodson, of Wilkesbarre, Penn-
sylvania, the daughter of John Dodson, a na-
ti\e of England. Mrs. Allen was educated
and reared in her native place and her family
were among the earliest settlers of that section.
To the Doctor and his wife the following
named children have been born : Edgar, in
Bozeman College: Jean M., in the high school,
and Cornelia, deceased. Dr. Allen is a mem-
ber of the Masonic order and of the .\. O.
U. W.
CYRUS B. MENDENHALL deserves
to be mentioned among the most prominent
pioneers and leading men of the great state
of Montana as will be seen by a perusal of his
life's sketch. He has had a very active and in-
terestin,g career and has always held a prom-
inent part among men, though not aspiring to
public position. His business ability has been
shown to be u.nerring and capable of handling
heavy enterprises and while he has suffered
losses that would have forever put out a less
determined and active man, he has but sur-
mounted them to show that it is not the luck •
but the man that makes the winning in this
world of pushing- business and whirling ad\-en-
ture. W'e hail, therefore, with jjleasure the
opportunity to epitomize his career and make
it lasting for the benefit of younger men who
will journey along life's pathway.
Cyrus B. Mendenhall was born in Ohio,
July 28, 1830, and now resides one- fourth
mile east from Hunter's Hot Springs, in Park
county. His father. Thomas G. JMendenhall,
was a miller by trade and erected the first
grist mill in Muskingum county, Ohio. He
was born May 9. 1797, followed milling for
some years and then preached the gospel till
his death, October 21, 1878. He had mar-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ried Miss Elizabeth S. Hollenbach, who was
born October 25, 1791. and died August 31,
1879.
Our subject was educated in the pubHc
schools of Indiana and Illinois, whither his
parents had removed when he was yet a lad.
On October i. 1850, being then twenty years
of age, young Mendenhall stepped out into
the responsibilities of life for himself and for
a time worked for wages in Indiana. Later
he returned to Illinois and went to farming.
Also he operated a threshing- outfit. Two
years later he went to Iowa and purchased land
at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
Then he went to work in real earnest and kept
at it until he had thirteen hundred acres of
land under the plough. In 1866 he came west
crossing the plains to Virginia City where he
established a merchandise Inisiness. Not lik-
ing it, however, he soon sold out and returned
to Iowa. With one hundred and fifty-one
others, he bought a fleet of fourteen boats and
descended the Yellowstone and the Missouri
to Sioux City. The boats were constructed
out of whip-sawed lumber antl after they ar-
rived at the IMissouri they traveled day and
night and completed the trip in six weeks
from the day they first turned their boats in
the current.
In 1872 Mr. Mendenhall went west again,
this time settling in Colorado where he ener-
getically followed cattle raising. In 1881 he
sold his large herds in the Centennial state
and bought again in Western Montana, drove
east, crossing where Livingston now stands.
His herds then numbered four thousand eight
hundred cattle besides seven hundred horses.
In 1884 he passed on with his stock to the
Missouri to avoid the sheep and in the winter
of 1885 he lost over sixteen thousand cattle,
besides horses. This more than broke him in
business and he was confronted with a ter-
ribly serious condition of affairs. Prior to
this catastrophe, however, he had purchased
the Hunter's Hot Springs, and now he gave
his attention to conducting them and he did
well at this till 1894, when he sold a portion
of his holdings in the spring. In 1899 he sold
the balance of his holdings in the springs and
devoted himself to his land, which he had ac-
quired in the mean time. He handles a small
band of stock but gives his almost exclusive
attention to farming. Mr. Mendenhall now
owns more- than three thousand acres of fine
land and has fi\-e miles of river front. His
place is excellently supplied with water and
he has (ue of the choice estates of the county.
On May 9, 1859, Mr. Mendenhall mar-
ried Miss Emeline Dean, who was born in
Ohio on February 18, 1839. To this marriage
the following named children were born : Ida
E., March 2, i860; Hattie M., November 14,
1862: Conaway B., May 26, 1864; James R.,
January 11, 1866; Alfred Y., August 17,
1867; Charles R., May 7, 1875; I"ez B., Au-
gust I, 1876. In December, 1897, Alfred
was thrown from a horse and killed. In Au-
gust, 1879, at Laramie City, Wyoming, Mrs.
]\Iendenhall was called to the world beyond.
She was a noble and beloved woman and left
many mourning friends Ijesides her family.
September 22, 1881, Mr. Mendenhall mar-
ried Susan A. Cooley, the daughter of Robert
\\'. and Eliza M. (Stone) Cooley, Ixsth na-
tWes of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Susan A. Men-
denhalFs great-grandfather, Dimon Bostwick,
and Mr. Mendenhall's great-grandfather, John
Hollenbach, were neighbors and took home-
steads in Bradford county, Pennsylvania. Mrs.
Mendenhall's grandmother is supposed to be
the first white child born in that" county. Mr.
Mendenhall is a Christian but belongs to no
denomination, preferring to stand on the
authority of the Bible alone. Mrs. Menden-
hall is an Episcopalian. He is a Republican
in politics.
Although Mr. Mendenhall has seen nearly
four score years, still he is hale and hearty and
enjoys the activities of life as in his younger
days. He is one of the highly respected citi-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
415
zens of Park county and is one of the busy
men of business life.
XATHAN CHANCE, who has the dis-
tinction of having the thriving village of
Chance named after him, is one of the pros-
perous stockmen and farmers of this vicinity,
lieing possessed of one of the choice ranches
in the neighborhood. Mr. Chance is a pioneer
in the true sense of the word and has been
iin the frontier all his days. He was one of
the \ery first settlers on Clarkes Fork, the
land being all unsurveyed at that time, and
he has labored A\ith displa\- of wisdom and
keen for sight all the days since his first set-
tlement here. During the days of his life
previous to settling in Montana he spent much
time in New INIexico and Texas and has seen
e\-ery phase of frontier life and endured its
hardships in their roughest forms. Notwith-
standing all this, he is a man whose ardor for
the frontier has never abated and whose keen
enjoyment of the wild is as fresh and vigorous
as when he first stepped out into the expanse
of unsettled ranges.
Nathan Chance was born in Wayne coun-
ty, Iowa, on October 13. 1855, the son of
Absalom and Nancy A. (Owens) Chance, na-
tives of Indiana. The father came to Wayne
ctiunty, Iowa, in very early days and took gov-
ernment land under the pre-emption right. He
remained in the cultivation and improvement
of his farm home there for many years and
about thirty years since, he went on west to
Kansas, where he resided until his death. He
had served in the Civil War in an Illinois reg-
iment, being under General Sherman and par-
ticipating in some of the most severely con-
tested engagements of the entire war.
Nathan was educated in the public schools
of Wayne county and when he had attained
man's estate he eng-aged there in farming for
a time, until his adventurous spirit led him, as
we have mentioned above, in 1875, to try the
west in the southwest of the United States.
It was in 1892 when he came further north and
finally drifted into the Clarkes Fork country
He at once discerned that this was a country
of much promise and so decided to cast his
fortune with it. He has never regretted it
and today is convinced that this is one of the
choice spots in the entire west. The country
was open to select from when his wagon rolled
into it and so he showed excellent skill and
judgment in choosing his ranch, which is one
of the best ones of the valley. He assisted in
organizing the first school district and was in-
strumental in fostering the cause of education
to a good extent. Shortly after coming to
this point, he erected the building where the
postofiice of Chance is now located and it was
through his efforts that the office was estab-
lished, the name being given in honor of him.
On November 19, 1875, Mr. Chance mar-
ried Miss Ellen McDaniel, who was born in
Appanoose county, Iowa, her parents being
Hiram and Martha (Evans) McDaniel, na-
tives of Tennessee and Missouri, respectively.
The father came to Iowa in very early days
and took government land. To Mr. and Mrs.
Chance two children have been born : Lillie,
wife of David Simpson, and Quincy, who is
at home with his parents.
ALBERT A. RICH, who follows ranch-
ing and stock-raising, has headquarters at
Hunter's Hot Springs, in the vicinity of which
place he owns a fine estate of eight hundred
acres and a large amount of live stock. He
is one of the thrifty men of Park county and
has made his holdings since coming to the
territory of Montana thus demonstrating
both his energy and the resources of this ex-
cellent state.
Albert A. Rich was born in Saint Law-
rence county, New York, November 9, 1845,
4i6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
being the son of Albert G. and Jane ( Sev-
rance) Rich. Tlie former was born in Saint
Lawrence county, also, the date being April
17, 1819. He followed railroad contracting
and died on the tenth day of January, i860.
The mother was born May 5, 181 7, was mar-
ried January 12, 1843, and died in 1851. Mr.
Rich's ancestors on both sides of the house are
Americans from many generations back. On
his father's side they came very early. Henry
Rich was a supporter of the unfortunate mon-
arch, Charles I and remained stanch to his
king until the latter's untimely end in 1649.
Then the conquering power confiscated the
property of Mr. Rich and he hasted away to
America and thus foundetl the Rich family on
this side of the ocean.
Our subject passed through the public
sch(X)ls of his native county and then finished
his education in the Saint Lawrence Academy.
After this he remained at the home place un-
til 1872 in which year he decided to put into
action his desire to see the west. He came on
w^est and via Ogden landed in good time at
Bozeman. For the subsequent five years he
was occupied in the arduous work of freight-
ing and farming and was about the country
considerable seeing the various resources of
the different localities. Finally in the summer
of 1880 he came to the Hot Springs and lo-
cated a homestead which is a part of his now
fine estate. Since that time he has steadily
given his attention to farming and stockrais-
ing and the success that always follows dili-
gence and wasdom has come to him in abund-
ant measure.
On December 31, 1878, Mr. Rich married
Julia L. Hamilton, the daughter of Charles
and Lucina (Lenard) Hamilton, natives of
Saint Lawrence county where, also, Mrs. Rich
was born March 17, 1855. Three children
are the fruit of this union, namely: Rex R.,
Ixjrn August 20, 1880; Florence C, bom Au-
gust 5, 1884, and Eliza L., born Novemlier
24, 1890.
In political matters Mr. Rich has always
been a Republican.
JESSE MARSH, residing on one of the
finest and most eligible ranches in the Yellow-
stone valley, six miles west of Billings, was
born near Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 25, 1852.
He is the son of Abraham and Silma (Twigg)
Marsh, the former born near Dayton, Ohio: the
latter being a native of Maryland. The birth
of the father was in 1824. When still a young
lad he removed with his parents to Indiana
where they settled on a farm. He was a Civil
A\'ar veteran, a member of B company. Tenth
Iowa Infantry. Previous to the war he had re-
moved to Missouri, but with the opening of
hostilities he passed over to Iowa and en-
listed. Following the close of the war he re-
turned to Iowa and engaged in farming near
Des Moines. Later he removed to Missouri
and thence to Wyoming, where he remained
until his decease. The mother had died when
our subject was at the tender age of four years.
Jesse Marsh enjoyed the privileges of the
district schools in his neighborhood and laid
the foundation of a good commercial educa-
tion. In 1867 he went to Dakota where he
worked for wages. Thence, in 1874, he re-
moved to Dawson county, Nebraska, where for
twenty years he was engaged in farming. It
was in 1895 that he came to Bozeman, Mon-
tana, remaining there one year. To his present
location he came eight years since.
July 4. 1874, he was united in marriage to
Sarah \\'ellet, a native of Linn county, Iowa,
where she had grown to womanhood, and
where she received an excellent education. She
accompanied her parents from Iowa to Dakota
in 1 87 1, and here she was united in marriage to
the subject of this sketch. Her father, John A.
Wellet. a native of Ohio, removed, first to
Iowa, thence to Dakota and thence to Nebras-
ka. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Marsh have been born
JESSE MARSH
J. L. SELWAY
A. M. CRAWFORD
FRANCIS M. MCCARTY
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
417
seven children, viz: William J., married to
Eliza Hoiite, Edward, married to Lena Dan-
ford, Robert A., Carrie (deceased), Mrs. Lily
Allen, wife of Robert Allen, Minnie, a student
at the Montana State Normal School and
Daisy, a student at home. Mr. Marsh is
known as one of the leading men in the com-
munity in which he resides and is highly es-
teemed. Politically, he is a Republican and is
fraternally affiliated with the Masons and the
F. O. E. Mr. Marsh is vice-president of the
Yellowstone Ditch company.
J. L. SELWAY. who resides near the
Powder river bridge in Custer county, is t(j be
credited with being about the first, if not the
first man to bring sheep into Custer county,
or what is now Custer county. In 1881 he
came across the country and the mountain
ranges from Beaverhead county with a band
of sheep, locating on the Powder river near
Powderville, but finally making final location
on Pumpkin creek. For six years he remained
there, handling the sheep he had brought with
him, having taken them on shares, and then
he returned to Beaverhead county and still
pursued the stock business. Just what success
he had in this first venture in the sheep business
in this section we are not told, but evidently
it was good, for in due time, after continuing
the stock business in southwestern Montana
until 1902, he came back to Custer county and
remained two years, and in April, 1904, he
located the ranch where he is residing at the
present time. He owns two hundred acres of
good soil and is constructing a reser\-oir which
will enable him to irrigate it all. When the
water is turned on the land it will become
very valuable and the estate under the careful
management of Mr. Selway will be one of the
choice ones in this part of the county. Mr.
Selway has a large band of sheep and is hand-
ling them in addition to his ranch work.
As to the earlier portion of the life of our
subject, we see that he was born in Pleasant
Prairie, Wisconsin, July 31, 1861. His father,
John R. Selway, was born in England, came
to the United States when eleven years of age,
followed farming in \\'isconsin and in 1866
came on west to Montana. The trip consumed
si.x months and was made by means of ox
teams. He settled in Beaverhead county and
engaged in stock raising and ranching until
his death in 1902. He had married I\Iiss Jane
Reynolds, a native of Wales and an immigrant
to this country with her parents when she was
two years old. She died in Michigan in 1890.
Our subject was only five years of age when
the journey across the plains was taken, but
he remembers much of the trip and in Beaver-
head county he was reared and educated, the
common schools contributing the latter train-
ing. Then followed the incidents that we have
already related and at the present time we see
Mr. Selway at work reclaiming the desert land
and in due time to make of it by his skill and
careful attention to improvement one of the
fine and valuable estates of the county. He is
to be commended for his tenacity and his in-
dustry in the lines he has followed and the fact
that he brought sheep here across the moun-
tains for a long distance and maintained a
sheep ranch here amid difficulties speaks
much for his resourceful character and the suc-
cess he has gained. (
A. M. CRAWFORD, residing upon a
handsomely located ranch one mile and one-
half west of the city of Billings, was born in
Maryland, January 17, 1853. He is the son of
J. S. and Elizabeth (Hinkle) Crawford, the
later a native of Marydand. The father of our
subject was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch-
Irish ancestry. When about twenty years of
age he removed to Maryland. Here he en-
gaged in farming. The second day following
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the assassination of President Abraham Lin-
cohT, J. S. Crawford started for Ilhnois, and
in the latter state he remained until his death.
His father, and [laternal grandfather of our
subject, was James Crawford, a native of
Pennsylvania.
The mother of A. M. Crawford, Elizabeth,
was of German ancestry. Her father, Jesse
Hinkle, was also a native of Maryland, but his
father, the maternal great-grandfather of our
subject, was a native of Germany.
When yet a child our subject was taken by
his parents to Illinois. Here he received an
excellent education, partly in public schools of
his vicinity and eventually graduating from the
State Normal School of Illinois. He then took
a course in law at the Bloomington, Illinois,
Law School, but subsequently came west and
was admitted to the bar in JNIontana in 1901.
Previous to this Mr. Crawford had taught
school several years in Illinois. It was in 1878
that he .came to Helena, Montana, and in 1882
he removed to the Yellowstone Valley.
In 1889 Mr. Crawford was married to
Sara A. Crawford, a native of Maryland. The
wife is a daughter of W. D. F. and Hettie M.
(Miller), the former a native of Pennsylvania,
the latter of Virginia. To I\Ir. and Mrs.
Crawford have been born three children, Hetty
E.. Herbert M. and Philip.
Mr. Crawford braved public opinion and
the laughs of wise heads and came from Helena
to the Yellowstone \'alley to raise fruit. Opin-
ion has changed now since his fine success is
patent to all.
FRANCIS MARION McCARTY is cer-
tainly one of the earliest pioneers of what
is now the state of Alontana, having arrived
here in 1863, coming with his parents who
located in Alder gulch. From that time to the
present he has steadily made his "'ay in this
country and has accomplished much in develop-
ment and building up. as he is an energetic
man and has done a worthy part in pioneer
labors. He was IxDrn in Terre Haute, Indiana,
on March 15, 1852, the son of Stephen and
Martha Annie (Goucher) McCarty, natives of
Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, and de-
scended from colonial stock. Our subject re-
ceived his educational training in Indiana and
Illinois, as the family went to that latter state
before coming to Iowa in 1859, to Colorado
in 1861 and to Montana in 1863. The father
was fairly successful in his search for gold and
Francis, although but a lad. was active in his
work in the diggings. He was on the ground
where Virginia City stands before a house was
built there and remembers the days of vigi-
lantes very vividly. He speaks freely of the
three men whose graves were dug and who
were to be hung lor murder, but who were re-
leased because of the sobs and weeping appeal
of the < nly v,liite woman in that vicinity.
Later, about one year, one of them was appre-
hended and hanged for another murder and
was buried in the grave dug the year previous.
Mr. McCarty remained in Alder Gulch until
1S67 and then went with his mother and
brothers to the Gallatin valley where the
mother secured a homestead. In 1S72, having
then become of age. our subject took a pre-
emption close to his mother's place and there
spent several years farming. In 1874, he sold
his holdings there and secured placer ground
in Emigrant gulch and tried his hand, once
more, in mining, but meeting with indifferent
success, he gave up mining and in the fall of
1 881 squatted on his present place, which lies
on Deep creek, ten miles up the Yellowstone
from Livingston. When the Crow reservation
was opened for settlement in 1886. he selected
his place, it being the one where he had lived,
and took it from the government. It is one of
the most beautiful spots in this vicinity, being
so situated that one can view the country for
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
419
miles, while the soil is exceptionally fertile and
is supplied with an abundance of water for irri-
gating.
Mr. McCarty is a member of the Episco-
l)alian church, having been confirmed by
Bishop Tuttle, while in politics, he is a Repub-
lican, but is not active. Mr. McCarty has
done a lion"s share of pioneer work and has
carried well the real character of the path
finder and is now enjoying the fruits of his
labors in the land he materially assisted to open
for settlement aufl the ingress of civilization.
\\'ILLIA]\I A. ALLEN, D. D. S., one of
the founders of Billings, and a writer of
authority on the flora and fauna of the state
of ]\Iontana, was born in Sunimerfield. No-
ble county. Ohio, September 2. 1848. He is
a son of Robert T. and Rachel (Guiler) Allen,
the former of whom was a son of John and
Mary (Blundle) Allen. This John Allen was
a son of Sir John Allen, of England, and a
cousin of Ethan Allen, of Ticonderoga fame.
He was early a seafaring man, but later en-
gaged in farming. The mother of the Doctor
was a daughter of William and ]\Iary (Frank-
lin) Guiler, the former of whom was Ixirn
in Ireland, while the latter was a cousin of
Benjamin I-"ranklin. the printer, philosopher
and diplomat.
^^'illiam -\. Allen has tVir many years been
a leading dentist of Montana, with home otifice
in Billings. When he was twelve years of
age, in 1866. he entered the normal school in
his native town, where he continued his studies
for a time, after which he gave attention to
the blacksmith trade until 1877, also working
as a gunsmith and showing marked mechan-
ical talent. Early in 1877 he set forth for the
Black Hills. At Spearfish he joined a party
of 250 persons, and on their way they were
attacked by Indians, and seven men and one
woman were killed. Eventually the party was
diminished to 154 persons and fifty wagons,
over which Dr. Allen was placed as captain,
and it proceeded on its way to Bozeman, Mon-
tana. The doctor had selected a party and
gone in pursuit of the attacking Indians and
overtook them in the night, and the next
morning gave evidence of the death of eleven
Indians. While he was thus absent from the
train, eight wagon had left it and started for
Red Water Crossing, where they were sur-
rounded by the Indians and held in a perilous
position until alter the doctor's party had re-
turned to the train. With twenty men the
Doctor started to relie\-e them, arriving about
four o'clock in the morning. Quietly waiting
until the savages charged on the train at day-
break, they successfully repelled the attack and
killed about a dozen Indians, the loss to the
emigrants being only one man killed and three
wounded, one of the wounded being Dr. Allen.
He later was wounded several times in Indian
conflicts. On the return to the camp at Spear-
fish, Dr. Allen was made commander and he
divided the train into four companies, headed
by John Wuston, Hiram Bishoff, Captain
Patent and Captain Houston, of Texas, the ■
latter having charge of the bull outfit. They
went up Belle Fourche river, passing old Fort
Reno, thence through Wyoming by the site of
Buffalo and old Fort Kearny, thence up
Goose Creek, where one man was killed and
two wounded by Indians. The party re-
mained three days on the Custer battle ground
for a needed rest, and to afford opportunity
to examine the historic scenes of the massacre
which occurred eleven months previously.
Some of the party remained in that locality,
while others proceeded towards Wind River
by Prior's Pass and Sage Creek to Stinking
Water crossing, when another division oc-
curred, some going to Crow agency, while the
others went on to Camp Brown and Bozeman.
Dr. Allen engaged in the blacksmith busi-
ness in Bozeman, with Frank Harper, and later
was a blacksmith for the Bozeman & Miles
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
City stage line, also acting as express mes-
senger in the winter of 1877. He next was
government blacksmith at Fort Custer, and in
1879 he, in a skiff, went down Big Horn river
to Fort Buford to meet his family, who came
back with him. He located on Canyon creek
and engaged in stock-raising and at his trade.
In 1882 he removed to Coulson, where for
some months he continued blacksmithing.
when he removed to Billings, then a crude
cluster of primitive cabins, and he there erected
the first house in the Yellowstone valley ha\-
ing a shingle roof.
In order to perfect himself in dentistry,
at which he had worked to some extent, Dr.
Allen went to Chicago in 1884, where he took
the full course in Haskell's Post-Graduate
School of Dentistry, and he has since acquired
a reputation as an expert dentist in Iwth sur-
gical and mechanical branches. He also took
a Post-Graduate course at Kansas City and
won a gold medal. In company with John L.
Guiler, Dr. Allen owns 700 acres of valuable
land on Clark's Fork, where they founded
the town of Allendale, named in honor of Dr.
Allen, and this they maintain by stipulation in
the conveyances as a prohibition town. Here
they have erected a roller process flouring mill
operated by water power at a cost of fully $15,-
000. The Doctor is also largely interested in
stock-raising. Doctor Allen is an "old timer,"
a man of honesty of purpose, who is charita-
ble in his judgment of his fellow men and ever
ready to aid those worthy of succor. In poli-
tics he supports the Prohibition party. In re-
ligion both he and his wife are Methodists.
Robert T. Allen, a brother of the Doctor,
has been engaged in the practice of law in
Billings since 1882. In 1874, in Ohio, Dr.
Allen was united in marriage to Miss Jo-
sephine Houston, daughter of John Houston,
who died from disease ccntracted in the army
during the Civil \\'ar. In 1887 Dr. Allen
was marrierl to Miss Mollie Finkelburg. a
daughter of Hon. A. Finkelburg, of Fountain
City, Wisconsin. Of the first marriage two
children were born : William O., and Robert
T., both of whom are associated with their
father in the practice of dentistry, and the
only child of the second marriage is a daugh-
ter, Lelah. Dr. Allen is a typical westerner,
enjoying the wild, free life of the early days
and has, had many thrilling adventures in his
numerous hunting excursions, and has a record
as an Indian fighter of distinction. He is still
in the dental practice in Billings.
\\'ILLIAM RO\\'LAXD has had an ex-
perience of nearly sixty years in the west, both
on the plains, in the mountains and in vari-
ous capacities. He knows the country thor-
oughly from the British possessions t(T Alexico
and has traveled to every portion. At pres-
ent he resides some three miles south of Lame
Deer and is engaged in stock-raising, having a
fine band of horses. ]\Ir. Rowland was born
in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 10, 1832.
His father, James Rowland, was born in the
same place and crossed the plains to Colorado
in 1862, whence he came to ^lontana, where
he remained until his death. His wife, ?\Iiss
Rhoda Hickman, in maiden life was alsi) a
native of Kentucky. Our subject came with
his parents from Kentucky to Missouri when
a child and remembers well the early days in
Hannibal, where his father settled and Iniilt
the seventh house in what is now a prosperous
city. He opened the first grocery store there
and there it was that our subject received his
education. When only twelve years of age,
William C. went out into the world for him-
self and since which time he has seen all sorts
of experiences. As early as 1848 he was at
the American Fur Company's trading- post,
which is at Fort Laramie and remained there
one summer. Returning to Iowa, he went the
next spring to W^ashington, D. C, to join an
exploring expedition that the government was
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
421
preparing to send into the west. They went
to Salt Lake and remained one winter, there
being forty-two men in the party. From the
time of that enlistment for twenty-seven suc-
cessive years, Mr. Rowland was occupied in
government service. Ijeing most of the time
interpreter. He speaks the French and Span-
ish language and is conversant with nearly all
the Indian languages in the west, including the
Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapahoe. Crow, etc. Much
of the time he was employed as scout and
guide. It would be a very interesting book that
would record the expeditions he served in
during these years. In 18/8 Mr. Rowland
came to Fort Keogh and since that time lie has
been within the boundaries of Montana. Seven
years since, or alx)ut 1899, he quit the govern-
ment seiwice and settled where we now find
him, and he is giving his attention to stock-
raising and general farming.
WILLIAM W. YOUNG was born in San
Antonio, Texas, on January 26, 1869, has
traveled over a portion of the world and now
resides one mile east of Reed, being one of the
prosperous and well-to-do stockmen of Sweet
Grass county. His father, Mandit A., was
born in Franklin county, Tennessee, and came
to Texas in 1872, earlier than Sam Houston,
and in that state he spent the balance of his
life. He fought under Houston during the
Mexican War and died in 1883. He married
Louise B. \Varren, a native of Massachusetts,
and a first cousin of General Warren, who was
killed in the Civil War. Our sul)ject had two
uncles killed in the Alamo and remembers be-
ing taken b\- his elder brother to see that now
historic place. Our subject left home early
and took up the life of a cowl)oy, driving cattle
from Texas to Wyoming and then to The
Dalles, Oregon. He rode the range from
Mexico to Canada for several years, being
about nine years on the trail, continuing the
same until the fences drove the large stockmen
out. While working for Sun & Johnson, he
left Devil's Gate, Wyoming, riding to Miles
City, thence to Dickson, North Dakota, it be-
ing 1882, whence he rode to Winnebago, Min-
nesota, and from there to Port Arthur, and so
on down the lakes to Montana. He next went
to New London, Connecticut, and shipped to
Buenos Ay res, South America, then across the
ocean to Africa, thence north to Kimberly,
and Cairo, Egypt, and then to European points.
Returning to South America, he spent some
time on the Amazon river and got back to
Raft River, Idaho, after a trip of three years.
He went back on the range and rode as stated
until the fences drove the large men out, when
he settled on his present ranch on one-quarter
section. This was in 1896, and he purchased
the place for five hundred dollars. Leaving
the place for his brother to conduct, he went
away and came back in the fall of 1898 'and
bought a ranch near by. Later his brother
died and he took possession of the proi>erty he
had been renting and has conducted it since.
Mr. Young has been giving his attention to
raising blooded cattle and has now alx)ut three
hundred choice thoroughbred and graded
Herefords, besides a band of sheep. He has
met with excellent success in his work and is
rated one of the well-to-do stockmen of the
county.
Mr. Young affiliates with the M. W. A.
at Reed. He is independent in politics, but
takes a very active part in educational matters.
He is one of the jolly bachelors of the county
and one of the substantial citizens of Montana.
ARTHUR BITLE, whose years have
lengthened the thread to the golden time of
life, is one of the prosperous and prominent
men of Custer county, as well as one of the
pioneers of the state. He is dwelling about
four miles east from Miles City, where he has
a choice rural abode and one of the valuable
422
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
farms of the valley. He has the satisfaction of
knowing that the farm, the improvements and
the good buildings have all been wrought out
by his own plans and oversight, as the land
was raw and the place without improvement
of any kind when he came here. As Mr. Bitle
is well known over the county, a detailed ac-
count of his life will be interesting to all. In
Prussia, his birth occurred, and his parents are
Conrad and Martha (Kellerman) Bitle, both
natives of Prussia. In 1843 they all came to
the United States and finally landed in Quincy,
Illinois, having just twenty-seven dollars in
German money when they got to their destina-
tion. There were five children in the family
and the father went to work at once receiving
fifty cents per day for his services. Our sub-
ject was the eldest of the children and he se-
cured work at five dollars per month. By be-
in economical they soon had money enough
to enable them to get onto a piece of rented
land and soon they bought some land of their
own, as land was then cheap. Our subject was
educated in Germany, the teacher being a man
who had been appointed by the king and who
was fond of the cup so that he neglected his
duties. His pupils numbered two hundred and
very little individual care was given to any one.
Mr. Bitle was sixteen when he landed in the
United States and by careful study he soon
managed to read and write the English lan-
guage and he has been a careful observer and
reader since. He gained much of his start by
attending the church and Sunday school. In
1852 he went to California, via -the Isthmus,
and worked on a ranch. In 1853 he returned
to Illinois and purchased a farm near Quincy.
In 1865 he went to California by the Isthmus
again and returned the same year. In all he
crossed the Isthmus nine times and in 1866 he
went across the plains by teams to California
and bought land near Santa Rosa. Selling
out the same year he returned to Quincy and
remained three years. Then he bought a farm
in Lewis county, Missouri, and there made his
home until 1883, at which time he came to the
vicinity of Forsyth and engaged in the cattle
business. For a decade he was found there in
that business and then he sold his interests and
came to his present place. At the time of his
settlement here, the land was in a raw state and
he commenced with the sod to make a home
and develop one of the choice ranches of Cus-
ter county. Mr. Bitle has fine buildings and
his entire farm shows skill and thrift in the
proprietor.
In 1867, Mr. Bitle married Miss Caroline
L. Dickhut, the daughter of Christian and Jo-
sephine (Smith) Dickhut, natives of Berlin.
The father was of French ancestry and came
to Quincy, Illinois, when young and there re-
mained until his death. Mrs. Bitle was born
in Quincy and there was reared and educated.
She accompanied her husband to California
ill 1867. The children born to Mr. and Mrs.
Bitle are Emmett; Edith, the wife of J- A.
Chrisman ; Orville, a merchant at Forsyth ;
Ada Wilson, Joe Fred, Elsie, James and
Edna.
'Sir. Bitle is a man who takes great interest
in the advancement and welfare of the county
and was for a term of years commissioner, and
in his public record, as in his private life, one
sees the same stanch care for the interests of
the people as he displayed for his own private
business. His wisdom and ability are com-
mended by those who know him and his acts
in the commissioner's office were for the in-
terests of the people and the advancement of
the county.
OWEN LOVERING resides three miles
west from Sidney, Montana, is one of the well-
to-do stockmen and farmers of Dawson county
and one of the pioneers of this section of ]\Ion-
tana. Even before coming to Montana, I\Ir.
Lovering had long and extended experience
in various other portions of the west and was
i
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
423
a genuine frontiersman in the full sense of the
word. He was born at Hill, New Hampshire,
October 13, 1852, the son of Moses M. and
Philena (Rowell) Lovering. The father was
a physician, born in New Hampshire in 181J,
educated in Massachusetts, went west in 1868
and died in one of the southwestern states in
1870. His widow was born in New Hampshire
May 25, 1808. She was educated and mar-
ried in 1838. New Hampshire was her home
until 1863, when she came west with her hus-
band to Jacksonville, Iowa, and a year later
went to Fillmore county, Minnesota, whence
in 1880 she came to Miles City and a year
later removed to Sidney. She died at the home
of her son on March 6, 1900, in Newlon, Mon-
tana. Mr. Lovering has two brothers, F. H.,
at Newlon, and C. H., in Sidney, both farmers.
Lentil fifteen years of age our subject remained
in New Hampshire, attended school, then
studied some in Minnesota and in 1870 came
to Dakota, where he followed freighting for
two years. Then he went back to Minnesota
and farmed until 1876, when he came again
to the Black Hills in South Dakota and pros-
pected for gold for one year. After that he
embarked into the cattle business in that sec-
tion, but owing to the hostilities of the Indians,
he gave it up and returned to Yankton, then
journeyed south to Texas, where he continued
in the cattle business for two years. After
that he went back to Minnesota, settled up the
affairs of the estate and came to Miles City in
1 88 1. Here he engaged in hunting buffaloes
for some time. By an accidental shot he lost
his right arm at the shoulder, but still con-
tinued in the business of hunting buffaloes.
Then he took a homestead and has since been
farming and raising stock. He was the first
one to break up the sod on a farm in the Yel-
lowstone river in this section. Mr. Lovering
has shown himself a man of ability and prin-
ciple and has won a success, both in the finan-
cial world and in the standing among his fel-
lows tliat is verv enviable, indeed.
In 1876, when coming to the Black Hills,
his company had a fight with the Sioux In-
dians and in the encounter lost five men. On
many other occasions he has met hostile In-
dians, but always escaped unscathed, although
he has had many adventures and thrilling times
that he could relate.
In 1883, Mr. Lovering married Miss El-
sie Slawson, who was born in New York state
November 26, 1863. She received lier edu-
cation in Minnesota and there remained until
1878, when she came west to the vicinity of
Glendive. Her father, Eben Slawson, was a
farmer, liorn in New York state October 21,
1824. served two years in the Civil War among
the New York Volunteers, came to Osakis,
Minnesota, in 1867 and nine years later re-
moved to Taylor county, Iowa, whence he
came in 1879, his death occurring July 20,
1905, at Cashmere, Washington. They had
four children, two boys and two girls, Mrs.
Lovering and a brother, Frank, at Cashmere,
Washington, are the only ones now living. Mr.
and Mrs. Lovering have four children, Leslie,
aged twenty-two; Ersul E., aged ninteen;
Harrison, aged seventeen ; Herbert, aged fif-
teen, all at home with their parents near Sid-
ney. Mr. Lovering is a strong Republican and
takes an active interest in such matters. He
owns three thousand acres of land, has large
bands of cattle and horses and is considered
one of the leading stockmen of Dawson
county.
WARREN O. SIRRIXE. deceased. The
memory of W. O. Sirrine is cherished by many
people who knew him during his life of activ-
ity, and he was certainly one of the stanch
builders of the country around Chance, and
especially the Clarke's Fork valley. He was
born in Wayne county Pennsylvania, on Oc-
tober 15, 1842, the son of Robert O. and Lu-
rinda (Sevens) Sirrine. The former was born
424
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
in Pennsylvania and came to Clear Lake, Iowa,
in very early days when the Indians were plen-
tiful, and hostile also. He remained in the
vicinity where he first settled until 1888,
when he moved to Laurel, Montana, and there
remained until his death. His wife, who was
also a native of the Keystone State, died in
Clear Lake, Iowa.
Our subject came to Iowa when he was a
lad of eleven years and had very little oppor-
tunity to gather an education. His playmates
were the Indian children and he remembers
well the outbreaks of the Indians when the
settlers were compelled to leave the country.
He went to school at Waterloo, Iowa, and
when he had arrived at the age of majority he
began farming for himself. In 1878, he went
thence to Minnesota and theie secured a farm
and labored until his advent into Montana. He
arrived on about the first train that pulled into
Glendive, then a village of tents, and took a
ranch on Bell Prairie. He was instrumental in
organizing the first district and his wife taught
the first school, it being held in his house. Mrs.
Sirrine remarks that the scholars were mostly
her own children, as scarcely any others were
in the district. In 1888 Mr. Sirrine came to
Laurel, where he engaged in ranching. While
here he used to make many trips to the east in
the interests of buying and selling stock, and
during his absences, his wife would always
conduct the ranch. Later he came to the terri-
tory that is now embraced in Big Horn county.
Wyoming, and opened a ranch, just over the
line. He was one of the \-ery first settlers on
the Clarke's Fork and his energy and progres-
siveness showed what the country was and
what it would do under the proper handling.
He continued his stock business and also did
ranching. In later years his health failed and
in search of that which would restore it he
went to California, but instead of receiving the
object of his cjuest he steadily grew worse and
within four months from the time he landed
there he was called to cross the river of death.
His wife returned with the remains to Billings,
where they were interred. His death occurred
in November, 1905.
Mrs. Sirrine was born in Greensburg, Ohio,
and went when a small girl with her parents
to Wisconsin. They soon returned to Ohio
and in that state and in Wisconsin she received
her educational training. Also, when the fam-
ily went out west to Iowa, she still studied in
the schools there. Her marriage occurred in
Clear Lake, Iowa, and with her husband she
made the trip out west to Montana. Mrs. Sir-
rine has always been very active in the work
of education and in advancing its interests.
While she was on the ranch for many years,
she conducted a road house and her husband
established the postoffice at Clark, Wyoming,
which she was postmistress of later. She is
a stanch member of the Congregational
church and the first sermon preached by that
denomination in these parts was delivered in
her own house. She is a highly esteemed lady
and has dune very much to lift up and advance
those with whom she has come in contact dur-
ing her life.
The children born to Mr. and ]\Irs. Sirrine
are named as follows : Earl, Clarence, Clara,
the wife of John Harpster; Orton, Dora, the
wife of C. S. Henry; Henry, Hattie, the wife
of Eugene Thomas; Neil, and Lena.
WILLIAM J. SCOTT, proprietor of the
Billings Steam Laundry, at Billings, was born
in Selkirkshire, Scotland, July 30, 1863. His
father, James Scott, a native of the same place,
came to Canada in 1878. In Scotland, Ireland
and Wales, he had been land steward of three
extensive estates, and he was a member of the
old Lowland Scott Clan. He bought six hun-
dred acres of land in Canada, Huron county,
Helen (Brydon) Scott, was a native of the
Ontario, where he died in 1902. The mother,
same countrv, and came of the same Lowland
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
family. At present she lives at the .old hume
in Canada.
The public schools of Scotland contributed
to the early education of our subject, he at
times walking seven miles morning and even-
ing to attend school. He passed two years in
Canada, where he learned the trade of a car-
penter, and also studied drafting and archi-
tecture. For fifteen years he followed his
business of contracting and building in Min-
nesota. Missouri, Colorado Springs, Ogden,
Utah, coming to Billings in 1898. At the ter-
mination of two years he purchased a one-half
interest in his present laundry business. Janu-
ary I. 1906, he bought the interest of his
partner.
Politically, our sul)ject has ever taken a
li\ely interest in Republican politics. He is
chairman of the executive committee of Yel-
lowstone county. In 1894. at Ogden, Utah,
he was united in marriage to Clara Douglas,
born in that city, and who was called from
earth six weeks following the music of the
\\edding bells. In 1900. Mr. Scott was united
in marriage to Clarissa Faux, born in Marion,
P'tah. Slie died in 1901. fourteen months after
marriage. October 14. 1903, Mr. Scott was
married to Mary A. Newman, a nati\e of
Montana.
Our subject has three brothers, RiMjert, in
New Zealand, who for twenty years was drum
major in the life guards; Alexander, a farmer
on the home place in Canada, and John, a
druggist in British Columbia. He has one sis-
ter, Isabella, single and a resident of Canada.
Fraternally, our subject is a member of the
Elks, W. O. W., Royal Highlanders and A, O.
U. W.
CLARENCE SIRRINE, a rancher and
stockman residing one and one-half miles south
of Chance, is one of the younger citizens of
this section, although he has also been here a
sufficient length of time to entitle him to the
position of pioneer, and he has certainly done
the pioneer's work. His birth occurred at
Clear Lake, Iowa, on March 6, 1872, his par-
ents being Warren O. and Mary E. (Coates)
Sirrine, who are esi>ecially mentioned else-
where in this work. When a child he went
with the balance of the family to Minnesota,
where he attended his first school. Thence
they journeyed to Glendive, Montana, where
he continued his studies, being one of the stu-
dents in the first school, his mother being-
teacher. He grew up on the stock ranch and
was busy much of the time on the range and
many an exciting run has he had when the Red-
skins were after him, but he always escaped
with his life. The Groveons, a small tribe of
early Montana, were camped near his parents"
home, and the Sioux Indians were the enemies
of these Indians and many a battle did they
wage back and forth. It was the unusual priv-
ilege of our subject to watch several of these
deadly combats, and theiV memory is still viv-
idlv before him. His parents were the only
white people within fifteen miles and they were
the pioneers in the true sense of the word, be-
ing the very first settlers in this section of the
country. Often times when Mr. Sirrine was
absent on business, his wife being alone with
the children, the Indians would come about and
scare the children and frequently would they
force our subject to turn grindstone while they
sharpened their knives. Then for reward they
would seize his scalp locks and motion with
the sharpened knife as if they were about to
sever the scalp fnmi his head. These days
were not the pleasantest in Montana life, but
they have had their place and it is very pleas-
ant, though, now that our subject who braved
the times of trouble is enabled to enjoy the
fruits of his labor in the incoming civilization
that has made the state so prosperous.
In 1902, yiv. Sirrine married Miss Ella
Johnston, a native of New Matamoras, Ohio.
She came to Kearnev, Nebraska, with her par-
426
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ents when a girl of fourteen and thence she
came to Montana in 1900. She was occupied
in teaching school in Nebraska and also in
Montana. Her parents, James and Laveni
(McWilliams) Johnston, were natives of
Ohio, and were people always greatly inter-
ested in education and literary work and the
result is that they encouraged their children in
the pursuit of education to the end that all are
well trained mentally and are a cultured family.
Mr. Sirrine is one of the successful and re-
spected men of this section and has the esteem
and coniidence of all.
ALBAN D. SPANG is a man who has
had much experience in traveling to various
portions of the United States. He was born
in Tuolumne county, California, on May 29,
1855, and now li\-es four miles south from
Lame Deer. His father, Peter Spang, was
born in Alsace, now a part nf Germany. He
came to Connecticut with his parents when
nine years old and there resided until 1849,
when he journeyed via the isthmus to Cali-
fornia and followed mining there for about
fourteen years, after which he returned to
Connecticut, then went to Iowa and thence
to Florida. After that to Wisconsin and later
to Wyoming, where he remained until his
death. His wife in maiden life was Miss
Harriett Hubbard, a native of Bridgeport,
Connecticut. She went to California via the
isthmus to join her husband in 1853, being ac-
companied by her two children. As there
was no railroad on the isthmus then, they were
transported upon mules and one child rode a
mule and the other was carried by a native.
Mrs. Spang is still living in Wyoming. Our
subject was ten years old when the family
went from California to Connecticut and in
the latter state and Iowa he received his edu-
cation from the common schools. In 1876 he
came to the Black Hills and there followed
freighting for sometime. After that he was
occupied in freighting for the military in Wy-
oming and finally in 1894, he came to his
present location and settled down to stock-
raising.
Mr. Spang married Lucy Harris, the
daughter of Captain James Kayle, who was
stationed for years at Fort Laramie. Mr.
Spang lias some nice herds of stock and
breeds excellent mules. He is well known and
a man of good standing.
THO]MAS R. AUSTIN, one of the lead-
ing citizens of Carbon county, is at present
mayor of Red Lodge, having been elected in
1906. He is a man who has risen by his own
efforts and has climl^ed the ladder successfully
to a position of competence and holds the re-
spect and esteem of all who know him. His
birth occurred on a farm in Hastings county,
Ontario. July 5, 1858. his parents'being Joseph
and Katherine (Hurst) Austin, the former a
native of the north of Ireland and the latter of
Pennsylvania. The father came with his par-
ents to Canada in 1854 and settled on the
frontier. He was married in 1856 and his
death occurred in New York. The widow is
still living in Seymour, Wisconsin. Thomas
R. was educated in the public schools of his
native place and in 1878 went thence to Al-
pena, Michigan, and soon was in the lumber
woods. The following spring he drove on the
Alpena river and in July, 1879 came on west
to Wisconsin, where lumbering and farming
occupied him till 1881, in which year he located
at Granite Falls, Minnesota. He did plaster-
ing, which trade he had learned and came to
Montana in October. 1882. He was soon en-
gaged in the Cdustructiim department of the
Northern Pacific building chimneys and set-
ting stationary engines. In March, 1883, he
put up the chimneys of the first depots in Liv-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
427
inp^ston. Alter that he helped to burn the first
brick manufactured in Livingston and in Jul_\-
of the same year, 1883, he went to the National
Park an-d followed his trade there. Also he
was engaged in freighting and other occupa-
ti(jns and did passenger driving in the park.
He located at Nye, purchased lots and erected j
some buildings and turned his attention to bar-
bering. Later the camp went down and he lost
all his property. In 1887 we find him in Red
Lodge which was then just starting. Since
that time he has resided here and on his farms, [
having three quarters of g-ood land, besides !
some fine business property on Main street, in
Red Lodge. He also has a large dwelling and
other property. 1
The marriage of Mr. Austin and Annie i
Sheridan occured at Billings on May 10, 1888.
and they have four children, two sons and two
daughters. Mrs. Austin comes from Blooming
Prairie, ]\Iinnesuta. ;\Ir. Austin is affiliated
with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias,
and the Eagles. The family are identified with
the Episcopalian church. In political matters
we find Mr. Austin is a close student of social-
istic principles and he votes accordingly.
LUDLOW B. RENO, attorney at law,
residing at Chance, ^Montana, is known far
and near in Carbon county and other portions
of the west. He is a man of great activity
and energy, has been connected with many
enterprises and is now giving his entire atten-
tion to the practice of his profession. Mr.
Reno is distinctively a self-made man, and one.
too, who did not stop when the job was "half
done" as the renowned Mark Twain remarks
about one of his characters. When other
men were resting from their labors, Mr. Reno
was toiling away with his books and aug-
menting the training that was lacking in his
educational career wdien a lad. To follow the
path of his life will be interesting to all and
with pleasure we enter into the same somewhat
in detail.
In far away Beaver county, Pennsylvania,
on February 26, 1842, there was born to John
and Elizabeth (Barris) Reno, a son afterward
named Ludlow B. John Reno was a well-
to-do farmer, a native of this same Beaver
county. In 1843 when Ludlow wa* an infant
of one year the father determined to try the
west, and accordingly went to Indiana, that be-
ing well out west in those days. Eleven years
were spent there in pioneer work, opening up
a farm and so forth. Then he came on with
the ever advancing tide of the restless Ameri-
can people, to Iowa where he settled down, oc-
cupying himself with farming and stock-rais-
ing until the time of his death. John Reno
was a direct descendant of the original Reno
family that came to America in the early colo-
nial days from France and settled in Pennsyl-
vania. Our subject's mother was born in
Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, descending from an
old family. Her mother's maiden name was
Fumbell and the Fumbell family was also
early settlers in the colonies from France.
In the woods of Indiana there was little
opportunity to gain an education and Ludlow
being a verv strong and active boy he was
well occupied in the arduous labors of assist-
ing his father on the farm. He was alxiut
twelve when he came to Iowa with the family
and there, too, little opportunity presented it-
self for him to secure training from the
schools, and the fact of the matter is that Mr.
Reno attended school but one term in all his
life. But that could in no way quell the desire
in him to study. How he learned to read, he
does not remember, but learn he did and then
woe to the book that came within his grasp,
for it was devoured and thus by poring over
volumes that he could secure, he stored his
mind with the necessary knowledge to fire his
heart for more. But education consists in
428
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
knowing things and, as well, and sometimes
more important, in knowing how to use the
knowledge that has heen gained. Here is
where Mr. Reno manifested the real wisdom of
his nature, for he was enal)Ied to so put to use
the knowledge that he gained that he always
was using it for its full worth. What a pre-
cious faculty this is is only understood by
those who Wave watched the workings of such
wisdom. Many a man has been put through
the universities by fontl parents, polished, too,
with all that skilled professors could do, but
who showed himself utterly helpless when
called upon to use the knowledge that he had
acquired, and because of this lack of wisdom
to know how much to apply his store of accu-
mulation he has made a failure. Many such
are to be found on every hand, and so it is
that the self-made man is always in the lead.
He has had a hard time to get the store of
knowledge and that has wrought in him a
skill to use what he has until the better part
of the man"s education after all, namely, the
power to wisely utilize what he has. is much
more developed and augmented than it is in
the man who has had lavished on him all the
advantages of the higher institutions. It is
of worth to remember that when the immortal
Lii'icoln addressed the gathering at Gettys-
burg, after the renowned orator, Wendell
Phillips, had pronounced the classic his great
skill had prepared for the occasion, he so far
outdid the work of Phillips that the latter
remarked, he w^ould trade his life work for
the ability to make one such speech. Wendell
Phillips was a master orator, but he had ne\-er
split rails and that was the key to the situation.
This gives a little illustration of the thought
we desire to bring out in connection with the
life of Mr. Reno. He is self-made, lias per-
fected to a great degree the wisdom of know-
ing how to use the knowledeg he gained over
the midnight oil.
\Mien the dark clouds of fratricidal strife
rent the nation and the call came for troops
to stem the awful devastation, Mr. Reno, then
nineteen years of age, responded quickly and
was numbered in
airy. Company E.
vate and was ir
pany at the time
charge, . although
the Third Iowa Cav-
He ,went in as pri-
command of a com-
of his honorable tlis-
is commission had not
yet been issued. Here, again, we see
the manner of man, for, not as many who
fought a battle and then quit,- Mr. Reno re-
mained until the work was done for which
the awful war was waged, and then he laid
aside the implements of death that he might
give his hand to assist in the rebuilding of the
nation that had so sadly suffered. His regi-
ment had been in some severe work, as on
Wilson's raid and other equally hard, it being
a part of the Sixteenth Corps.
From the soldier's camp Mr. Reno went to
his Iowa home and soon removed to Saunders
county, Nebraska, and engaged in farming.
He took up the study of law while engaged in
farming and pressed his studies so that in due
time he was admitted to the bar. However,
he had allowed his name to be placed on the
Democratic ticket for sheriff of that county
and he was promptly elected. So well did he
discharge the duties incumhent on him that he
was called upon to ser\-e a second term. This
completed he entered the practice of law until
1876. the year when the great rush poured into
the famous Black Hills country. Mr. Reno
was a man of aggressiveness and the spirit of
the west took possession of him and he soon
was among the voyageurs that sought the
golden sands of that favored region. He was
among the first ones in the Hills and his ex-
periences there were fraught with many excit-
ing occurrences. Judge Reno, as he became to
be familiarly knowni, was a prominent figure
in Custer county, where he remained until
1895, ^vhen he again came "west," this time to
locate in Red Lodge, where he was elected
prosecuting attorney the next year. Two
terms he served in that office and then lie
BIOGRAPHICAJL SKETCHES.
429
transferred his residence to Chance wliere we
find Iiini at the present time, engaged in the
practice of law. Mr. Reno is a great favorite
with the youiTiger people, especially, as he takes
a great interest in providing things for their
education and advancement and, under his
fostering care, he has conducted a lyceum for
debates and so forth and the result is that
many a one has lieen brought out to stir up the
talent in him by this means that might have
slumbered on.
On November 16, 1865, Mr. Reno mar-
ried Miss Lucinda Stansberr\-, a native of In-
diana and the daughter o'f John and Esther
(Rice) Stansberry. Her parents were born
in New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Reno three
children have been born, namely. William
A., a rancher in Carbon county; Bertha, wife
of Joseph Pitt ; and Walter, a rancher in Car-
bon county. Mrs. Reno is postmistress at
Chance and also conducts a mercantile estab-
lishment.
Air. Reno is a Democrat and has always
been a wheel horse in the campaigns. He is
a well known speaker of ability and his ser-
vices are greatly in demand on all occasions.
Especially is he forceful and convincing in po-
litical work and his pleas at the bar are listened
to with interest by all. 'Sir. Reno is dis-
tinctively a man of practical ideas and he has
always been a person with the courage of his
convictions. He has passed three score years
in the activities of life, but he is still hale and
hearty, genial as ever, well liked by all and a
man whose career shows many points both of
interest and commendation.
NATHANIEL G. CARWILE, judge of
the police court of the city of Billings, and sec-
retary of the Montana State Realty Company,
was born in Edgeville county. South Carolina.
January 7, 1855, the son of Zachariah W.
Carwile, also a native of South Carolina. His
father and grandfather came from England.
Zachariah W. was a planter in the ante-
bellum days, and being, also, an attorney, was
for many years a commissioner in equity, and
was considered the best equipped equity lawyer
in the section in which he resided, confining
his practice entirely to the courts of equity. His
father was a planter and for twenty years
sherifif of Newberry county. When a young
man his grandfather had come from England
and located in South Carolina during the
days of the Revolution and served in the Con-
tinental army under Marion and Sumter.
Our subject received an excellent educa-
tion, graduating from the King's County Mil-
itary Institute, following which he engaged in
the mercantile business at Augusta, Georgia,
until 1878, when he came west. He followed
stock-raising in western Nebraska and in i88r
was engaged in the same avocation in the Pow-
der river country, \\'yoming. In 1882 he was
elected clerk and recorder of Johnson county,
Wyoming, ser\-ing two terms. For two years
he was deputy treasurer. It was in 1892 that
he came to Montana, to Butte, where he en-
gaged in the brokerage business until 1894,
when he located at Billings. He was chief
accountant with Yeggen Brothers until Jan-
uary, 1897, when he was appointed deputy
clerk and recorder, and elected clerk and re-
corder in 1898, serving two terms. Subse-
quently he was appointed city clerk and follow-
ing the termination of ofifice he became police
judge.
May 15, 1884, Air. Carwile was married
at Buffalo, Wyoming, to Lizzie Green, a na-
tive of Canton,' Missouri. She is the daughter
of James S. and Elizabeth (Reese) Green,
both natives of Virginia. Her father comes of
an old and prominent Virginian family the
members of which participated loyally in the
War of the Re\olution. He served as United
States senator during the administration of
President Buchanan, from Missouri. He died
in 1872.
43°
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
The family of the mother of our subject
was promineu
t in old \'irarinia affairs, beins
members of the bench, bar, etc. At present
she resides with her son. The latter has four
children: James Green, aged 21, a civil engi-
neer: Frances Gertrude, aged 18, a high
school student; Nathaniel G., aged 16, a school
boy, and Edward A., aged 7. He has three
brothers living: Thomas \\'., Zachariah W.
and Tames, a merchant in Deadwood, South
Dakota. He has lost three brothers : John
R., William E. and Henry. Mrs. Carwile
has one brother and three sisters : Thomas J.,
Mrs. George Van Worden, Mrs. James M.
Loblan and Mrs. William A. Murphy. Mr.
Carwile has four sisters : Mrs. Goode Mob-
erly, Sarah C, Mrs. Lucia A. Latimer and
Mrs. ^^■hitfield ^Nloberly. By death he lost
one sister, an infant.
Fraternally our subject is a member of
Ashler Lodge, No. 29, F. & A. M., being past
master of same; Past C. C, Rathbone Lodge,
No. 28, K. of P.: W. O. W.. of which he is
past consul commander ; the Billings Club and
past president of the Billings F. O. E., No.
176.
MARTIN LENNON hails from county
Wicklow, Ireland, where he was born, April
18, 1862. His parents, Hugh and Kate
(Murphy) Lennon, were born there also and
there they reside at the present time. Our
subject was educated in his native place and
at the proper age was apprenticed to learn
the blacksmith trade. He mastered that by
the time he was eighteen and then it being
1880, he decided to bid farewell to his home
land and journeyed to the United States.
After landing here, he spent sometime work-
ing in New York and then went to St. Louis
and wrought at his trade. Finally in 1887
he enlisted in the First United States Cavalrj'
and was sent to Fort Custer, Montana. He
remained in the service until his honorable
discharge in 1890, then went back to St. Louis
and there was occupied for four years. Tlien
Mr. Lennon decided to try Montana once more
and accordingly came hither and homesteaded
the place where he now resides, some three
miles north of Lame Deer. Since that time
he has given his attention to general farming
and stock-raising" and has met with a reasona-
ble success.
In 1897 Mr. Lennon married Bridget
Murphy, a native of \^'e.xford county. Ireland,
and they ha\e five children : Hugh, Kate,
Martin, fames and Thomas.
PAUL H. CARLTON, who resides
two miles east of Reed, Montana, was born
in Stearns County, Minnesota, in 1874. His
parents being Francis and Lydia (Duncan)
Carlton, the latter of whom died fourteen years
since. The father was a native of Portland,
Alaine, born in 1840, and came to Minnesota
about 1849 and still lives in that state. He
saw active service in the Civil War in Com-
pany C, with the Minnesota Cavalry, and is
a descendant of Lemuel Carlton of "Boston
Tea Party" fame. Our subject is the third
of seven children and has a brother, Guy, in
Seattle and James in Elk, Washington. When
young Paul H. left home and went to work in
North Dakota, whence he journeyed to the
lumber woods of Minnesota. In 1895 he came
to Wyoming and rode the range for a few
months and then came on to Red Bluff, Mon-
tana, where he worked for the Big Black Foot
Lumber Company at Missoula. In 1896 he
went to work for the American Steel Com-
pany on bridge construction and steadily rose
until he was foreman on the construction of
bridges operating from the coast to Montana.
In the spring of 1898, he quit bridge work
and was two years with the Melville Mer-
cantile Company. Then, it being 1900, he
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
431
turned liis attention to sheep raising and is
now one of the weh-to-do men of Sweet Grass
county, having- over two thousand head of
sheep, eighty-five head of cattle and three
thousand acres of land.
In 1899 ^l^i'- Carlton married ]\Iiss Lena
Leiide, a native of Norway, where her parents
still reside. Three children have been born
ti> this union : Ruth, Francis and Ciuy.
Mr. Carlton is a member of the INI. \V. A.,
and a strong Republican, although not especi-
allv active.
JOHN P. MEADORS. Montana may
well l.)e proud of her many young,
progressive and successful stockmen and
farmers, for there is an especially ac-
ti\"e class of men here \vho are occu-
jiied in these profitable callings, and it is
unnecessary to state that they are among the
lirightest, most stanch and capable men of the
progressive northwest. John P. Meadors is
to be classed high in this company and a brief
outline of his career will be very pleasant read-
ing- to any who desire to learn of genuine suc-
cess wrought out by merit and wisdom.
John P. Meadors was born in De Witt,
Iowa, on June 3, 1872, the son of William and
Annette (Betty) Meadors, who are especially
mentioned in another portion of thos work.
They were both very industrious and substan-
tial people and were leaders in the communi-
ties where they lived. The family came to
Montana in 1881, our subject being but nine
years of age. After finishing the public schools,
John P. was graduated in 1894 from the scien-
tific department of the Northern Indiana Nor-
mal School at Valparaiso, Indiana. Being then
twenty-two and ecjuippecl with a splendid men-
tal training, he returned to Montana to en-
gage with his father, their headquarters being
at Fairview. Soon after that he went into
business for himself and has steadilv followed
general farming and stock raising, in both of
which lines he has prospered well. In 1904,
Mr. Meadors also took up the real estate busi-
ness, which he is handling in connection with
his other matters at the present time. Mr.
Meadors owns eleven hundred and twenty
acres of good land, considerable property in
Sidney and Fairview and four hundred head
of cattle, besides other property.
On June 16, 1903, Mr. Meadors married
Miss Catherine L'nfred, who was born in
Scott county, Minnesota, August 16, 1875.
She was educated in her native place, came
to Glendive, Montana, in 1899, and they now
reside at Fairview. Mrs. Meadors is a mem-
lier of the Catholic church. Mrs. Meadors'
father, John Unfred, was born in Germany
November 30, 1832, came to America in 1850,
learned the niachinist's trade in Chicago and
in 1866 located in Henderson county, Mon-
tana, where he followed the trade for years.
Then he was occupied in farming and in 1886
took up the hotel business, which, together
with farming, has engaged him since. He
married Margaret McCarthy, who was born
in Chicago in 1842, their wedding occurring
in 1862. They are both still living and are the
parents of the following children : Frank H.
and James J., both engineers at Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Mrs. J. J. McMillan, in Minne-
apolis, Minnesota ; Mrs. Eugene Cook, at Rock
Rapids, Iowa; John W. and William M., near
Henderson, Minnesota, both farmers.
Mr. Meadors is a Republican and was
chosen commissioner of Dawson county at the
November election in 1906. He is very active
however, in every enterprise that is for the
Ijuildiiig up of the countiy and is considered
one of the substantial, hustling and sagacious
business men of the countv.
EDWARD LESLIE resides on Bridger
creek, about six miles east and eight miles
432
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
south from Greycliff. His native place is New
York city. When still an infant Edward and
Margaret (Geelin) Leslie both died and he was
thrust out into the world among strangers. At
nine years of age, so hard was his lot that he
determined to start in the world for himself
and accordingly left his adopted home. He
fell in with a man who was traveling to Texas
and went via Savannah, New Orleans and thus
by boat to Galveston, whence he journeyed to
San Antonio, which place was the headquarters
of the man he was with. For eighteen years,
he continued with this man and although he
saw many others make a fortune, as it was the
palmy days for stock in Texas, he never went
into the business for himself. When twenty-
seven years of age, he left the ranch and struck
out as a buffalo hunter and followed that wild
and exciting life for a good many years. He
remembers well when the price of hides was
so low that he had to stop hunting until the
market was better. He continued at this busi-
ness until 1879, when he took a trip to New
York and then came to Montana the next year.
He landed first at Big Timber and for several
years was occupied in hunting in the Crazy
Mountains and at the head of Boulder creek.
Also he followed trapping for nine years. Dur-
ing this time he saw the settlers coming into
Montana, but it never occurred to Mr. Leslie
that Montana would ever be anything but a
wild country, never settled up as at present.
For fourteen years he followed sheep herding
and during this time he visited almost every
part of the state, usually going on foot with a
flock and sleeping out at night. Looking at
the shepherd's life from books, it appears very
pleasant and romantic, but the actual experi-
ences are very dififerent ones. Beneath the hot
sun or in the frosty winter time and at night,
in the storms as well as the calm, one has to be
alert and watching and caring for the welfare
of his flock. The labor is trying, is dreary and
Mr. Leslie endured untold hardships during
these six vears. Finallv, about eleven vears
since, he quit the business and located his
present ranch. He supposed he had gone fur-
ther up Bridger creek than settlers would ever
come, but of late years, he has seen the country
all settle up above him and being brought un-
der culti\-ation. Mr. Leslie gives his atten-
tion to raising hay and furnishing pasture and
of late years he has mostly retired from active
labors. He is perhaps the oldest settler on
Bridger creek and is certainly one of the pio-
neers of the state of Montana.
Politically, Mr. Leslie is independent and
as to marriage, he has never seen fit to enter
those relations.
THOMAS McGIRL. Our subject whose
name forms the caption of this biographical
sketch, is one of the most prominent ranchers
in the Yellowstone Valley, a man with a most
meritorious war record, and one who has as-
sisted in making much of the most interesting
history of the state of Montana. At present
he resides twelve miles east of Billings. He
was born in Ireland, November 8, 1845.
His parents were Patrick and Sarah (Mc-
Govern) McGirl, both natives of Ireland. The
father died when our subject was a small child,
and the mother died in Lafayette county, ;\Iis-
souri, in 1881.
At the age of three years Thomas McGirl
was brought to the United States by his cousin.
His mother and eight children had preceded
them and settled in Rliode Island. Here they
remained six years, thence moving to Lexing-
ton, Missouri, in 1855. Our subject was patri-
otic, and at the age of 18, in 1863, he enlisted
in Company I, Fifth Missouri Mounted Infan-
try. The company was disbanded in January,
1864. At the close of the war he journeyed to
Santa Fe, New Mexico, but subsequently re-
turned to Missouri where he remained three
vears, going thence to Texas and engaging in
railroad construction for some years. May
THOMAS MSGlRl
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
433
20. 1875, ^^^- McGirl left for Montana and
settled on his present eligible location. He left
Bozeman with the first mail down the Yellow-
stone river, and began operating a ferry and
trading post where he now lives. It was ntil-
ized as a stopping place for travelers. In 1878
he named this location "Hmitley," and secured
a postoffice of which he was assistant post-
master for a number of years. At the time of
the advent of railroad facilities the postoffice
was moved across the river. At that period
there were very few settlers in this portion of
the country. Forty-five miles down the river
Paul AlcCormick was settled and Horace
Countryman was at Columbus. But there were
no other settlers between. The first year Chief
Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians came near
this place. The next year they were followed
by the Bannacks. The Nez Perces were
closely pursued by General Howard, who
camped at subject's house over Sunday, and
they had no time to annoy the settlers. In the
morning the stage left Mr. McGirl's ranch
and at Canyon Creek it was captured by In-
dians. Hank Eastward drove this stage. Fan-
nie Clark was on the vehicle, but the passen-
gers and driver finally succeeded in making
their escape.
Near this place General Howard's com-
mand had a brush with Indians and si.x wound-
ed soldiers lay at subject's ranch for several
days. A woman on the stage returned and
nursed these men. Our subject had four
brothers in the Civil War. Fie is the youngest
of a family of ten.
Mr. McGirl has succeeded well in business
life and owns 1,487 acres of fine agricultural
land. He has paid attention both to general
farming anfl as well has been extensively en-
gaged in handling both cattle and sheep.
GEORGE \\'. POWERS, who resi:'es
se\-en miles east from Miles City, where he has
28
a quarter section of irrigated land, is one of the
industrious farmers of Custer county and has
had much experience in many sections of the
west. He was born in Warsaw. Missouri,
October 23, 1863, the son of Henry Clay and
Mary Elizabeth (Hudson) Powers. The
father came from 'Virginia, his native state, to
where Warsaw, Missouri, now stands, accom-
panying his parents in the early thirties. His
ancestors were among the first settlers in
Jamestown, and they were all through the co-
lonial days and were strictly American before
there was a United States. His parents were
among the very first to settle in Missouri near
Warsaw, and in 1850 he crossed the plains
with o.x teams, accompanied by his two broth-
ers. They visited California and returned to
'Missouri about the breaking out of the Civil
War. In 1864, he crossed the plains again,
this time to Bannack, Montana. There he en-
gaged in mining till the fall of 1864, when he
went to "Virginia City with the stampede, and
later he participated in the Sterling excitement.
After that he was in at the Last Chance flurry,
then went on the crest of the incoming tide
to Silver City, later to Radersburg, thence to
Uniontown, near, and there he discovered some
of the properties that afterward proved to be
great mines. As the excitement died out, he
went to Helena and remained till one ^ear
after the big fire, then went to Gallatin valley
and settled down to farming, determining to
drop the roving life of prospecting. In 1877,
however, he went again to Virginia City and
there the family remained till 1893, while he
spent most of his time in prospecting. In 1893,
they removed to Dillon and there they reside
at this time. All this time Mr. Powers has
been prospecting and is still engaged in that
calling. His wife was born near the mouth
of Mammoth cave, Kentucky, and her people
discovered the cave and owned the land at its
mouth. She came to Missouri with her par-
ents when a small child and since her marriage
has been with her husband on all his journeys.
434
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Our subject remembers that when he was yet
so young as to be unable to hold onto the pack
horse, he was tied un and so accompanied the
family in its wanderings as they removed
from place to place in the work of prospecting.
In 1883, our subject went to Nevada and
Arizona and traveled well over the territories,
prospecting and mining. In 1884, he went to
Omaha and between that point and Kansas
City he spent six years in timber contracting.
In 1890, Mr. Powers came back to Montana
and settled in ]Madison county first, whence
he came to his present place in 1896. Here
he has remained since and he owns now a quar-
ter section of good land, all under the ditch.
On January i, 1895, Mr. Powers married
]\Iiss Mary M. Love, the daughter of John and
jane (Magee) Love. The former was born
in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, there married
and later removed to Illinois, whence he re-
turned to Pennsylvania and there remained
until his death. The mother was of Scotch
descent and her people were among the very
first to settle in the vicinity of what is now Oil
City, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Powers was born
in Oil Citv, Pennsylvania.
IRA M. ALLIXG. who was born in
Dutchess county, New York, on September
16. i860, resides at Sidney, Montana, having
retired from ranch life, which he successfully
followed for some years in this state. He is
now interested in the lumber business and is
vice-president of the Bank of the Valley at
Sidney. The parents of our subject, John T.
and Frances (Mabbett) Ailing, were born in
Dutchess county. New York, on August 30,
1830, and in June, 1828, respectively. They
received their education from the common
schools, were married in 1851, followed farm-
in,g and died, the former in 1903 and the latter
in 1892, at Poughkeepsie, New Y^ork. They
were very progressive, industrious and sub-
stantial people and made good success in life.
The other children besides our subject were
Mary, the wife of Abraham P. Doughty, and
Eva Bell, the wife of Silas E. Card, both liv-
ing in Poughkeepsie, New York. After re-
ceiving his education in the schools of his na-
tive county, he finished at the Poughkeepsie
high school and remained at home until nine-
teen years of age. Then, it being 1879, he
journeyed west to Greene county, Illinois, and
remained there on a ranch for three years. In
1882, we find yir. Ailing in Glendive, ]\Ion-
tana, where he soon selected a ranch twelve
miles out. After a two years' residence there,
he removed down the Yellowstone river on
the south side and located a ranch at Smith
Creek, where he followed ranching eight years.
In 1 89 1, he settled on Hay creek and there
continued successfully until 1905, when he
sold out and moved to Sidney. Here he
erected a fine residence and is turning his at-
tention to commercial and financial lines, as
stated above. Mr. Ailing takes a lively in-
terest in political matters, being allied with tlie
Democratic party, but he is neither a wire
puller nor a partisan.
On November 3, 1896, Mr. Ailing mar-
ried Minnie Hurst, who was torn at \\'adena,
Minnesota, on March 10, 1877. They have
three boys, John, aged nine; Robert, aged
three, and Frank, an infant of a few months.
\MLLIA^I F. SCH^IALSLE. at present
one of the well-known business men of Miles
City, is a pioneer of many places in the west
and was for many years acting in the capacity
of scout in the military, during which time he
had many thrilling and most interesting expe-
riences. He was born in Germany, February
22, 1847, the son of Jacob and Caroline
( Schibley ) Schmalsle. who brought him to Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, in 1853. Soon the family came
on west to Kansas and in 1861 the father
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
435
joined the Twenty-eighth Ohio Infantry, hav-
ing gone back to Ohio, and served throughout
the Civil War. Our subject was educated in
the various places where he spent his youth
and when his father went back to Ohio he was
left in Kansas and soon was placed by Major
M. P. Barry as bugler in the army, continuing
in that capacity till 1861, when he resigned,
owing to the Major's resignation from the
army. In the spring of 1862 they came across
the plains to 'Oregon and William F. went to
work at LaGrande on a pack train. Later
he went to the Willamette valley and after
four years returned east again, going as far
as Helena, Montana, where he was engaged
about the mines. In the spring of 1867, he
joined the Salmon river rush and later enlisted
in Captain Hart's company of Montana mili-
tia, being stationed for the summer where
Li\-ingston now stands. In the fall the sol-
diers took their equipment as pay and all went
to New Mexico on a mining venture. Here
Mr. Schmalsle fell in with California Joe and
Aaron Dickison and the three started to Texas.
Upon arriving at Fort Dodge, they found the
Indians on the war path and stopped to assist
in quelling- them. Dickison was killed out-
right, but the other two escaped with their
lives after some lively scouting. In 1870, we
find our subject on a homestead in Osborne
county, Kansas, and his time was largely spent
in guiding hunting parties. Being eaten out
by grasshoppers in 1874, he quit farming and
returned to Fort Dodge. Soon he joined an
expedition led against the Indians by General
Miles, acting as scout. He was useful in per-
forming some very valuable work and re-
mained with the General till the campaign
closed. In 1875, he was scout at Fort Elliott,
and the next year he was attached to the Fifth
U. S. Cavalry under General Merritt as gov-
ernment scout. He joined the command at
Fort Hayes and was under Crook the balance
of the summer. In 1877, he was transferred
to (leneral Miles and served him all tlirough
the Sitting Bull matter and the Nez Perces
war. When peace was restored he remained at
the post and became a very warm friend of the
General.
Finally he determined to sever his connec-
tion with the military and went into business
in Miles City, where he has remained. In the
\'olume entitled "Personal Recollections of
XeJson A. Miles," our subject is frequently
mentioned and a portrait of him appears.
ANTON H. JOHNSON is one of the effi-
cient officers of Dawson county, having- been
assessor for six years. His efficiency, excel-
lent judgment and reliability have won him a
place in the esteem of his constituents that is
very enviable indeed. He owns considerable
real estate in Glendive and other places and
has large stock interests thfoug'hout the
county.
Anton H. Johnson was born on February
24, 1845, ii'i Christiana, Norway. His father,
Jens Johnson, was born at Holstad, Norway,
in 1804. and married Loviec Halvorson, who
was born in Christiana in 1797, the nuptials
occurring in 1825. She died in 1895, aged
ninety-eight. This worthy couple were the par-
ents of five boys and two girls, those living,
being our sui)ject, Mrs. Carlson at Butte, Mon-
tana, and Mrs. A. Dahl and John Johnson in
Norway. Anton H. was educated in the
schools of his native countrj', and in 1865 came
to the United States, locating in Chicago,
where he worked for the city for eighteen
years. In 1883, he came to Glendive and en-
tered the employ of the Northern Pacific Rail-
road, continuing in the same for two and one-
half vears. Then he operated a dairy and
gradually drifted into the stock business in
which he is still interested. The marriage
of Mr. Johnson and Miss Eleanor Blair oc-
curred in Chicago in 1867. Mrs. Johnson was
born in Ireland in 1846, received her education
436
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
there and came to the United States in 1865.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
reside in Dawson county, and are named as
follow: Mrs. Mason, aged thirty-four; Harry
L., ag-ed thirty-two; Nora, aged thirty; Mrs.
Maude W. Schabb ; Charlie Anton, aged twen-
ty-six; Vernon, twenty-two, killed on North-
ern Pacific Railroad in 1905; and Francis A.,
aged twenty.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the
Lutheran church, while he belongs to the Odd
Fellows and the A. O. U. W. He shows a
keen interest in political matters and every-
thing for the welfare of the county and state,
and has always allied himself with the Repub-
lican party.
JOSEPH LAY is one of Montana's pro-
gressive and capable agriculturists, at the pres-
ent time dwelling four miles west from Reed.
He was born in Kirksville, Missouri, on May
25, 1866, the son of Nathan and Jane (Gil-
more) Lay. The father was born on May
27, 1827, in Tennessee, came to Missouri in
1842, and in 1877 drove across the country
to the Gallatin valley and returned the same
year. The next year he brought a large train
of emigrants to the Gallatin valley, where he
made his home until his death, Februarv 15,
1902. His mother had died in January, 1871,
being then aged 38. Our subject is the
eleventh of thirteen children, ten of whom are
still living, all being in the west except one
sister in Missouri. When eleven years old
as our subject states, he was loaded intn a
wagon, given the reins of a strong team and
headed west. The trip occupied the time from
May loth to July 29th, and was one of the
epochs of Mr. Lay's life. Just at the age
when everything was vividly impressed upon
his mind, he can distinctly remember the lead-
ing features of the journey. Even then in
that early day there were settlers along the
streams in the Bozeman valley, but they were
scarce. He recalls driving with his father
from Salesville to Bozeman when there was
only one cabin on the road. Schools were
fairly good, however. Mail was carried by
stage but there was no postoffice between Boze-
man and Manhattan. The father settled in
the Bozeman valley and our subject remained
there with him until twenty-one years of age,
during which time he learned much of Alon-
tana farming and gained a goftd education.
Having arrived at his majority, he started out
to see something of the state and for three
years, mined and prospected in various sec-
tions. He developed several claims during
that time but with indifferent success, so in
the spring of 1893, the reservation hav-
ing been thrown open the fall previous, he
came across the mountains and selected him
a home place. His present property is what
he homesteaded and since that time, this has
Ijeen the center of his activity. It is of inter-
est to know that when he got located, he
found his capital amounted to' fifteen dollars
and for three years he had to work very vigor-
ously to maintain himself and to make any
show of improvements upon his claim. The
first three winters he spent in teaching at Reed
point and Bridger creek. Gradually he began
t(j improve his place and he now has a fine
field of alfalfa and other improvements upon
the farm. Almost the entire quarter section
can be put under the ditch and is a \-aIuable
])roperty. Mr. Lay owns some cattle in addi-
tion to farming and is being prospered in his
labors.
Thus far in life, he has never seen fit to
try the matrimonial seas but is content with
the quieter joys of the jolly bachelor.
Politically, Mr. Lay is a good strong Dem-
ocrat and was once nominated for the county
treasurer of Sweet Grass county, but by actual
count there were not enough Democrats in
the county to gi\-e a majority, so with his
ticket, he went down.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
437
Fraternally, he is affiliated with the M.
\\'. A. at. Reed Point and is well and favorably
known throue'hout the county.
BERT R. ALBIN, secretary, treasurer
and general manager of the Hart-Albin Com-
pany, Billings, was born in Germany, April 5,
1878, the son of August and Ferdinandina
(Bethke) Albin, natives of Germany, now liv-
ing in Minnesota. The father was a wood
car\er.
When three years of age our subject came
with his parents to the United States and was
reared and educated in Alinnesnta. WHien
twelve years old he entered the service of the
l)ickin~~nn Company as a cagli boy at the mu-
nificent salary of two dollars per week. With
them he remained four years, steadily advanc-
ing, and ha\-ing charge of the linen stock
when he left the company. He then entered
the employment of the Powers Dry Goods
Company, remaining four years. To Mis-
soula, Montana, he came in 1899, and was for
six months general manager of the dry goods
department of the firm of R. Manheim & Com-
pany. Thence he came to Livingston, assum-
ing charge of the Boston Store. Here he re-
mained two and one-half years, then forming
a partnership with R. M. Hart, of St. Louis,
and coming to Billings in ig02. the firm name
being the Hart-Albin Company. It was in
January, 1906, that the firm moved into their
present handsome quarters in the Stapleton
block where they ha\-e fifteen thousand square
feet of floor space — the largest dry goods and
clothing establishment in the city of Billings,
and the second largest store of the kind in the
state.
July 3, 1904, "our subject was united in
marriage to Alice Dwyer, at Billings. She is
a native of Illinois. Her lather, Patrick D.,
a native of Illinois, is dead, as is also her
mother. Mrs. .Albin was for tweh'e years in
the employment of Alandel Brothers store in
Chicago, in charge of \-arious departments.
Until recently she has been in the store of her
husband and has proved an important factor
in the phenomenal development of the enter-
prise, now carrying a stock of $75,000. The
company is incorporated. Fraternally our
subject is a member of the B. P. O. E.
ORSON MERRITT has resided in Mon-
tana since 1882 a sufficient length of time to
entitle him to be classed as one of the early
pioneers and builders of this part of the state.
His present home is at Lee, in Rosebud county,
and he holds the position of postmaster, hav-
ing been appointed in 190.2. He is a w^ell
known citizen of the Rosebud valley and has
not only seen but has taken an active part in
the development of the country from the wild-
ness of nature to its present prosperous condi-
tion. He has been. acquainted with the stock
industry in various portions of the west, has
spent much time on the plains and is now
occupied in general farming and raising cat-
tle. Mr. Merritt was born in Michigan on
July 20, 1848, the son of Horace and Jane
(Chambers) Merritt, the former a native of
Xew York and the latter of Ontario. They
moved to Michigan in pioneer times and set-
tled in the wild timber lands and there set to
the herculean task of opening up a farm.
Shortly before the father died, he returned to
Xew York and there remained until his death.
Our subject was left alone when a young lad
and was forced to secure his education and
make his way in the world the best he could.
He gathered the learning he was able from
the common schools of Michigan, and then
went to work by the month. At the age of six-
teen he went to New York and remained twa
years. After that he turned his face to the
west and next we find him in Iowa, where he
worked for wages for some time. Later on
438
BIOGRAPHICAl. SKETCHES.
he went to Nebraska and finally in 1882 he
was engaged by Frank Robertson to assist in
bringing a drove of cattle from Nebraska to
the Rosebud valley, Montana. After arriv-
ing here in safety with the cattle, he contin-
ued in the employ of Mr. Robertson for several
years until he finally succeeded in getting a
few head of cattle and then started in the stock
business for himself. Since that time, he has
given his attention to raising stock as men-
tioned above, with general farming, having
taken a homestead where he now resides. Mr.
Merritt is a good neighborly citizen, has dis-
charged his duties as postmaster to the satis-
faction of all, and is one of the men who be-
lieve Montana the greatest state in the union.
CHARLES E. VOLIN. is one of the
prominent men of Custer county and he has
gained his standing by reason of real merit and
worthy labors, which have given him enough
reward of this world's goods to make the path
of life pleasant and happy in the years of his
pilgrimage yet to come. His home place is
three miles down the river from Capitol, and
he owns altogether about two thousand acres
of good farm land. His estate is divided into
farms and each farm has good buildings on it,
some of which are among the best in this por-
tion of the county. In addition to overseeing
all these properties, Mr. Volin handles much
stock and is considered one of the wealthiest
stockmen of the county.
Stopping to detail the life of our subject
from early days, we see that he was born in
Iowa, in the vicinity of Dubuque, February 4,
1855. His father conducted a blacksmith shop
in the little village of Recordsville, about
twelve miles out from Dubuque. The father,
Louis Volin, was born in the vicinity of Mon-
treal, Canada, and when eighteen years of age
came with his heart made up to carve out a
fortune for himself, to Chicago, whence he
journeyed on to Iowa, settling as has been
mentioned. Just previous to the Civil War,
I\Ir. Volin removed his family to Yankton,
Dakota, and there he engaged in farming, deal-
ing in cattle and doing government coutract
work on the Missouri. Many Indians were in
the counti-y then, but they managed to get
along without bloodshed, although those clays
were rough pioneer times when men and
women had to endure the hardships that w ould
often be considered unbearable in times of civ-
ilization. In addition to the other occupations
mentioned, the father freighted to the Black
Hills in early days and became a very wealthy
man and is now residing in South Dakota. He
had married Andrine Volin, a native of Can-
ada, who is still living, enjoying the fruits of
their labors.
Our subject went with the family when
they went to Dakota, and as the nearest school
house was six miles distant he did not receive
a very good chance to gain an education. How-
ever, he made the most of his opportunities and
in 1874 he began working on the government
contracts on the ^Missouri. In the famous
centennial year he went to the_ Black Hills and
soon engaged in freighting from Fort Pierre
to the Hills. In 1884, he came to Custer
county and went to work for the Continental
Cattle Company. The very next fall he lo-
cated a ranch, which is a portion of his present
estate, and since then he has been busily en-
gaged in farming and raising stock. \Vhen
Mr. \"olin settled here, he had only fourteen
head of cattle and three work oxen, but he was
a person not to be discouraged at hard things
and small beginnings, so he pushed steadily
ahead, and today he has about six hundred cat-
tle, besides the farms mentioned and much
other property. This gratifying result has
been accomplished by his industry and skill,
with that tenacity to stay with the enterprise
he started.
In 1880, Mr. Volin married Miss Mary
Dumont and thev have become the parents of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
439
seven children, whose names follow : Albert,
Maud, the wife of H. D. Carrier; Lillian, the
wife of A. B. ]\IcDermott ; Frank, Leo, Arthur
and Victoria. Albert and Maud were born in
the Black Hills, Victoria was born in New
York and the others are all nati\-e to the home
place. A portion of the land that belnny.s tn
Mr. Volin lies in South Dakota. He is a man
whose wisdom is seen by all and whose long
career here with success resulting from his
hard and continued labors has established him
in the confidence and esteem of all who are ac-
quainted with him.
WILLIAM BALL is conducting a hotel
and livery at Sidney, Montana, and doing a
prosperous business. He was born May 6,
1863. in Rochester, Indiana, the son of Will-
iam and Martha (Bright) Ball. The father
was born in Indiana in 1822, received his edu-
cation from the public schools and followed
farming. He was a strong Democrat and took
an acti\'e interest in politics, held numerous
offices and was also treasurer of Fulton county
for several years. His marriage occurred in
1843 ^nd lie died in 1878. His wife was born
in 1823 in Indiana and died in 1863. After
that Mr. Ball married again. By his first wife
he had five boys and four girls, three of whom
are now living, Minnie Edson, in Spokane,
Washington ; Ida Fowler in Kansas ; and Em-
ma Bailey in Eureka, Kansas. By his second
marriage, Mr. Ball has one son, Thomas, and
two daughters, Maude and Laura, all living
in Kansas City, Missouri. Our subject was
educated in Rochester, Indiana, spending seven
years in school life. In 1879, the family went
to Kansas and for two years he did farm work.
Then he went to Texas and rode the range,
coming north to Cheyenne in 1882. Return-
ing to Texas, he came north in 1883 with a
herd of cattle to the vicinity of \Vibaux and
went into the cattle business, which he followed
until 1896, setttling on Beaver creek. He re-
mained on the range until 1904, then came<to
Sidney and opened a hotel and livery where
we find him at the present time.
Mr. Ball is a Democrat and a member of
the M. W. A.
June 29, 1896, occurred the marriage of
Mr. Ball and May Curtis. To them one child
has been born, Madge, three years of age. Mrs.
Ball was born in Falls City, Wisconsin, June
19. 1871, received a good common school edu-
cation in her native state and came to Wibaux
in 1895. She is an adherent of the Congrega-
tional church as is her husband. Mrs. Ball's
father, George A. Curtis, was born in Roches-
ter, New York, August 23, 1843, migrated to
Dunn county when young and followed farm-
ing from that time until the present. He mar-
I ried Celia Carter, who was born in Cleveland,
Ohio, October 6, 1847, and came to the vicinity
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when six years of
age. Their wedding occurred September 20,
1868, and both are still living. Mr. and Mrs.
Carter had seven children, four girls and three
boys. One of the latter died in infancy. The
names of the others besides Mrs. Ball are : Mrs.
J. R. McArthur at Elmira, North Dakota;
Mrs. G. O. Reed, Claude and Roy Curtis, all
at Medora, North Dakota, and Lila Curtis at
Menomonee, Wisconsin.
ALBERT ALGAARD. one of the young
citizens of Sweet Grass county, is an example
of what an industrious, energetic and pro-
gressive young man can do in the state of
Montana. He was born in Stavanger, Nor-
way, on February 11, 1880. and now resides
five miles west from Reed. His parents were
Berent and Greta Algaard, who still live on
the old homestead in Norway, aged sixty-two.
The father has been a school teacher there for
over thirty-two years. Our subject is the
eldest of five children and is the only one in the
r.IOGRAPHlCAL SKETCHES.
United States. He was educated in the com-
mon schools of his country, being well taught
also by his father, and when nineteen became
very desirous of trying his fortune in the
New World. He accordingly provided for the
journey and came to the United States and
then on to Alelvin. Montana. One year was
spent there, then he journeyed to Bigtimber
and for two years was engaged in sheep ranch-
ing by Anderson Brothers. Two years since
he bought one hundred and sixty acres ad-
joining, being determined to make this his
home. He had little or no capital after mak-
ing his first payments but with strong resolu-
tion and bright hope, he took hold with his
hands to make a valuable place and a home.
He has built a residence, procured teams and
made \-arious other improvements on the es-
tate. He can put every foot of the two hun-
dred and forty acres under the ditch and now
has'about thirty acres of fine alfalfa that will
average fully four tons per acre annually. He
expects to place the larger portion of the land
into alfalfa as rapidly as possible and will
take up the sheep industry. Presaging the fu-
ture liy the past it is very safe to state that
barring events over which man cannot have
any control, Mr. Algaard will in a very few
years become one of the wealthy and leading
citizens of Sweet Grass County. He has al-
ready shown splendid ability and energ>- and
has now a start that will soon procure iiim
wealth.
In 1902, Mr. Algaard married Mary Hel-
lern, and tlie nuptials were scarcely i)\er when
she fell ill and death claimed her.
On April 19, 1904. Mr. Algaard married
again. Miss Mjalie Eglund, a native of Nor-
way, became his bride. She came to Minne-
sota with her parents when .seven years old
and they now reside at Devils Lake, North
Dakota. One child has been born to Mr. and
Mrs Algaard, Bernard.
In political matters, our subject is a Re-
publican, although not partisan. It is well
known that many of the best citizens of the
United States are men who have come fn^n
the northland. Quick, active, keen of per-
ception, full of energy, dominated l)y strong
will under the contnjl of wise judgment, it
is not strange that these people keenly ap-
preciate- our institutions of freedom and most
loyally do help the same. Not least among this
class of people is Mr. Algaard and Montana
is to be congratulated upon having such gen-
uine home builders as he and his wife.
MRS. ANNETTE MEADORS lives at
Sidney, Dawson county, Montana, and was
born at Bakersfield, \'ermont, October 9, 1849.
Her father. John F. Betty, was born at John-
son. \'ermont. on July 4. 1821. He received
his education from the common schools, then
in 1852 came to Iowa, purchasing a farm
near Walker. He served three years in the
Civil War and remained in Iowa until 1891,
when he removed to Sidney, Montana, where
he (lied on April 17, 1904. He married
Phoebe Whittemore, who was born at Eden,
Vermont. June 13. 1819. She was married
August 2, 1845, 's <i very industrious woman
and a stanch supporter of the Methodist
church. They became parents of four toys
and two girls. Two of die boys died, one at
the age of fifteen and one at thirteen. The
other left home and has never been heard of
since. Mrs. Jane E. Kemis lives at Sidney,
Montana. Mrs. Meadors received her educa-
tion from the common schools at Walker,
Iowa, her parents having moved there when
she was three years old and there she re-
mained on the farm until twenty years of age.
On October 9. 1869, she married William M>
Meadors. He was born at .Xinsworth. Indiana,
April 22. 1840. After studying in the public
schools of Indiana he enlisted in Company B.
Seventeenth Indiana Volunteers and served
three years in tlie Civil War, being honorably
\
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
discharged. He came to Walker, Iowa, in 1865
and there foUowed farming. After their mar-
riage, they remained there until 1881, when
they came west to Sidney and engaged in
farming and stock raising. They had very
little property when they located here and it
was up hill work to start; but as. both Mr. and
Mrs. Meadors were persevering and deter-
mined people they finally gathered some prop-
erty about them and by general farming and
st<.ick raising became \ery well to do. On
July 2. 1905, Mr. Aleadors was drowned in
the "^'ellowstone ri\er. He was a faithful
Christian man and his death was sincerely
mourned on every hand. At the time of his
demise he owned sixteen hundred acres of
land and five hundred head of cattle besides
other property. He and his wife were mem-
bers of the Methodist church and assisted to
start the first Sunday school and formed the
church at Sidney and have both been very
active in church work. Also they have been
Aery prominent in educational matters as Mrs.
3iIeadors taught the first school in the valley
and they have always labored together for
better schools and educational facilities.
In p. ilitical matters Mr. :\Ieadors was a
Repulilican and a \'ery acti\e man in all lines.
The children born tij this couple were six in
numlier. (.me girl and fi\e boys. But one now
survives. John P. Meadors, who resides at
Fairview. Montana. Eleven years ago, Mrs.
Aleadors took a little girl of five from the
orphans' home at Chicago. She is nnw at-
tending school at Helena, a bright yt>ung lady
of seventeen.
CHARLES DUMOXT. who resides
about eight miles west from Capitol, Montana,
was Ixirn in Clinton county. New York. Au-
gust 2Q, i860, being the son of Abraham and
Annie { Willet) Dumont, natives of New York
and Quebec, Canada, respectively. The mo-
ther came with her parents when a child to
New York and her death occurred in South
Dakota. The father came from New York
state to Dodge county. Minnesota, in 1863
and settled on a farm there until 1869, when
he journeyed on west to Lincoln county, South
Dakota, where lie remained on a farm until
his death. In the public schools of South Da-
kota, our subject received his education and
he remained there until 1879, when he went
on west to the Black Hills country, where he
did teaming and mining for a decade. It was
1889 when he set foot in Custer county and
having brought stock with him he commenced
the occupation of handling stock together with
farming and has continued thus since. His
present place is one of the excellent ones of
Custer county and his labors all the time he
has remained in ^Montana ba\-e been attended
with a success and pnisperity that have lieen
very gratifying to him and his many friends.
Mr. Dumont possesses a large ranch, all of
which is attended to in first-class manner, and
he is one of the extensive stock ow^ners of the
county, Mr, Dumont has always 'followed the
line, which, by the way, is not as often done
as it might be wished among the pioneers,
namelv, that of making bis home place as com-
fortable and attractive as possible. The re-
sult is that Mr. Dumont has one of the best
houses in this portion of the county and he
shows an air of thrift about his premises that
bespeak the man of carefulness and attention
to business.
In 1892, Mr. Dumont married iMiss Addie
Ashland, a native of New York state, and to
this union the following named cliildren have
been born, Ronald E., Glenden, James, Leoner,
Lloyd, Carrol, and Margaret.
Fraternally Mr. Dumont is identified with
the Modern Woodmen and he is a popular
and highly esteemed man in the community.
In the matters of politics and general improve-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
nient and advancement, he is always active and
does the part of the loyal and substantial citi-
THOMAS KENT is a stock man residing
six miles east of Greycliff and is one of the
earliest pioneers in the state of ^Montana.
Since coming- here he has been almost contin-
ously within the bounds of the state and is
personally acquainted with all the leading men
and occurrences of early days and has seen
the state of Montana grow from a wilderness
inhabited by hostile Indians to its present
wealthy and prosperous condition. Since of
age, he has taken an acti\-e part, having pro-
duced much wealth and shown a progressive
spirit in the work of de\-elopment that he has
done. Being thus a pioneer and one of the
builders of the state, it is very fitting that a
history of his life lie incorp<irated in this vil-
ume.
Thomas Kent was born in \\'estmoreland
County, Pennsylvania, eighteen miles from
Greensburg on January 3. 1842. being the son
of Samuel and Mary ( Ijrown ) Kent. The
father was born in the eighteenth century,
moved to Iowa in early days and there died
in 1862. The mother came from an old IMary-
land family. Her parents moved to Pennsyl-
vania long before the war and there gave lib-
erty to their fifty slaves. Mrs. Kent came to
Montana in 1888 and spent the balance of
her days with her son. Her death occurred in
1 89 1, she being of a ripe old age. Our sub-
ject is the second of twelve children. He has
two sisters living, Mrs. Joseph Kemph, at Ab-
sarokee, Mrs. C. H. Embury, in Medford, Min-
nesota, and another sister, Mrs. Garrigus, who
died here a few years since. When Mr. Kent
reached his majority, he determined to see
the west and made his first trip west from In-
diana, driving across the country to the North
Platte river. There he joined James Boze-
man's expedition and drove to Virginia City
by way of the Big Horn mountains and then
up the Clark's Fork. Here they struck the old
Bridger trail and followed it to where Liv-
ingston now stands and it is of interest that
on July 4, 1864, Mr. Kent was right in the
neighborhood where he now lives. He was
then impressed with the country so much that
in later years, when selecting land, he came
here. The trip west occupied him two nmnths
and during this time he saw no wliite men
save those in the train. Game was exceedingly
abundant and here we would remark that
during all his career in the west, Mr. Kent
has been a \er\ successful hunter. The game
was so abundant in early days that it is impos-
sible to realize the condition of things. Mr.
Kent remarks that in 1872, he saw a band of
antelope tra\eling two or three abreast that
continued twelve hours in passing a given
point. 1864 were the palniy 'days of Alder
Gulch and Mr. Kent then took part in mining.
Those days of road agents and vigilantes, of
fortunes made in a month and lost in a night
are those never to come again in Montana and
with the others he made his fortunes and lost
them too. In 1868, he went into the Lincoln
Gulch in the Black Foot country and later
went into the Last Chance Gulch before the
stampede to that place.. He had become dis-
gusted with it and thought it no good. Min-
ing occupied him until 1870, in which year he
ga\e away enoug'h claims to his friends to
ha\e kept him washing steadily from that day.
and retired from that business. Then he came
down from Yellowstone river, prospecting and
trapping for a few seasons. About 1876. he
began the business of cattle raising and con-
tinued steadily at this until the big outfits
were driven out, and about 1884, disix)setl of
his cattle and took up sheep raising, which in-
dustry he is still following. He has made his
home on his present place since 1878, more
than a quarter of a century, and now has a
home place considered by all who see it, one
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
443
of the best places in the northwest. It is cer-
tainly a beautiful spot and he has added nianv
improvements. Mr. Kent has had manvups and
downs and if half the fortunes he has made
were in his hands today, he would be consid-
ered one of the very wealthy men of the coun-
try. At one time he lost live th<:)usand head
of sheep, worth from four to five dollars
apiece. Still no reverses have discouraged and
he has always taken hold with renewed vigor
and has overcome. Although he resided here
during all the fierce days of Indian conflict
and war, he never took part in any of the
troubles and was never molested. He was with-
in a mile of the place when Dr. Frost was slain
by the Sioux and in those days when a Sioux
and a white man met one or the other or both
died. So thoroughly was this known that no
hesitation occurred at those meetings to see
if there were friendly o\-ertures but it was
war to the bitter end.
In 1875, Mr. Kent married a Crow In-
dian woman and they have five children. Mrs.
Ella Cashen, living near Billing's; Mrs. ]\Iary
Stevens and Mrs. Josie Williams, living on
Lodge Grass Creek near the Wyoming line;
Mrs. Lizzie McComas, living at Greycliff, and
Magaret Stevens, the youngest, li\-ing at
Greycliff.
Mr. Kent is a member of the K. P. order
and in jxjlitics is a Democrat. He has fre-
quently been oft'ered office but has always re-
fused, and while he likes to see things pro-
gressing properly, he has not shown any parti-
sanship in political affairs.
KIRK E. HERBERT was born September
18, 1859, at Red Wing, Minnesota, and now
resides a mile southeast of Ridgelawn where he
follows general farming. He was justice of
the peace at Newland township and is one of
the substantial men of this part of the county.
His father, Alvin Herbert, :\I. D., was b(5rn I
October 21, 1829, near Sandusky, Ohio, .\fter
recei\ing his literary education, he matricula-
ted at the Hahnemann Medical College, from
which he was graduated in 1866. He prac-
ticed at Albia, Iowa, then on account of the ill
health of his wife went to the Ozark Mountains
in Arkansas and four years later to Barton
county, Missouri ; in 1877 to Minnehaha coun-
ty, South Dakota, in 1883 to Chautauqua coun-
ty, Kansas, and six years later he settled in Cus-
ter county. South Dakota, where he died July
II, 1897. His wife, Nancy L. Kirkpatrick in
maiden life, was born in Illinois in 1841 and
was taken by her parents when an infant to
Henry county, Iowa, where she lived until her
marriage. Our subject had four brothers and
two sisters and at present two of his brothers
are living, Alman H. in Custer count}', South
Dakota, and William B. at Ridgelawn, Mon-
tana. j\Ir. Herbert was educated in the schools
at Red Wing, Minnes(.)ta, and Palisade, South
Dakota, finishing when twenty years of age.
After that he traveled here and there and fol-
lowed various occupations and for about eight
years was on the range in different portions of
the west. After this, he operated a saw mill
in the Black Hills for eight years. In 1896,
he removed to Ekalaka, Montana, where he
remained for four years. In 1900 he took his
present place as a homestead and since that
time has been occupied in farming and im-
pro\ing the same.
On December 16, 1890, Mr. Herbert mar-
ried Mary Bell Stanhope, who was born in Vir-
gil City, Missouri, May 27, 1870. She was
reared and educated in her native place and
came to Custer county, South Dakota, when
nineteen. Eight children have been born to
Mr. and Mrs Herbert, Leslie A., aged four-
teen; Willie H., aged twelve; Lucy C, aged
ten; Evelyn and Earl, twins, aged eight; Milo
T., aged six; Nettie AL. aged four; Gertrude
B., aged one.
Mr. Herbert has always been allied with
the Republican party but is not especially ac-
444
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
tive. However he is very active in promoting
school interests and has been director for
several years. He is a memljer of the IM. W.
A. and consul of local camp.
CEDERGREN BROTHERS. This en-
terprising firm comprises Money O. and Rich-
ard E., Ixith natives of Chicago. Illinois, the
former having been born October 20, 1873;
the latter June 21. 1882. In the excellent pub-
lic schools of the Garden City they received
good, practical business educations, later learn-
ing thoroughly the tinner's trade, which thev
industriously followed until 1899, when both
came to Billings, Montana, Money O. being
the first to arrive. Previously he had opened
a tin shop at Fargo, North Dakota, where he
remained about one year. He was employed
as a foreman for A. L. Babcock, and when the
later disposed of his interest in the business
Money O. and Richard E. opened a tin shop
under the firm name of Cedergren Brothers.
November i, 1905, the boys, with Gwen Buria,
their brother-in-law, and Edward Sandy, or-
ganized the Western Hardware Company, at
Billings, and merged their business into the
same.
Politically the brothers are Democrats, and
as active in the various campaigns of their
party as their business will permit. They have
become recognized as leading citizens of the
city and are highly esteemed.
On May ist they disposed of their interest
in the Western Hardware Company and have
erected a large brick structure in which they
conduct a sheet metal cornice works.
ARTHUR C. LOGAN, an e.xtensive Yel-
lowstone Valley stockman, resides at Billings.
He was born in New Milford, Connecticut,
June 9. 1853, the son of James and Ann (Den-
ning) Logan. James, the father, was also a
native of Connecticut as was the paternal
grandfatherof our subject. They were of Scotch
ancestry. Of an old New England family the
members were participants in the Revolution-
ary war. The mother of our subject was a
native- of Ireland, coming to the United States
about 1849. She died in 1900 at Brookfield,
Connecticut. The father of our subject also
p:issed from earth, near New Milford, Con-
necticut, in 1 88 1.
Arthur C. Logan was a graduate from the
Danbury, Connecticut, High School at the age
of fifteen. At sixteen he" began teaching school,
and at the age of eighteen years he was prin-
cipal of public schools in New Milford, Con-
necticut, which profession he followed fifteen
years. During that time he was principal of
three graded schools. He went to Bismarck,
Dakota, in 1880, and for one year was a school
principal in that city. He then came to Miles
City, Montana, where he edited the Miles City
Press, a daily paper, which for one year he
conducted with marked ability. He was prin-
cipal of the schools there six years, and really
organized the schools, and in 1886 \vas appoin-
ted school superintendend by Governor Hauser,
of the then territory of Montana, and reap-
pointed by Governor Preston B. Leslie. He
refused the nomination for the same office,
after statehood, and engaged in the stock busi-
ness, raising sheep and cattle. He has a ranch
of 1,000 acres, located eight miles west of Bil-
lings. He has been extensively interested in
the importation and Ijreeding of imported
stock, and is at present the heaviest importer
of blooded stock in the state.
In 1884, at Bismarck, our subject was mar-
ried to Grace Southmayd, born in Columbus,
Wisconsin. She died in 1892, April 2d. June
17, 1893. he was married, at Chicago, to Bessie
Southmavd, a native of Wisconsin and sister
of his first wife. Her father was Captain
Ogden Southmayd. a native of Middletown.
Connecticut, his father liaving been born in
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
445
the same place. He was a lineal descendant of
Elder Wm. Brewster, who came from England
on the Mayflower. Her mother was a native
of New York.
Since 1874, when our suhject joined St.
Peter's Lodge, A. F. & A. M., New Milford,
Connecticut, he has taken an active and enthus-
iastic interest in masonry, having passed all
the chairs in Yellowstone Lodge, No. 26, Miles
City. In 1889 he was elected Grand Master
of Montana. He is a member of the Blue
Lodge -and Commandary in Billings, and Past
High Priest of the Chapter at Miles City, and
is a charter member of Algeria Temple, Shrin-
ers, of Helena, and is Past Grand Potenate of
the same. He assisted in organizing the shrine
at Spokane.
Mr. and Mrs. Logan have five children,
Fay, aged twenty ; Tom, seventeen ; Dick, fif-
teen ; Harrie, a girl, thirteen and Grace aged
nine. These children are remarkable for their
musical talent, forming an orchestra that is
famous throughout the state. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Logan are members of the Episcopal
Church.
ALBERT T. GARRISON, who resides
one-half mile north from Lee, is giving his at-
tention to farming and stockraising and is to
be numbered with the earliest settlers in what
is now Rosebud county. Since his advent to
this section, he has been continuously engaged
in the labors above mentioned and has shown
himself to be a worthy citizen and a true fron-
tiersman. Born in Franklin, Indiana, on No-
vember 2-j, 1855, the son of Lindsley and Mary
Reese Garrison, he has been steadily coming
west since until he reached the mecca, Montana,
which satisfied his desires and where he de-
termined to make a permanent home. His
father was a native of Ohio and about 1865
moved to Cedar Rapids. Iowa, where he re-
maine'd until his death. The mother had died
when Albert was five years old, so of her he
reniembers but little. When Albert had reached
the age of twelve years, he was called to mourn
the death of his father and thus an orphan and
a young lad, he was forced out into the world
upon his own resources. The result was he
had scant opjxjrtunity to gain an education but
applied himself well when he had a chance to
attend the common schools in Iowa. When he
was eighteen, he started west with Denver as
the objective point of his journey. He soon
was occupied in farm work and shortly after-
wards secured a bunch of cattle for himself
and located on the Stillwater in the stockrais-
ing business. In the winter of 1881, owing to
severe weather, he lost his entire herd and so
gave up any further work in that section, but
in 1882 journeyed into Montana. He came
into the country now occupied by Rosebud
county and located some three miles from
where he now lives and again engaged in the
cattle business, also raised some horses. As the
years went by Mr. Garrison prospered and he
is today one of the well to do men of the
county. He has a good place, considerable
stock, and other property. During all these
years of residence in Montana, nearly a quar-
ter of a century, he has shown himself an in-
dustrious and progressive man always inter-
ested in the aflfairs of the county and state and
a wealthy citizen.
In 1885 Mr. Garrison married ]Miss Delia
Taylor, the daughter of B. G. and Mary
(Kurshner) Taylor, pioneers of Iowa. Mrs.
Garrison was born in Quasqueton. Buchanan
county, Iowa, and there was reared and edu-
cated. They have one daughter, ]\Iary, wife of
Marion Drown, residing in Rosebud countv.
Many changes ha\-e taken place in Mon-
tana since the days when Mr. Garrison first
settled here and his own labors have been in-
strumental in leading others to locate here, see-
ing the success he has enjoyed and the excel-
lency of the country. He is well satisfied with
Montana, believes it one of the best places of
446
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the northwest and wliile still in the prime of
life can look back upon life in which he has
won good success in his calling.
A. McC. HOWARD, ^.lontana has very
manv wealthy and prominent men who give
their time and attention to breeding and hand-
ling stock. Among this numlier is the gentle-
man above mentioned, who li\-es twenty miles
south from Sabra, in Rosebud county. He
owns seven sections of land in the home ranch
and handles principally cattle and sheep in
which business he has spent the major portion
of his life in various parts of the United States.
Mr. Howard was born in New Hampshire
on September 14, 1826. His father, Algernon
Sidney Howard, was born in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, and went to Stafford county
with his parents when a school boy. When
grown, he married and settled in New Hamp-
shire and in 1833 went to Maine as a timber
explorer and surveyor. He was much pleased
with the country so in 1835, he settled in Ban-
gor, where he continued to reside until the
panic of 1837, then moved to Piscataquis
county. Maine, where he remained the balance
of his life. He married Mrs. Almira Chapman,
a native of Parsonstreld, Maine, and a daughter
of a prominent citizen of that place. The chil-
dren born to this worthy couple were five girls
and six boys. The father was very well edu-
cated and a prominent and substantial busi-
ness man who was widely known for his in-
tegrity and uprightness. Our subject went
from New Hampshire to Maine with his par-
ents when a small child and in the latter place
received his education but as school was held
only two months out of the year he had scant
opportunity to perfect himself in branches of
learning. Plowever, by diligence he was en-
abled to gain a good English education and
what time he was not occupied in this, he was
busied on the farm. He and his brother
cleared up a large farm out of the solid forest.
At the age of 21, Mr. Howard started out for
himself and during the first few years, fol-
lowed lumbering. After that, he became wdiat
was known in those early days as a drover,
which corresponds now to the stock buyer.
Before the country was threaded with rail-
roads it was the custom to go to the outlying
sections, purchase stock and gather them in
large herds to be dri\-en to the leading cities.
Mr. Howard attended to this business until
1883, when he came out west to join his
brother, A. D. Howard, then dwelling in Madi-
son County, Montana. He entered into part-
nership with him and took charge of a large
band of sheep that A. D. w^as at that time
bringing from Oregon. He drove the sheep
on to what is now Rosebud county and for a
number of years was occupied here in handling
this kind of stock. Later on he took a home-
stead and desert. Finally the brothers dis-
solved partnership and in 1904, Mr. Howard
purchased the property where he now resides.
He had an excellent stock ranch and is one of
the wealthy men of the county. Mr. Howard
is a iirogressive man and has always taken a
marked interest in everything for the upbuild-
ing of the county and state and is one of the
leading citizens of this part of Montana.
In 1868, Mr. Howard married Mrs. Susan
A. Rollins, of Hancock county, Maine, and
three children were born to them, Isabel, Alice
and Mary. In 1870, the mother died. In
18S3 Mrs. Martha H. Haynes brought the
three daughters to Anoka, Minnesota, and in
September of the same year joined Mr. How-
ard at Rosebud, Montana. The marriage of
Mr. Howard and Mrs. Martha H. Haynes oc-
curred in 1883. Alice died in 1885. Isabel
married Captain A. E. Nease of Carbon coun-
ty. He served in the South African war. Mary
married Mr. Freeman Philbrick of Rosebud
county, who is a prominent stockman and
president of the first National Bank in Forsyth.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
447
HENRY S. AMOS has passed a very act-
ive career and is at present time engaged in
operating a stage line out from Clyde Park,
while also he is owner of the townsite of Clyde
Park, and in addition to handling these affairs
he does general farming. He is one of the
leading- men of Park county and has performed
well his part in assisting to build it up and
develop the resources of this part of Montana.
The birth of Mr. Amos occurred in Munroe
county, Iowa, May 27, 1865, being the son
of Gilbert B. and Caroline (Knapp) Amos,
the former born in West Virginia in 1819,
and the latter a native of Ohio. The father
was brought to Ohio when a child and when
arrived at manhood's estate he followed car-
pentering and farming and taught school in
the winters.
When ten years of age Heiu^y S. started
in the world for himself, beginning his active
work in a store. He was economical and saved
his money and so paid his way through the
well known normal school at Valparaiso,, In-
diana. Having completed his studies, he came
west, landing in Montana in April, 1885. He
taught in Gallatin, Meagher, Jefferson and
Lewis and Clark counties this state and in
1 89 1 accepted a position as assistant to Dr.
King, the surgeon for the Drumlummond
Mining Company at Marysville. ^Montana. In
this capacity he remained until iS()6. in which
year he began farming and Iniying and sell-
ing- land. Later we see him in charg-e of the
U'inslow Hardware Company and then op-
erating the Chambers Hardware Company. In
June, 1903, he put on a stage line to Clyde
Park, laid out the town and since then he has
Iieen conducting sales of lots in this bright
village. The sale has been more than was
expected and he has recently surveyed thirteen
more blocks to add to the townsite. Mr. Amos
has also continued to operate liis farm and
does a good business in that line. He has
ne\er seen fit to embark on the matrimcjnial sea
and is still one of Montana's jolly bachelors.
He is a member of the Methodist church,
votes and works with the Republican party
and fraternally is allied with the Yeomen.
WILLIAM EGBERT GOODWIN, more
familiarly known as "Dr.'' Goodwin, is one
of the best known men in the Rosebud Valley,
being one of its earliest pioneers and having
maintained continuous residence here since.
On July 8, 1882, he took his present place,
six miles south from Sabra, by squatters right
and with this as his headquarters, he has op-
erated in farming and stock raising ever since.
For a quarter of a century he has continued
his business here, being always blessed with
excellent success so that now he is rated as one
of the wealthy men of Rosebud county. Mr.
Goodwin has gained his present holding en-
tirely since coming to JMontana as he started
here with \-ery little capital and while doing
this, he has made himself also one of the es-
teemed and respected men of the state. He
was torn in Ohio oh November 18, i860. His
father, Egbert Goodwin, was born in New
England on July 7, 1816, and came to Ohio
when that was a very new country. Later on
he journeyed on west and settled in Nauvoo,
Illinois, being there at the time that the Mor-
mons were creating a stir in that section. He
was one who assisted to arrest Joseph Smith,
who was g4ven a hearing and discharged.
Later on he moved to Bushnell, Illinois, and
there remained until his death on October 3,
1876. He had followed farming all of his
life and was a substantial and respected man.
The mother of our subject, Ellen (Markley)
Goodwin, was torn October 5, 1804. and died
September 30, 1862, consequently he remem-
bers very little of her personally. Mr. Good-
win was educated in the common schools of
Illinois and spent considerable of his younger
days in working for wages. When twenty-
one, he went to Minnesota and entered the
4^8
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
lumber camps, spending one winter in that
business. The next spring found him in Mon-
tana, this portion of which was a very wild
section then. After due research, he selected
the place where he now resides and took it as
stated above. He has given his attention in
the stock business mostly to raising cattle,
as he prefers them to horses and sheep.
On November 28, 1888, Mr. Goodwin
married Nettie Rowley. She was born in
Grant county, Wisconsin, where she was reared
and educated and married then accompanied
her husband to Montana. Her parents, George
and Lucy (Walhart) Rowley, now reside on a
fine farm in Wisconsin. The father was reared
in Illinois and the mother was a native of New
York, coming west when a child. Mr. and
Mrs. Goodwin have six children, Nellie L.
Arley Lester, Alta M., Ralph L., Eggie G.
and Idyll I.
Mr. Goodwin has spent many years in
Montana, has labored faithfully to bring about
the development and advancement that is so
evident in the state, has won many friends,
has gained fine property holding and is still
just beginning the prime of life. Judging the
future by the past, we may expect that he will
accomplish much yet for his state and for
himself.
ED. O'DONNELL, one of the prosperous
ranchers and general farmers of Yellowstone
county, residing two miles west of Billings,
was born in the north of Ireland in 1858. His
parants, John and Ann O'Donnell, were na-
tives of the same district, the mother having
been befor^ marriage, Ann Boyle, daughter of
Neil Boyle, the wife of the latter having been
Miss Sharkey. Evidently our subject, Ed. O'-
Donnell, comes of an old resident family of the
vicinity of his birthplace, his paternal grand-
father and grandmother. Louis and Mafy
O'Donnell. having also been natives of the
north of Ireland.
The elementary education of Ed. O'Donnell
was received in Ireland, where he made good
progress in his studies, alternating his school
terms with industrious work on his father's
farm and in the employment of others in his
immediate neighborhood for wages. Here he
remained until 18S4 when at the age of
twenty-six he came to America, located at first
in eastern Canada. One year subsequently he
removed to Billings, Montana, and here he
resumed farming, working for wages as in
Ireland. But our subject was frugal, industri-
ous and ambitious to acquire that competency
which laid ready at the hand of every pioneer
of this western country. That he was emi-
nently successful is attested by the fact that he
now possesses three hundred and seventy acres
of excellent farming land in the far-famed Yel-
lowstone valley of iSIontana, and is surrounded
with all. that adds to the enjoyment of rural
life in one of the most prosperous states in the
union. It was in 1891 that Mr. O'Donnell
purchased his land and the estate all lies under
a most excellent system of irrigation.
One year after coming into possession of
this property, in 1892, our subject was united
in marriage to Miss Mary Loftus, a native of
Ireland, who came to the United States in
1883, one year previous to the emigration of
l.er husband. She is the daughter of Patrick
and Delia (Sullivan) Loftus, both born in
Ireland.
To Mr. and Mrs. O'Donnell have been
born nine children, viz : John, Eddie. Delia.
James. Anna, Charlie. Mary, George and Au-
driey.
In one of the garden spots of the state
this couple are happily and comfortably situ-
ated, surrounded bv a community of enterpris-
ing and well-to-do citizens.
JAMES B. HA\\-KINS. one of the well
known pioneers of Montana, and more fa-
ED. O'DONNELL
JAMES B. HAWKINS
EDWARD B. KENNEDY
FRANK KELLETT
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
449
niiliarly called "Jack" Hawkins, is one of the
directors of the state reform school located at
Miles City. He was horn in Utica, New York,
July lo, 1848, the son of Martin and Henrietta
(Ballon) Hawkins, The father, a native
Irishman, came to the United States when a
lad and settled in New York state. He died
when our subject was eiglit years old. The
mother was born in New York state, the
daughter of Levi and Sarah (Austin) Ballou,
who were among the very first settlers in the
Mohawk valley, and Mr. Ballou's father
fought in the French and Indian war. .\tter
her husband's death, Mrs. Hawkins removed
with her four children to Kane county, Illi-
nois, it being 1S57, and settled on a farm.
There the family remained until 1S60, when
they removed to Dekalb county, the same
state. There they grow up and in 1885 Mrs.
Hawkins came to Montana and is now residing
in Forsyth, Our subject spent his early life
in working on the farm in summer time and
attending the district schools in winter until
April, 1870, when he started to join a friend in
IMontana, for whom he expected to work. At
Omaha he found his funds were short to make
the entire trip and he took the position of deck
hand on a boat and at Atchinson hired out to
a nurseryman. In the fall he started for
Montana again. Arriving' at Abilene, Kansas,
which was then a distributing point for the
cattle which were brought up over the trail,
lie hired out to take a drove of cattle north to
Fort McPherson. After delivering the cattle
he took the outfit of horses and wagons back
to Texas and he was back and forth on the
trail from Texas to Kansas for four years,
taking cattle north and horses south. Finally
on May 24, 1874, Mr, Hawkins enlisted in
the Frontier Batallion, Company D,, which is
better known as Texas Rangers. It was the
]>urpose of this military organization to quell
Indian uprisings and to deal with outlaws, as
well as do scout work. \\'hile in this capacity,
where he remained thirty-inie months, he re-
29
ceived the nickname, "Soda-Water-Jack," and
to this day "Jack" has remained with him
among his friends, Mr. Hawkins was ser-
geant in the Rangers and had much thrilling
and active work in that body. After his hon-
orable discharge in November, 1876, he, in
company with two others, started to the Black
Hills, Dakota. Arriving in Custer City,
March 12, 1877, they traded their wagon for
provisions and packed their horses and started
for the Big Horn mountains. After prospect-
ing until their provisions were low they started
to the Rosebud and put up hay at F<irt Keogh.
Since that date Mr. Hawkins has teen a son
of Montana and is one of the substantial men
of the state. In 1882, he was appointed deputy
sherilT, in 1886, deputy sheriff and jailor and
in 1892 he was elected sherifY of Custer coun-
ty. His re-election promptly followed in 1894
and in 1898 he was appointed, by Governor
Smith, trustee of the state reform school. He
held that office until January i, 1903, when he
was appointed director and since that time he
has acted in that capacity.
In 1888 occurred the marriage of Mr.
Hawkins and Nannie Watson, the daughter
of W, B. and Elizabeth (Porter) Watson, na-
tives of Scotland. Mr. Watson was a mem-
ber of the First Connecticut Heavy Artillery
and served through the Rebellion. Mrs.
Hawkins was born in Hartford. Connecticut,
and in 1886 came thence to Montana.
Mr. Hawkins has the following named
brothers: Thomas B., who enlisted in the
Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry at six-
teen and now lives in Texas ; William, chief
of police in Miles City. The children born to
Mr. Hawkins and his wife are, Mazie, on Jan-
uary I, 1889, William W,, on December 25,
1890, Hazel M., deceased, and Nannie Sarah,
on January 13. 1901.
Mr. Hawkins is a member of the K. P. and
the Masons and in politics is Republican. He
is a hard worker and has passed a life of ac-
tivity and is well informel on various lines
450
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
of business. He is abreast of the times in
(juestions of importance and is held in high
esteem by all as is evidenced by his popularity
in his official capacities.
EDWARD B. KENNEDY, deceased.
The subject of this biographical memoir was
Ixirn in New Brunswick, April 13, 1851, the
son of Michael and Mary (Barry) Kennedy,
the former a native of Prince Edward's Island ;
the latter of Ireland.
In New Brunswick our subject received the
rudiments of an education, up to the age of
sixteen. He came to the United States and lo-
cated in Michigan, remaining there, however,
only a brief period. Thence he went to the
Black Hills and settled in Deadwood, Dakota.
This was about 1878, before the state had been
divided into the North and South halves. Mr.
Kennedy remained here until 1881. The fol-
lowing year he came to Billings, Montana, us-
ing horse teams. Of course, in that early day
there was no town of Billings, but we ^lave
indicated the site of the future city. Here
Mr. Kennedy secured work running a ferry
Ixiat, at Coulson. at that period the only town
in the immediate vicinity. Subsequently he
purchased the boat, and thus secured a pe-
cuniary start in the world. This profitable craft
he conducted fur a number of years, at the same
time investing his surplus profits in sheep and
Billings real estate, in which he had great faith.
Being a good business man, Mr. Kennedy soon
accumulated quite a fortune, and at the time of
his death had many thousands of sheep and
considerable real estate in the prospering City
of Billings. At the time uf the opening of the
Cn)w Reservation in 1895, l""^ secured a home-
stead under Government patent. r\[arch 17,
1903. Here he continued to make his home
until his death which occurred the 22nd of De-
cember, in the same year, at Helena, Montana,
while there on business.
The widow of our subject is Mrs. Catherine
(Hart) Kennedy, born in the county Sligo,
Ireland. She came to the United States and
took up her residence in New York City. In
1 880, she went to Deadwood, Dakota, on a visit,
and here met and married the subject of this
memoir. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Edward B. Ken-
nedy was born one child, Mary F., a student
of the Billings High School. Mrs. Kennedy
and her daughter have taken up the work be-
gun by Mr. Kennedy. Although she has dis-
posed of the sheep business she still continues
to deal in Billings property.
FRANK KELLETT is one of the early
pioneers of eastern Montana and for more than
a quarter of a century he has labored in the
territory now embraced in Yellowstone county
and he has won the respect and esteem of all
who kifow him, while his worldly ixjssessions
ha\e increased in a commensurate degree to
the wisdom and skill he has manifested in his
investments and his business affairs. For in-
stance, in 1S80, when Mr. Kellett first came
here, the land about the place where the pros-
perous city of Billings is now situated was
considered worthless, absolutely. Mr. Kellett
(lid not believe that and showed his belief by
taking a homestead of one hundred and si.xty
acres. That place is his home today and is
worth one hundred dollars per acre. The es-
tate lies about two miles west from Billings
and is one of the excellent ones of the county.
Frank Kellett is, by birth, a native of the
Emerald Isle, Drogheda being the place where
he first saw the light, but most of his life has
been spent a])art from the native heath and
like most of those who come to this country
from Ireland, he is a genuine American in
heart and spirit and a loyal supporter of the
Stars and Stripes. The father, John Kellett,
was born in the same place as our subject and
later in life removed to Manchester, England,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
451
where he remained until his death, some five
_\-ears since. He married Mary Campbell, a na-
tive of Drogheda, also, but descended from
Scotch ancestry. Our subject was but a small
l)oy when the family home was transferred to
Manchester, England, and his education was
secured in that city. After completing his
studies, he worked in various capacities until
1870, in which year he set sail for the United
States. For a time he was employed in Con-
cord, New Hampshire, and then traveled some
until 1880, when he came into eastern Mon-
tana. He was satisfied, even at that early day,
that this would be a wealthy section of the
state and that the prospects, so little seen
then by the ordinary man, were good. His faith
led him to act and he secured the land above
mentioned and he has continued steadily in
labor and prosecuting the business of farming
since that time.
Mr. Kellett has a very extended circle of
acquaintances and hosts of warm friends who
esteem him highly. He has seen the country
tlevelop from a barren waste with few settlers
to be one of the prosperous counties of the
great state of Montana and with, e\'en now,
prospects that indicate the future improve-
ments and de\-elopment will entirely over-
whelm and far exceed anything that has been
done in the past. Mr. Kellett is worthy of the
good success he has achieved and as he enjoys
the fruits of his labors, he has never forgotten
the days of pioneer hardship nor the demands
i)f the country on every good and loyal citizen.
EDGAR BOYD CAMP, one of the lead-
ing citizens of Billings, Montana, is engaged
in the real estate, loan and insurance business.
He was born November 25, 1856, in Bloom-
ington. Illinois, the son of Edgar B. and Mary
( Porter) Camp, both natives of the Empire
State. His grandfather was Eli.sha Camp, a
cnjonel of the war of 181 2, and two of his
I father's brothers, each colonels, in the Civil war
were buried in the Arlington cemetery, with
military honor in Washington. His father,
a banker, lost his health and died at the age
of 36 shortly after leaving his native home at
Sackets Harbor. New York, for the then far
; west, Illinois.
I Mr. Camp's mother was lx)rn and educated
in New York City, where she lived until her
marriage, a daughter of David C. Porter, a
1 wealthy business man of that city, and Rose
Ann Hardy, daughter of Sir William Hardy
' of England. The families on both sides were
I noted for their literary attainments, and their
descendants are known down to these later
years, Miss Rose Porter, whose death occurred
September 9th, 1906, at her home in New
Haven, Connecticut, was a well known author-
ess of some forty odd books. Mrs. Laura Por-
ter Sanford of Genoa, Italy, although only
having published one x'olume of poetr\', in her
own name, is sought for, as a contributor to
magazines and papers, both the latter being
sister J of Mr. Camp's mother. The subject of
this sketch certainly has cause for pride in the
religious, musical, art and literary attainments
of his ancestors.
Mr. Camp was reared in Illinois, li\'ing at
Odell, Normal and Pontiac, and in that state
he received his education in the public schools.
On leaving school he was employed in a dry
goods store in Pontiac five years, and in the
spring of 1 880 engaged in the same business
he now follows in Pontiac. In the fall of 1881
he disposed of his interest and came to Mon-
tana, arriving Noveml>er 21, 1881 at Glendive.
He went to work in the N. P. R. R. yards,
and the first day's work was helping load three
cars of buf¥alo hides. Finding this employ-
ment too heavy work, he pushed on to Miles
City, reaching there on the first train to enter
that place, after the construction outfit had
reached there the day before, Noveml)er 30,
1 88 1, and here he found employment with
Miles & Stra\ell in the hardware business,
452
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
remaining with this firm until February 26,
1882. He then formed a partnersiiip with
Arthur W. Miles, of Livingston, Montana,
who was then paymaster's clerk at Fort
Keogh. Our subject went to Coulson, a then
lively frontier town located on the bank of
the Yellowstone River two miles east of the
now city of Billings, traveling by stage a dis-
tance of 160 miles, being followed by their
merchandise hauled by freight teams from
Miles City, and on their arrival he opened a
hardware store in a tent. Later he was able
to secure some green cottonwood lumber cost-
ing $60 a thousand, and erected a frame store
building. Here he remained waiting for the
town of Billings to derelop. As soon as lots
were on the market and a townsite laid out he
moved their stock and on May 12, 1882,
opened the initial store in the "Magic" city
of Billings. He disposed of his interest in the
business that summer to his partner Mr.
Miles. At that time he also became interested
in a brick yard, known as the firm of Camp
& Penny, the first yard in the Yellowstone val-
ley, they manufactured the lirick for the
Northern Pacific round-house and many of
the first brick buildings in Billings.
In October of that year 1882 he re-entered
the hardware business in partnership with his
brother, Charles D. Camp, under the firm name
of Camp Brothers, and this became one of the
largest concerns in eastern Montana, build-
ing and occupying the entire building that is
now known as the Commercial Hotel, corner
of Montana avenue and 26th street. Owing
to commercial depression in the city and sec-
tion of the state the firm was obliged to make
an assignment for the benefit of its creditors
in July. 1886, In the January following, after
making full settlement with all their creditors,
the new company was formed known as Will-
iston Camp Company, which was soon
changed to that of The W'illiston Hardware
Company. On January 15, 188-. after having
retiretl from the above mentioned finn, Mr.
Camp purchased the plant of the Gazette Pub-
lishing Company which had just consolidated
with the other three newspapers, the Post,
Herald and Rustler, thus becoming the owner
of all the papers published in Yellowstone
county. He conducted the Gazette, daily and
weekly, for one year, then discontinued the
daily edition but continued the weekly, known
as the Montana Stock Gasettc until in Septem-
ber, 1888, he disposed of all his interest to E.
H. Becker. During the years from March 4,
1885, to March 4, 1887, Mr. Camp also was
treasurer of Yellowstone county, and besides
being an alderman for a time was elected
mayor of the city of Billings in 1888 which
position he filled until in January, 1889, he re-
moved from the city with his family, living
at various times in Helena, Six^kane and Chi-
cago, returning from the latter city to Bill-
ings in March, 1897. and being with Yegen
Brothers for one year, with his brother opened
a general mercantile store at Laurel, 'where he
platted and owned the townsite of that now
growing little city, disposing of most of his
interest in the town in December 1905. In
May, 1902 he reurned to Billings and engaged
in his present business, he is interested in
several ranches in the valley.
January 21, 1886. Mr. Camp was united in
marriage to Ida L. Carter, a native of Bridge-
port, Connecticut. The ceremony was solemn-
nized in Jersey City. She is a daughter of (Oil-
man and Ila A. (Hudson) Carter. The father
was a native of Boston, Massachusetts: the
mother of Newburg, New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Camp have no children, but
have adopted two orphan children of her
brothers Lila Gilman and Ruth Esther. Mr.
Camp has one brother, Charles D. Camp, a
farmer near Laurel, and one sister, ]\Irs. Rose
Coombs, of Los Angeles, California. Mrs.
Camp has one sister, Mrs. Emma A. .\nder-
son, in San Francisco, California.
Fraternally our subject is a member of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
453
the Modern Woodmen of America, Brother-
liiiod of American Yeomen, and tlie Mountain-
eers, and 'is director on tlie board of the Inter-
]\Iountain ^Mutual Life Insurance Comiiany of
BiUings, r^Iontana.
Both himself and wife are members of the
Congregational church and Mr. Camp was one
of the organizers of the first church in Billings
in the spring of 1882. He has always taken
a keen interest in all that pertained to the best
interest of the city and community in which
he lived.
WALTER O. COWAN has resided in the
state of Montana for thirty years and more
and has gained the reputation of being one of
the state's thrifty and substantial business
men, having wrought in various capacities and
localities during these days. At the present
time Mr. Cowan is the owner and operator of
the largest livery business in the city of Liv-
ingston. His is known far and near as one of
the finest outfits in the country and is enjoying
as it deserves, a splendid patronag-e from all
classes. Mr. Cowan is a careful and skillful
man and spares neither pains nor expense to
have his stock, his rigs and everything of the
best and so insure the safety and comfort of
his patrons.
Walter O. Cowan was born in Pulaski
county, Kentucky, on November 27, 1851. His
parents, James D. and Nancy ( Newell ) Cowan,
were natives of the same count)- as their son.
the former born in iSioand the latter in 1812.
The mother's parents were Samuel and Nancy
Newell. After receiving his education in his
native state, our subject came west to Mon-
tana in 1876, settling in the Gallatin valley.
There he was occupied until 1899 when he pur-
chased a farm in the Shields river country,
where he also raised stock. In 1903, Mr.
Cowan sold out all his holdings on the Shields
river and bought a ranch five miles up the
Yellowstone from Livingston, near Carter's
Bridge. On June 14, 1906. he closed the deal
that gave him the title to his present large
business and since that time he has given his
personal attention to its supervision. It is
prospering and with his wise and efficient
management is assuming proportions that are
very gratifying.
Mr. Cowan married ]\Iiss Fanny Mc-
Creary, the daughter of Jefferson and Ange-
line McCreary. To Mr. and Mrs. Cowan four
children have been born, Harry N., May 31,
1S92. Edwin W.. December 13, 1893, Mattie
.v., June, 1S96. and Helen M., in 1898. Mr.
and Mrs. Cowan are members of the Congre-
gational church and are highly esteemed peo-
ple. Politically our subject is a Democrat and
takes a li\'ely interest in the elections and in
school matters.
JOHN FORSTER, although not a man
of many years, is still a pioneer of Montana
and has had a career of marked success as
will be seen in the following: He was born in
Bavaria at the foot of the Alps on December
6, 1872. and now lives in Montana, where
be owns a farm of one hundred and
eighty-four acres, half of which is now
under cultivation. Simon Forster, his fa-
ther now resides in Billings, where he came
in 1881. He was a butcher in Miles City in
very earlv days. He came to the west as a
buffalo hunter, later had a contract on the N.
P. R. R. and since has been a farmer, being
located at the mouth of Alkali creek. He mar-
ried Regina Reichart, who is also living, aged
fifty-nine. Our subject is the only child of this
marriage and he came to Montana in 1891
with his mother, to the home the father had
prepared for them. Five years were spent in
laboring with his father and then he worked
on a sheep ranch for eighteen months. Dur-
ing that time, Mr. Forster saved five hundred
454
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
dollars. With this capital, he bought eight
hundred sheep, taking a partner with him in
the deal, and kept them for a year. They then
purchased seven hundred more, making twen-
ty-two hundred sheep with the two bands and
their increase. The following spring they sold
out so advantageously that they cleared thirty-
five hundred dollars a piece. \Vith this money
they purchased another band of sheep and his
present farm. He kept the sheep for a year
and a half then traded them for cattle. He
was six months in disposing of his homed
stock and did so at good figures. ]\Ir. Forster
does diversified farming, raising some stock
and is in dairy business. His experimenting
with Durum wheat, hulless barley, oats, and
rye in dry farming and has done some very
interesting work.
In April, 1900, Mr. Forster married Ter-
esa Wimmer, a neighbor girl in Bavaria. They
have five children, Teresa, Regina, John, Luit-
pold, and Rudolph.
Mr. Foster is a member of the Yeomen
and a good strong Republican.
He has always taken a special interest in
assisting to organize and build up the country
and for five years has been on the school board.
He is a very ardent supporter of educational
matters and works hard for a good school.
He and his wife are consistent members of the
Catholic church and very industrious and
thrifty people.
Mr. Forster's ranch is Ijeautifully located
and is one of the finest alimg the Yellowstone.
In the background rises the prominent cliff
with groves of the waving poplar ornamenting
its base, while the farm stretches its fertile
acres, the completion of the charming scene.
WILLIAM HARRISON CHENEY.
Among the brave pioneers who blazed the
trails through what is now the state of Mon-
tana in those early days when the only human
beings to lie seen were the savages, ready at
every opportunity to take life, a prominent
place must be given to the gentleman whose
name appears above. Rich in frontier exper-
ience, his life has practically been spent thus
far in the west and a somewhat detailed ac-
count can but prove very interesting to all
lo\'ers of the history of their state. At jires-
ent, Mr. Cheney lives about one and one-half
miles southwest from Ridgelawn and gives his
attention to general farming and stock raising.
He was born August i, 1839, in Harrison
county, Ohio. His father, Elzey Cheney, was
born in Maryland in 1781, received there a
good school education, went to Ohio when a
young man and after teaching school for sev-
eral years turned his attention to farming,
Ohio then being on the frontier. In 1844 he
took his family to Iowa and died a nmnth
after landing there. He had married Susan-
nah McDaniel, who was born in Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, in i860. She was a very
bright and capable woman and very bravely
took up the task of providing for herself and
little ones in the then wild sections of Iowa.
There were ten children in the family, three
boys and three girls of whom lived to reach
majority. Besides our subject, there is but
one other, Alfred P., now living and his resi-
dence is in Missouri. Mrs. Cheney lived to
a good ripe age. her death occurring in 1886.
One son, Elzey, fought in the Civil War. Our
subject received his early education in the
common schools then attended the Wesleyan
.Academy at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, finishing
his studies in 1857. Then he purchased an
interest in a threshing machine and operated
the same for two years. In 1859 he went to
Kansas, started for California and stopped at
Leavenworth. Then he drove to Denver for
a Pikes Peak Company, that now great city
being then just starting. He returned via
Julesburg to Nebraska City and then freighted
to Fort Laramie for the Overland Express,
wintering thirty-five miles above Laramie.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
455
In i860, he started for Santa Fe with General
Harney, but before reaching- their destination
they were ordered back to Fort Laramie.
He then acted as wa.s^on master between h^)rt
Scott and Leavenworth. In i86j he acted as
wagon master for General W. F. Sherman in
Arkansas, also spent some time under (leneral
Ewing, their headquarters in 1863, being at
Kansas City, Missouri. Later, he returned t<)
Fort Scott and went thence to Fort Leaven-
worth. Early in the spring of 1864 he went
to Fort Smith and under orders of the quarter-
master of the northwest, joined Sully's ex-
pedition as wagon master. They came up the
Missouri by boat to St. Joe, then overland to
Sioux City and in May the expedition left
that place and from that time on it was almost
continual excitement because of the many
fights they had with the Indians. In the Bad
Lands in Dakota and Montana they were on
almost constant duty. They finally reachetl
Yellowstone forty-five miles above its mimth.
forded and then recrossed to Fort Union on
their way back to Sioux City, having been out
six months. After this, he was one of a party
under Captain Pope sent to rescue a bunch
of gold hunters and in 1865 was under Gen-
eral Sully in an expedition to Devil's Lake.
After this he accompanied the Reeves expedi-
tion to Camp C<iok at the mouth of the Judith
ri\er and then returned to Omaha. Finally
in 1 87 1 he quit the service of the government
and then went to freighting from St. Cloud
to Winnipeg and along the Northern Pacific
line from Moorhead to Bismarck. In 1873, he
was with Col. D. S. Stanley's party which
came west surveying the Northern Pacific
Railroad as far as Pompey's Pillar. After
remaining three months there, he returned to
Fort Lincoln. In 1873, Mr. Cheney engaged
on the stage line in Canada and remained
until 1876, when their horses were all killed
by disease, then he returned to Moorhead and
wintered at Fort Totten on Devil's Lake. In
1877, we find him at Bismarck cutting wood
for the steamboats. After this, he was em-
ployed at Fort Custer, Montana, for a short
time and then acted as fireman for a brief pe-
riod on one of the steamboats down the ri\er
and back. In the fall of 1877, he embarked
in the wood Iiusiness on the Yellowstone and
remained there, doing a good business until
1883, at the close of which time he moved to
the north side of the river and located near
his present residence and since that time he
has been giving his attention to general farm-
ing and stock raising. He owns eight hundred
acres of excellent land as fine as there is in
the Yellowstone \alley, has it reasonaljly well
improved, owning considerable ^tock and other
property.
Mr. Chene\- has ne\er seen fit tii embark
f)n the matrimonial seas.
In political matters he is always active and
is ever allied with the Republican party. He
is a stanch supporter <if educational interests
and has a school on his land, the site for which
he donated. Mr. Cheney is highly respected
by all who know him and it may be truthfully
said of him that he is a man who can "do
things," as was aptly remarked by our presi-
dent. Had we the Space to outline the hard-
ships, the thrilling incidents, the trials, self-
denials and dangers and W(.inderfully anluous
labors that have been in the path of Mr. Che-
ney, they would be instructive and interesting
to all. During the earlier part of his life he
was intimately associated with all those his-
tory making incidents so common among the
events of the northwest.
B. M. MELUM is counted the very first
settler in that part of Custer county that lies
about Capitol. He has been United States
commissioner for that section of the county
and is, also, surveyor for Custer county, hav-
4S6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ing held the office continuously since 1904 a
period of fifteen years, which speaks much for
his ability and his faithfulness to the interests
of the people. The postoffice of Capitol was
secured by the efforts of M. Melum in 1891
and for the first four years he was the post-
master and then his wife was appointed and
she still holds that position. The office is in
the Melum home and in addition to the things
mentioned, Mr. Melum carries on his farm and
does some stockraising.
B. M. Melum was born in Norway, May
20, 1863, the son of Mons and Bertha Melum,
natives of Norway. The father was a farmer,
and also, a tanner and merchant. He remained
remained in Norway until his death, and was
a very wealthy and influential man. Our sub-
ject came to the United States when a lad of
four years, accompanied by his foster parents.
\\'isconsin was the point of settlement and
there he remained for four years. Then he
went to South Dakota and there received his
education. In 1884, being then just at his
majority, Mr. Melum came to Custer county
and engaged in the cattle business. He took
land by squatter's right which was not sur-
veyed until 1892. Previous to being elected
surveyor in 1904, ]\Ir. ^Melum had filled the
position of constable and other public offices
and was known as an efficient officer.
In 1887 occurred the marriage of Mr.
Melum and Miss Inger Oleson, a native of
Norway and the daughter of Torkel Oleson,
with whom she came to die United States
when a child. To our subject and his wife
eight children have been horn. Clara. Theodore.
Martin, Olive, Oscar. Bernard, }vlelvin and
Bernt. In political matters, Mr. ]\Ielum is a
stanch Republican and is always active in the
campaigns in the interests of the principles he
believes to be for the good of the country. He
has shown his zeal in the various things he has
accomplished in the building up and improve-
ment of the countrv and he is considered one
of the leading citizens of this portion of the
countv.
JOHN FLYNN has a fine residence two
miles east of Greycliff and devotes his atten-
tion to general farming and stockraising. He
handles about fifteen hundred well bred sheep,
besides cattle and horses and is classed among
the leading agriculturists and stock men of
Sweet Grass county. It is only in the latter
portion of his life that he has given attention
to these industries and that he has made a first
class success in their prosecution speaks well
for his business ability. Mr. Flynn has seen
much of the mining west and in his time was
considered one of the best experienced miners
anil mine managers who operated in the west-
ern districts. He was born in Iowa county,
Wisconsin, on December 14, 1861. His father,
Thomas Flynn. was born in Ireland and became
(ine of Wisconsin's earliest pioneers. He joined
the rush to Pikes Peak in 1862 and settled at
Black Hawk. His death occurred at Denver in
1885, being then aged sixty. The mother of
our subject, Mary Wall in maiden life, died in
Colorado on August 29. 1896, aged sixty-two
Mr. Flynn is the third of a family of six chil-
dren, all of whom live in Colorado, and Mon-
tana, except one brother, Michael Flynn, who
is now in Australia. When the family went
west to Colorado, our subject was left with his
grandparents, with whom he remained until
he was twelve years of age, then he joined his
parents in Colorado, where he was educated.
While still a boy he had his first experience in
mining, becoming first an ore sorter. For
twelve years he was occupied in every capacity
about a mine, mastering each portion thor-
oughly as he went along, remaining all of this
time in Colorado. Then he journeyed to the
Black Hills and assisted in the famous Home-
stead mine, near Deadwood. For a short time
J
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
457
just before going to the Black Hills, he tried
farming in Medison county, Nebraska, but dis-
continued the same, owing to the severe win-
ters. After leaving the Black Hills, Mr. Flynn
went to North Idaho and dwelt for a short time.
Then he was foreman on the famous A. D. &
jNI. property at Gibbonsville, Idaho. After this
he went to British Columbia and was in full
charge of the Highland mine at Ainsworth, for
a Philadelphia corporation. Later, the world
famous Leroy mine at Rossland was under his
management. Altogether, he spent consider-
able time in British Columbia and finally in
1901, decided to quit mining altogether. He had
purchased a ranch in Montana, the place where
he now lives, some years before he gave up min-
ing and thither he directed his steps in 1901.
He immediately began the work of improve-
ment on his estate and since that time has stead-
ily followed general farming and stock raising.
Fraternally, Mr. Flynn is affiliated with the
^eonien and M. W. A. at Big Timber.
In political matters, he adheres to the prin-
cijles of the Republican party, although not an
acive partisan in these lines. He is one of the
ene-getic, substantial and successful men of
Swiet Grass county and has a fine large family
who bid fair to all become respected citizens
of Montana.
D.VID HARRISON RUSSELL has had
an e.xpeience in the various callings of the pio-
neer andfrontiersman that would fill a book to
overflowiig with thrilling scenes and interest-
ing data. He had always been on the frontier
and his ev^y trip to the west was fraught with
incidents tl\t can hardly lie understood by those
wliii now hve the comforts and accommoda-
tions that c.-ilization has brought. Bom on
December 3.J843. in Henderson county, Illi-
nois, the son \f Levi and Mary (Finley) Rus-
sell, he has paged a long life and now is just
beginning to eiiov the golden davs that come
to the honest la])orer and pioneer of many sec-
tions. The father crossed the plains in 1852 and
settled in Linn county, Oregon, and one year
later removed thence to Marion county. In
1846, our subject, being then but three years of
age, the father started across the plains and
when the full train assembled at Saint Joseph,
Missouri, the dread cholera broke out with sev-
erity and Mrs. Russell died. This so dishearten-
ed the father that he turned back to Illinois but
his children came on with their grandmother,
Mrs. Finley, and an uncle, Alexander Finley.
They had an ox team and after a hard and try-
ing trip, for the reader must remember that in
1846 the country was exceedingly new, they fin-
ally arrived at the place where The Dalles, Ore-
gon, now stands and camped preparatory to
making boats to carry their baggage
down the Columbia. The falls where
Cascade Locks are now were very dan-
gerous but finally they were passed, but
it was not until the fall of 1847 ''''^y camped
twelve miles from the old Fort Vancouver or
where Portland now stands. In the chill days
of that fall the measles broke out among the
immigrants and Mrs. Finley went to Fort Van-
couver to secure medicines. The rain set in
while she was gone and it detained her some
time and when she came back it was to the
melancholy scene of death for over ninety of
the train died, mostly children. She found
her son Alex, and our subject's two brothers
and one sister dead. This was a terrible blow
in this wild and new country so far from home
and loved ones. How trying, only those who
have passed through it can tell. The melan-
choly woods and the pouring rain only added
to the horror for the months until the grand-
mother and our subject were taken by General
Scott to Fort \'anciHuer where they were
housed until spring. Then they journeyed
to what is now Lynn county and seven years
later the grandmother died, leaving David H.
with neighbors. He had already learned to
dri\-e cattle going with different one.s on the
458
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
long trails to tlie various mining camps in dis-
tant parts of tlie country. He in turn visited
California, Nevada. :\Iontana. Washington.
Idaho and the Cariboo countr}' of the Frazer
river district. In 1865, ^^i'- Russell came to
Montana and spent one winter with the Nez
Perce Indians on the Yellowstone river. He had
participated in all the Indian wars before that
such as the Cayuse and the various uprisings
but had escaped with his life. Mr. Russell be-
came a very skillful Indian fighter and being
naturally a courageous and resourceful man he
was feared by the savages far and near. On
one occasion when he was with General Har-
ney who was establishing the Ixiundtry line
between the United States and Canada, he was
attacked in the Okanogan country and received
seven arrows in his back as he was making for
cover. Owing to the fact that the arrows were
not poisoned and that Air. Russell had on a very
thick overcoat, they did little damage, aside
from some painful flesh wounds. Finally, in
1 88 1, Mr. Russell became tired of the danger-
ous drives of cattle and fighting Indians, and
he came to Montana and settled down where
we find him at this time, four miles south of
Fkalaka, on Russell creek. He has given his un-
divided attention to farming and is one of the
well known and esteemed men of the cmmtv.
In 1874. at Fort Laramie. Mr. Russell was
married and he has fourteen children, ten liv-
ing at this time.
HON. WILLIAM LINDSAY is one of the
leading men of the state of Montana. His life
has been filled with acti\c lalxjr during which
time he has met and overcome many formid-
able obstacles, and by reason of his merit and
stability has won a brilliant success in every
line. At present, he resides in Glendive and
his financial interests are largely in Dawson
county.
William Lindsay was born in Poland,
Ohio, on April 20, 1852. Limes M. Lindsav,
his father, was born and raised in New Tersey
being the descendant of an old Lutheran family
from Scotland. He was a quiet unassuming
man, noted for his temperate habits and integ-
rity and was looked up to by all. He conduc-
ted a barrel factory in Ohio until 1896. The
mother of our subject was in maiden life. Eliz-
abeth M. Bebout, a native of New Brighton.
Pennsylvania, and she was married to Mr.
Lindsay when sixteen years of age. The
children born tij this worthy couple aside from
our subject, not following the order of their
birth, are Oliver, who died at Kansas City,
Missouri in 1898; Benjamin G. lives at Newell,
Iowa; Charles lives at Youngstown, Ohio; Eli,
died when eight years old ; Bamer G., died
when three years old and Edward lives at
Leavenworth. Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth Shook
of New Brighton, Pennsylvania; and Mrs.
Ella McArthur. of Brooklyn, NeV York.
During his school life, Mr. Lindsay wai
closely associated with the McKinley famiy
and remembers well Abner and his sister wlo
were a brother and sister of the late Presidmt
McKinley. When thirteen years of age, 'ur
subject quit school life and began to work for
himself. He first learned the tinsmith tacle
then went to ]Menominee, ^Michigan, and
worked in the lumber woods until twenf-one
years of age. .\fter that we find him in leaver
Falls, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the
hardware and house furnishing busines until
1883, in which year he removed to Montana
and located near the Missouri river sme sev-
enty miles north of Glendive an herded
sheep for the first year, thus Ijeginitig at the
Ixittoiu in this state. The next yar he se-
cured a band of sheep on shares ad began to
lay the foundation of his present frtune. He
did very well until the winter i 1886 and
1887 practically wiped out his .oldings, but
Mr. Lindsay was not made of -he stuff that
gives way at the first attack. ' he gathered
together some more sheep and mtinued in the
same business and by 1893 heiot only had re-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
459
trieved his fortune and more, but was backing
three other men. Again lie suffered from
heavy losses but owing to his excellent grit
and hard work, he again recovered and now
is one 'of the wealthy sheep men of the state
of Montana. At present he is handling about
fifteen thousand sheep and owns thirty thou-
sand acres of land besides a considerable town
property. His residence in Glendive is a hand-
some modern structure and is the center of re-
fined hospitality. In 1905, Mr. Lindsay in-
corporated his business into the Lindsay Land
& Live Stock Company for one hundred and
thirty-five thousand dollars, nearly all of this
stock being held by himself and members of
his family. Nearly all of Mr. Lindsay's land
lies north and west from Glendive and his op-
erations are largely in Dawson countv.
At Glendive. Montana, in 1886, Mr. Lind-
say married Miss .Mice ^l. Reehl, of Beaver
Falls, Penns}-l\ania, and t<i this union two
children have been born, William Leroy. aged
nineteen and Grace M., thirteen years of age,
both attending school in Glendive. Mr. Lind-
say has always been an active and stanch Re-
publican. He is a man of force and weight
and his influence is felt all over the state. He
was elected to the oftice of county commis-
sioner of Dawson county in 1892 and served
until 1896, then he was chosen a member of
the lower house uf the fifth legislature. Was
re-elected to the sixth legislature and ran for
state senator for the se\enth legislature, but
was defeated. In 1902 he was chosen chair-
man of the Republican state central committee
and secured the first Repuljlican \-ictory in
Montana in eight years. In 1904, Mr. Lind-
say was nominated for governor of the state
of Montana and although he made a splendid
run, he lost the election. He has always
stood as a champion for clean politics and a
proper administration of justice. During the
Clark and Daly contest of the sixth legisla-
ture he was one of the four who refused to
join the Clark faction.
Mr. Lindsay is a member of the Metho-
dist church, an ardent ath'ocate of his faith
and liberal suiipirter of the same. He was
elected lay delegate from Montana to the Chi-
cago General Conference in 1900 and also to
the same at Los Angeles, California, in 1904.
He has always l>een very active in educational
matters and takes a deep interest in forward-
ing everything that is for the building up ot
this important part of our government. He
was largely instrumental in securing the estab-
lishment of the free high school at Glendive
and is president of the Ixiard of directors of
that institution and is also a director of his
home district.
It is with great pleasure that one is per-
mitted to review a career like that of Mr.
Lindsay, pleasant liecause one loves to chron-
icle such labors and such successes and because
it is \-ery important and a task to be desired
to lay before the great state of Montana an
example like that which the life of Mr.
Lindsay sets forth. A strong and forceful
business man. meeting and overcoming obsta-
cles which would have swamped an ordinary
man, a kind father and husband, a champion
of right at all times and in every [ilace and on
whom had passed a life that commands the re-
spect and adnn'ration of all — ]\Ir. Lindsay's
career is therefore properly set forth in this
liulolic manner.
JOHN H. FROST resides three and one-
half miles west of (jrey Cliff' and was Ixirn on
an island in the ^'ellowstone river where Liv-
ingston now stands, the date being December
3r, 1872. His father, John H. Frost, an army
surgeon and a native of New York, was killed
by the Indians near Livingston when our sub-
tbe daughter of an Indian woman and a Span-
ject was seven months old. The mother, El-
len Lewis, still lix'es, aged fifty-one. She was
ish father, be having come from Spain to
460
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
tlie Pacific coast in tlie early part of the 19th
century. Our subject is the only child of his
father and he has a half sister, Julia Jackson,
now a student at Carlisle. Immediately upon
finishing his education he returned to Mon-
tana and entered the military service at Fort
Custer as interpreter and drill master for the
Indian soldiers. After two years in that ser-
vice, he decided to return to his ranch on the
Yellowstone, where he has spent his time
since. When ten years of age. Mr. Frost took
an o\erland trip to the Grand Ronde valley
in Oregon and after two years spent there,
came to the Crow Indian reservation, whence
he went to Carlisle. Mr. 1-Vost is a man of
almost ideal physique, is well educated, of
good judgment and discusses the matters
which we are taking up freely and with energy.
Of the twenty-seven who went with him to
Carlisle, he has ascertained that twenty-two
went back to their blankets, the balance liold-
ing out merely through mental stamina. Mr.
Frost has had much opportunity to study the
conditions of the Indians and above everything
else, he deplores the awful effect of whiskey
upon them. This was especially evident
among the soldiers at Custer. It is interesting
to note that many times when giving drill
orders, he was obliged to coin words in the
Indian language as the English words had
ni) Indian equivalent. Since coming to his
ranch, Mr. Frost has taken an active interest
in agricultural developments as the country
was given largely to stock but in the past two
years has put several hundred acres under the
plow. He has a fine farm and is one of the
respected and well-to-do men of this section.
On March 10, 1895, I\Ir. Frost married
Amelia Ledux, who was brrn near Medicine
Hat. Canada, where her parents still live. Five
children have been born to Mr. and ]\Irs.
Frost: Daniel L.. John H.. May, Henry S.,
and Alice.
.\s Air. Frost has not se\ered his tribal
rig-hts he has no political pri\ileges, yet takes
a keen interest in political matters and is well
informed on the questions of the day.
The following account is given direct from
Mr. Frost's lips. While a student at Carlisle,
one day when Colonel Pratt was having some
trouble with the Indian boys, he addressed Mr.
Frost, saying, "John, are there not any good
Indians here?" Mr. Frost saluted and
promptly replied. "Yes, sir." "Where are
they?" asked the Colonel. Air. Frost pointed
to the college burying ground and replied,
"There are several out there." "Go to your
quarters at once and consider yourself under
arrest," said the Colonel. Without changing
expression Frost saluted and said, "Yes, if I
am to be arrested for speaking the truth," and
turning on his heel he walked away. He had
only gone a few paces, however, before the
Colonel called him back and dismissed him
with a laugh. Mr. Frost holds as a very dear
friend. Mr. Pratt, and says, "He took the
blanket oft' me both literally and metaphoric-
ally." When one studies the Indian races and
sees the magnificent blood of some men who
stand out among them really great men of the
world, one longs to see this race brought under
the pale of civilization that the world might
witness the power of brain, inventive genius
and the magnificent spirit of the Indian work-
ing in the highways that civilization alone can
give, where they would certainly make a pro-
found impression of the world. Slowly this
is coming about and such men as Mr. Frost
who can and do lock intelligently upon the
question are enabled to do much to bring
about the happy end.
GWEX F. BURLA, treasurer of Yellow-
stone county, Montana, was born in Ohio,
October 4, 1867, the son of Lucus and Mary
A. (Kalbe) Burla. the father of French and
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
461
the mother of German nativity. In 1865 the
father came to the United States and settled
in Randolph, Portage county, Ohio, removing
later to New Baltimore, Stark county. He
was a general farmer and stonecutter con-
tractor and builder, and, although an enthus-
iastic Democrat, was not an office-seeker. He
tlied in New Balitmore in 1900. In the esti-
mation of the community in which he was
long a resident he stood \-ery high and was
a highly respected citizen. The mother of our
subject passed from earth in New Baltimore
in 1889. Her father was of French Huguenot
ancestry.
The subject of this article grew up with
his parents and recei\'ed an excellent and lib-
eral education in the public schools and the
high schools of Marlborough, Ohio. Later
he was matriculated in the Ohio Normal Lmi-
versity from which he was graduated in the
class of 1890 with honors. Thence he went
to Cleveland, Ohio, where he held a clerical
position with the East Cleveland Railroad com-
pany until August, 1893. At that period his
health failing he came to Billing's and at first
taught school in the Newman District two
terms, thence going to Reed, in what is now
Sweet Grass county, now Battle Flat. Here he
taught one winter term, and later was three
years at Laurel. Before the ending of the last
term he was elected superintendent of schools
of Yellowstone county which position he held
two terms, near the close of the last of which
he was elected cashier of Yegen Brothers
Savings Bank, Billings, where he remained
two years, and then resigned, when he was
elected county treasurer in 1902 and served
four years.
April 26, igoi, at Billings, Mr. Burla was
united in marriage to Elizabeth Cedergren,
born in Chicago. Illinois. She is the daughter
of C. Victory and Matilda (Carlson) Ceder-
gren, natives of Stockholm, Sweden. Our sub-
ject has five brothers and one sister, viz. :
August, contractor and builder ; Albert. An-
drew and \\'illiam. all well known business
men of Akron, Ohio; Edward, living at Lau-
rel, and Mrs. Theresa Kuntze. of Akron, Ohio.
Mrs. Burla, the wile of our subject, has three
brothers, Money, Richard and Henry, the two
former members of the Western Hardware
Company, Billings, mentioned elsewhere.
JMr. Burla is a member of all the Masonic
orders in Billings, Algeria Temple, A. A. O.
N. M. S., is past C. C. of the Rathbone Lodge,
K. of P., B. P. O. E., Eagles, and past presi-
dent of same, also past district deputy. At
present he is the efficient secretary of the
Western Hardware Company.
In March, 1906, Mr. Burla was elected
commissioner of Yellowstone county to serve
six years from March, 1907.
\\TLLIAM LOWE, a retired hardware
merchant living in Glendive, was born in
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, February
7, 1828. His father Richard Lowe was born
in the same place in February, 1802, and in
1824 married Esther Cox. who was also born
in Shrewsbury in 1802. The children born to
this marriage were Edwin, at Baldwin, Iowa;
John, at Providence, Rhode Island; Mrs, Es-
ther Van in Pottawatomie county, Iowa, and
Charlotte Johnson born at Canton, Iowa. Mr.
Lowe was educated in the common schools of
England and at Providence, Rho^e llsland,
having come to the United States when fifteen
years old and settled at Providence, ' Rhode
Island. In 1853, the family came west to Can-
ton, Iowa, and our subject took up the business
of a hardware merchant there, continuing in
the same until 1864, when he came west to
what was then Idaho territory but is now
Montana and settled in Emigrant Gulch. Two
years later, he went thence to Virginia City
where he lived one year and then went to the
Madison river country and did prospecting.
Later he was on India creek and moved
462
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
around prospecting until alx)ut 1870 when he
returned to Canton, Iowa, wiiere he engaged
in the hardware business. This remained liis
residence until 1881 in which 3'ear he came
to Glendive, embarking in the hardware busi-
ness and this he followed continuously until
igo2, when he turned his business over to the
active management of his sons.
When twenty-eight Mr. Lowe married
Miss Ellen Baird of Providence, Rhode Island,
who died in 1885. Seven children were born
to this marriage, three of whom survive. They
are Guy Ralph Lowe, Ray Garfield Lowe and
Mrs. Ellen Fleming. All reside in Cilendive,
Montana.
Mr. Lowe was public administrator and
held the position for some time. He ahyays
takes a keen interest in political matters and
has done much to assist in building up the
country. Mr. Lowe is very enthusiastic over
school matters and never allows an opportunity
to slip to assist in the advancement of educa-
tional interests. He is a member of the Meth-
odist church and finds much comfort and de-
ligiit in his church work and relations and is
looked upon as a man of reliabilty and worth.
In early days Mr. Lowe participated in many
Indian fights but was never wounded. In 1867
he was in a fight at Pease Bottom where fif-
teen white men going to Fort Buford
in boats were attacked by a large force
of Sioux Indians. Also in 1864, he
participated in a fight up the Powder
river, where sixty-five whites were at-
tacked by a large number of Sioux Indians.
In the former one white man was killed and
nine Indians. In the latter fight a good many
of the Indians were killed but the whites lost
none. He has also been in many other hard
places on the frontier, but has always escaped
without injury. Mr. Lowe is now enjoying the
golden years of his life amid plenty, sur-
rounded with loving and kind friends and is
renowned as one of the builders of this coun-
try, having won friends ever since came here.
JOHN W. LANEY was born in Andrew
county, Missouri, on November 22, 1863, the
son of David H. and Martha (Waugh) Laney.
The latter was born in Westmoreland county,
Pennsylvania, and died in 1888. The father
was born in Pennsylvania December 15, 1821,
He grew up and received his education in his
native state and then migrated to Louisiana,
where he was ordained a Methodist minister.
Just prior to the Civil War he returned to
Pennsylvania and engaged in the drug busi-
ness. In 1863 he sold this business and jour-
neyed west to .\ndrew county, Missouri,
where he has since made his home, being alive
at the present time antl enjoying remarkable
health for one so advanced in life.
John W. was reared in Missouri and edu-
cated at the .Wesleyan University, at Alount
Pleasant. Iowa. Subsequent to his graduation
from this institution he engaged in farming
and followed it in Missouri, with stock rais-
ing until 1892, when he came to Custer county.
He immediately took up sheep raising and soon
came to the place where now lives. Success in
a lil^eral measure has attended him and he has
one of the choicest ranches in the vicinity
where he resides, his home being four miles
north from Ekalaka. Mr. Laney is a man of
taste and as he has prospered he has made ex-
penditures from time to time in improving
his place and the result is that he
has a very fine homelike ranch. His res-
idence is one of the finest in this por-
tion of the country and other things
are in evidence that show the thrift and
taste of the proprietor of the estate. Mr. Laney
has given his attention to raising sheep and
does some general farming, being considered
one of the leading sheep and stock men of the
county.
In 1888, Mr. Laney married Miss Sallie
Heren, who was born in Andrew county, Mis-
souri, where she was reared and educated. Her
father, William Heren, was born in Zanes-
ville, Ohio, and in 1843 came to Missouri,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
463
where he was occupied in teaching school.
During this time he studied law and was, in
due time, admitted to the bar, it being 1850
that he took his place there. He became one
of the leading criminal lawyers in the entire
state of Missouri and at the breaking out of
the war enlisted as a private in the state fed-
eral militia. He was soon chosen colonel, of
the Forty-first Missouri and the same year
was elected to the state senate. In 1864, he
was elected judge of the circuit court and he
continued a prominent man in the state of
Miss.iuri until his death. May 7, 1893. He
had married Miss Miriam Small, who died
when ]\lrs. Laney was a small child.
Mr. and Mrs. Laney have become parents
of eight children, named as follows : J. Carl,
Dollie M., Martha M., David H., Eveline
Montana, Willie Bryan, Sarah Ann and Opal
Heren.
]\Ir. Laney is an active member of the I. O.
O. F., and in political matters he always takes
an interested part. He is a man of thorough
information in these lines and in 1896 allowed
his name to be used as a candidate for sheriff
of Custer county.
WILLIAM DUFFEY. The Emerald Isle
has ]iroduced some of the most prominent
names known in English history and literature
and there is no battle too desperate to fight.
no effort too hard to put forth and no obstacle
too high to be overcome by the genuine Irish-
man, and despite the fact that one finds the
Irishman in the front ranks in these things,
facing the brunt, it is well known that it is
a, very uncommon thing to find an Irishman
who is not happy, bright and genial and doubt-
less herein lies the success of the individual
efforts of this race. From genuine North
Ireland stock comes the subject of this sketch,
ha\'ing been born in County Armagh January
3. 1854. His father, John Duffey, was born
and lived and died in Ireland. The last named
event taking place when our subject wastwelve
years of age. The father married Miss Mc-
Lean, who also was a native of Ireland and
died there years ago. William was the eighth
of a family of nine children, all of whom live
in Ireland except himself and one brother,
Alex, who is an industrious farmer near Big-
timber. In the common schools of his par-
ish, William was educated and as early as sev-
enteen years of age, began life's battle on his
own account. About that time, he came to
Canada, where an uncle was living and for
four years thereafter, he was engaged in farm-
ing in that vicinity. Then being twenty-one,
he went to Mont Clair, New Jersey, where
he married and took up the hotel business,
continuing same until 1891, in which year he
journeyed to Elliston, Montana. When he left
New Jersey, the weather was so hot that it
was distressing. Arriving in Elliston, he was
greeted with a genuine blizzard. He at once
opened a hotel and four years later was burned
out, losing everything except a small bunch
of cattle. The fact that he had to start all over
again in life and with a family to support did
not deter Mr. Duffey, however, and he went to
work with a will. He secured employment in
the yards of the N. P. R. R. at Elliston and
wrought there continuously for five years.
Then he was enaliled to take his present ranch
and moved his family on to the desert plain.
He had but little capital and no water was
handy but he struggled on until he got his
ditches made and then prosperity began to
come. He has recently added another cjuarter
section to his land holdings and he has one
hundred and seventy-five acres under ditch
which produces him three tons of first-class
alfalfa per acre annually. This sells for five
dollars per ton in the stack and thus it is seen
^Ir. Duffey has wrought out a dividend payer
which is worth many thousantls of dollars.
On April 5. 1883. Mr. Duffey married
]\Iarv A. Hughes. wIkt was a neighbor girl
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
in Ireland and who came to New Jersey with
her parents, Samuel and Margaret (Devine)
Hughes. Her parents made their home in New
Jersey until the time of their death. Mrs.
Duffey was the second of a family of nine
children, five of whom are still living. It is
proper in this connection to state that during
all the labors of Mr. Duffey. his wife has been
a faithful helpmeet and no small credit for
their excellent success now is due to her wis-
dom and thrift and it is ver}- pleasant to know
that while for many years they have labored
and struggled togetiier they are now permitted
to enjoy the efforts of their labor, with their
four cbildren, Samuel A., Margaret, Martha
and William, all of whom are at home. One
cannot enter the Duffey household without be-
ing struck with the genuine kindness and hos-
pitality that are extended at once. Their hospit-
able kindness is certainly a fulfillment of the
old proverb that the stranger and wayfaring
man should be treated kindly in the land. Some
one has said that "True politeness is true kind-
ness delicately expressed." This is genuine hos-
pitality, the kind that greets one from Mr. and
Mrs. Duffev and their children.
J. O. L. BURKE, a builder by profession
and one of the leading citizens of Billings.
Yellowstone county, at present resides in that
attractive city. He was born in Baltimore,
Maryland, August ii, 1848, the son of Frank
and Susan (Haswell) Burke, the former born
in Washington, D. C, the latter a native of
Pennsylvania.
In 182S Frank Burke, the father removed
his lares and pcuatcs to Baltimore,, where he
remained until 1855, going thence to Lesueur
county, Minnesota, where he located on a farm
eight miles east of St. Peter. In 1865 again
removed with his wife and children to ^lan-
kato, same state, where he and his son, o.-.r
subject, engaged successfully in the business of
contracting and building. In 1S71 he returned
to Baltimore where he followed the same line
of employment. Many of the most ornate
buildings in the national capital were erected
by Frank Burke, among others the first patent
office. He had previously cultivated a garden
on the identical spot upon which he erected the
office. He also built the Old Maryland Insti-
tute at Baltimore. During the Civil War he
was captain of K company, Seventh Minnesota
Infantry, the members of which mainly lived
in the vicinity of St. Peter. He was officer of
the day December 26, 1863, when thirty-eight
Sioux Indians were hanged in Mankato for
participating in the Minnesota Indian mas--
sacres of 1862. His father, another Frank
Burke, was a native of Ireland. He was a
second cousin to Sir Edmund Burke, coming
to America and locating at Washington, D. C,
at the age of eleven years. Here he was reared
and engaged in gardening.
The mother of our subject was of Pennsyl-
\ania Dutch descent, and a native of the Key-
stone state. She died in Baltimore, June 25,
1884, her husband passing away at the same
place September 25, 1886.
Our subject received his early education in
Baltimore and the excellent schools of Minne-
sota, and worked with his father until 1S70,
when he removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, and
engaged in contracting and building, erecting
many of the finest structures in the city. He
superintended the erection of the magnificent
court house of St. Paul and some of the most
ornate residence structures in the city. In 1898
he went to Bismarck, North Dakota, and did
building and contracting. In 1901, he came to
Billings where he engaged in the cement build-
ing and sidewalk business. While our subject
was living on a farm near St. Peter a messen-
ger came through the country, August 2,
1862, through the big woods, yelling at the top
of his voice that the Indians were coming. At
that period there were very few men in the
J. 0. L. BURKE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
465
country, they being at Fort Snelling mostly
for Civil War purposes. Within three or four
days men returned to their homes or camped
on an island in Lake White. The Indians were
driven back from New Ulm. There were no
settlers for miles around except a few families,
the rest having gone to small towns around.
FREDERICK J. GOULDING, at the
present time treasurer of Dawson county,
Montana, is one of tiie popular and capable
young men of Glendive. He was born in Lon-
don, England, January 14, 1868, where also
his parents, Joseph and Emma Jane (Free-
mantle) Goulding, were born, both in the year
of 1824, the former in the month of April.
Mr. Goulding is one of a family of eleven
children, in which there were six boys and five
girls. Two of the brothers are deceased and
one of the sisters. The remainder all dwell
in London, England. As soon as he was
ready for school, he was sent to what is called
the board schools in London and in this insti-
tution received his education. At the age of
twelve he was a choir l>oy in St. John's Epis-
copal church in London. Twenty years of
Mr. Goulding's life were spent in his native
country, and then he decided to come to the
L'nited States, landing here in 1888. He came
direct to Glendive and for five years was en-
gaged in the sheep business. At the end of
that time, he decided to sell his holdings and
later, in 1893, accepted a position as day clerk
in the Hotel Yellowstone, at Glendive. In
this capacity and as night clerk he has served
in the above hotel and in the Hotel Jordan all
told eleven years. So popular had Mr. Gould-
ing become that in 1904, without his request,
his name was pushed forward as candidatte
for treasurer of Dawson county, the same ap-
]3earing upon the Democratic ticket. He w^as
promptly elected and since that time he has
been a very efficient and accommodating of-
30 '
ficer. Mr. Goulding has always taken a keen
interest in political matters and enjoys the
campaigns very much. He is a well posted
Democrat and a strong man in the field.
FRED H. FOSTER, the present mayor
of the attractive and enterprising City of Bil-
lings, is a popular citizen, as his many re-elec-
tions to the office will demonstrate. He was
born in Minnesota, February 2, 1856, the son
of Robert and Lucinda (McMillan) Foster.
His grandfather, Alexander, was born in Ire-
land. Robert at present resides with his son
in Billings, 'at the age of eighty-two years.
Reuben McMillan was the father of the
mother of our subject, and was a native of
the state of New York. His father was born
in Scotland, and was named James. The lat-
ter was of an old Highland Scotch family,
some of whom served in the War of the Revo-
lution. Orpha Partridge, one of her maternal
ancestors, was born in the state of Vermont.
It was in the excellent public schools of
Minnesota that our subject received his early
education, which was subsequently supple-
mented by a partial course at the State Uni-
versity. He first came to Montana with a
Northern Pacific engineering corps, then oper-
ating in the Yellowstone valley. This w-as on
August 18, 1879. In December, 1881, Mr.
Foster located at Coulson, where he formed a
]\irtnership with P. W. McAdow in the gen-
eral merchandise business. This was contin-
ued until 1883. In April, 1882, he patented
a quarter section of land, now a part of the
thriving city of Billings, known as Foster's
Addition. He was also engaged in the real
estate business. His interest in this enter-
l^rise he disposed of in 1883, to his partner,
and then devoted his attention exclusively to
Billings realty and the upbuilding of the city.
He was a member of the first board of com-
missioners of Yellowstone county ; member of
466
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the board of school directors, and was elected
mayor in 1889, re-elected in 1893, again in
1903 and in 1905, being now the present
mayor of the city. From 1889 until 1893 he
served as county clerk and was elected clerk
of the district court in 1904. He was secre-
tary of the state senate in 1895, which was
the fourth legislative assembly.
In 1892 Mr. Foster went to Washington,
D. C, and was instrumental in securing the
passage of a bill authorizing the appointment
of a commission to treat with the Crow In-
dians for the opening of the w-estern portion
of the Crow Indian reservation. Of this com-
mission he was, also, a member.
April 19, 1882, Mr. Foster was united in
marriage to Miss Georgia McLaughlin, a na-
tive of Minnesota. She is the daughter of
Horace and Margaret McLaughlin, both na-
tives of Massachusetts, and both descendants
of an old and prominent New England fam-
ily, Horace McLaughlin being of Highland
Scotch ancestry, which came to New England
about 1650. The mother of our subject was
of English ancestry. Mr. Foster has one
brother residing in New Orleans, a retired
lieutenant of the L^nited States Navy, and one
sister, Mrs. Clara L. King, living at Van-
couver, B. C. Our subject has six children
living, viz: Herbert H., residing at Billings;
Clara L., Robert, Annabel, Henry W., school
children, and Dorothy, an infant.
Fraternally, Mr. Foster is a member of
Billings Lodge, No. 394, B. P. O. E., of which
he is a past exalted ruler, past W. P. of Bil-
lings Aerie, F. O. E., past council commander
of the W. O. T. \V., and a member of the A.
O. U. \V. and is auxiliary Degree of Honor.
Politicallv he is a Democrat.
ELMER WILDER, the postmaster at
Sabra, Montana, was born in Wisconsin. Au-
gust I, 1865, the son of Joe and Phoebe
( I'inch ) Wilder, natives of Wisconsin, where
they now reside, having followed farming all
their lives. In his native state, our subject was
reared and educated and there remained until
1886, wben he journeyed west to South Da-
kota. He worked for wages in various ca-
pacities there until 1890, in which year he
came to Rosebud, Alontana. Here he was em-
ployed at different things for five years, when
he took a homestead, where he now resides,
and began the cattle industry. He has fol-
lowed ranching and stock raising there since
and has met with reasonable success.
In 1895. Mr. Wilder married Miss Annie
Straw, who was Iwrn in Missouri, and came
in 1882 with her parents to Montana. Her
father, O. H. Straw, was a native of Virginia
and married Sarah Larkins, who was born in
Iowa. He was a volunteer in the Nineteenth
Iowa dnd was wounded in the battle of Prai-
rie Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Wilder have two
children, Ruth and Jesse, both born in Rose-
bud county.
Mr. Wilder is aftiliated with the I. O. O.
F. and is a man of excellent standing. He was
appointed postmaster at Sabra in 1903 and
has held the office since, having given general
satisfaction to all of the patrons.
JOHN H. HALL, who now resides in
Carbon county, about one and one-half miles
south from Belfrey, where he follows ranch-
ing and stock raising, is one of the well-known
men of the county and is an aggressive, wide-
awake citizen, who takes a great interest in
the upbuilding of the country, which he has
chosen for his permanent home. He hails
from the good old state of Missouri, being
born in Franklin county July i, 1861. when
the turmoil of war was shaking this fair re-
Dublic through and through. His father,
^ohn Hall, was born in the same locality as
his son and followed farming in Missouri
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
46r
until his death there. His father, the grand-
fatlier of our subject, came to Missouri from
North Carolina in 1816. John Hall married
Miss Martha C. Jefifers, a native of Missouri.
John H. Hall was educated in his native
state, commencing in the common schools and
later finishing this important preparation for
life's battles in the State Normal, at Warrens-
burg. When fourteen he laid aside the books
of school life and went to Indian Territory,
where he wrought on "the trail" for several
years. In 1880, he went to No ]\Ian"s Land
and followed ranching for three years.
After this he returned to Indian Territory and
was inspector for a large Indian stock asso-
ciation. Also he held the position of deputy
United States marshal for four years, as well
as other offices of trust. In 1895. ]\Ir. Hall
determined to try the farther west, and as he
was a man who loved the out-door life thor-
oughly, he fitted out a mule team and jour-
neyed on toward the setting sun until he ar-
rived in the country now occupied by the Big
Horn county, Wyoming. Here he halted and
was instrumental in assisting to organize the
county and put its machinery of conduct in
m'>tion. He erected the first hotel in Basin.
\\'}i:)ming, and conducted it for two years. It
was 1897 when he came to his present location
and purchased a ranch. This property he
later sold and secured the land where he now
resides, which is one of the good ranches of
the section. Since that time, Mr. Hall has
been one of the substantial men of the county
and is a hard worker for the advancement of
it in every line. At present he is handling the
stage line from Bridger, Montana, to Clark.
Wyoming. Mr. Hall has held many offices of
trust and has always proved himself a man to
be relied on and who discharged the responsi-
bilities of his position with credit to himself
and to the satisfaction of his constituency.
In 1893 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hall
and Miss Laura Payne, a native of Missouri.
Her father, Wilev Pavne. was also a native
of Missouri, and conducted a liank on the line
between Kansas and Indian Territory and also
handled a large amount of stuck, being one of
the large stockmen of the section. He was
killed by bank robbers. To our subject and
his wife two children have been born, Edgar
and Joy.
WILLIAM J. KNAPP has followed two
distinct lines of industry during his life, hav-
ing been forced from one by adhering to his
convictions of right, he was possessed of suf-
ficient vigor and determination to enter upon
another calling and make a success of it, thus
in a large measure bringing victory out of de-
feat. A brief outline of his life will be inter-
esting, especially to those who have at heart
the problem of the day, namely, labor and cap-
ital.
William J. Knapp was born in Conklin
county. New York, January 11, 1867. His
parents, Zopher and Orilla (Chalker) Knapp,
are mentioned in the biography headed Lewis
R. Knapp, found in another portion of this
volume. \\'illiam J. is the third of a family
of seven children, all Ii\-ing except one sister,
who died in childhood. Lewis R. Knapp,
above referred to, is a brother. Mr. Knapp is
a twin, the other being Mrs. Lillie Mangold,
in Fargo, North Dakota. Educated in Moor-
head, Minnesota, where his parents moved
when a small child, as early as fourteen he en-
tered the employ of the St. Paul, M. & M.
railroad. During those fourteen years, he
learned what pioneer life was. as his parents
came into that portion of Minnesota with ox
teams and opened the farm from the wilds. Be-
ginning as a car repairer, our subject worked
up through the shops, caring for sleepers and
supply stores until he was installed as fireman
on a locomotive for five and one-half years and
from long service in that capacity he fired an
engine and then was given one to run. He
468
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
fired the engine that hauled the material for
the construction of the Devil's Lake and Minot
road and worked on west to Troy. He contin-
ued steadily in the railroad work until the
great strike of 1894, when active participation
in that caused his name to be placed on the
black list. At that time he was located at
Glasgow, Alontana, and he immediately started
a stock ranch, which occupied him for se\eral
years. In April, 1898, he sought out his pres-
ent place while looking for a stock ranch and
immediately located. It was an excellent
stock company, but as settlers came in condi-
tions changed and he turned his ranch into an
alfalfa field. Coming directly from the cab of
a locomotive to the ranch without any experi-
ence in agriculture or stock raising was no
small undertaking. He had everything to con-
tend with, a seven mile ditch to build and prac-
tically no capital and but one pair of hands to
do it all with. However, he succeeded and now
has one hundred and ten acres in the alfalfa.
which average more than four tons per acre
annually. For this, Mr. Knapp finds a ready
market and he is becoming one of the substan-
tial, well-to-do men of the county.
On December 25, 1888, Mr. Knapp mar-
ried Julia E. Lafayette, a native of Iowa, and
of the same family as General Lafayette. Her
father, John L., died April 5, 1889, aged sixty.
Her mother, Mary (Hofines) Lafayette, still
lives, quite aged. "Sir. Knapp and wife have
two children, Orville ISI.. born December 15,
1891, and Lillian A., who owns August 9,
1901, as her birthday.
Fraternally. Mr. Knapp is affiliated with
the A. F. & A. M.
In politics, he is a wide-awake Socialist.
In 1904, he ran for state senator on that ticket.
Mr. Knapp says the black list on the Great
Northern forced him into a study of these
matters and he saw very plainly that the only
true principle of settling this question properly
is embodied in the conservative doctrines of
Socialism, as held and propounded by think-
ing and experienced men. Tlie practice that
might makes right and adopted by so many is
not true and a reasonable principle of arbitra-
tion, as set forth by Socialism, is yet the truth
and one day will obtain throughout the civil-
ized world. Mr. Knapp is a believer in true
Socialism, not the nihilism or anarchism,
which are simply taking the might makes right
principle and using it against them they abuse
for using it. Socialism is nothing of the kind.
Socialism, as propounded by Mr. Knapp, is a
practical application of the beautiful command,
"Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you;" it is the principle of right and jus-
tice obtaining between all people, whether
workman or employer, and the mild and equit-
able method of wise arl^itration to settle all
differences and all disputes between all classes
of persons.
CLAUDIUS D. YOUST. The writer
who said, "The west, the west, the bright, free
west: that is the place for you and me," cer-
tainly expressed the thought of our subject, for
even a cursory view of his life's career dem-
onstrates the fact that his path way has clung
as loyally to the west as does the needle to its
pole of attraction. Born in Sumner county,
Kansas, when that portion of the state was
well "out west" he has been on the frontier
ever since and is today one of those who as-
sisted in making the great state of ^Montana
what it is at this time, so that he is rightly
classed as a pioneer.
Gilford E. Youst, the father of our sub-
ject, was born in Marion county. West A ir-
ginia, settled on a farm in Kansas in 1874,
went thence, in 1879, to New ^Mexico, locat-
ing near Raton, where he was engaged in
handling cattle. In 1879, he came to Sheridan
.county, Wyoming, there, also, taking up the
cattle business. In the spring of 1893. he
I came to Carbon countv and located where our
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
469
subject now resides, near Belfrey. In 1901,
he returned to Kansas and settled on a ranch
just over the Hne into Oklahoma, where he
resides at the present time. From the schools
of Raton, New Mexico, Sheridan county, Wy-
oming, and Red Lodge, this county, our sub-
ject received his education and was with his
father in every trip he made until the last one
to Kansas. .\s soon as he was of age, he
took up the place where he now resides as a
homestead and since then he has devoted him-
self to its culture and improvement. The re-
sult is that he has one of the fine ranches in
the county and it is very valuable.
In 1905, Mr. Youst married Miss Mary
Kelsey, a native of Utah, who came to Mon-
tana in 1 901 with her parents. Mr. Youst's
mother was, in maiden life, Miss Virginia Vic-
toria Cuinningham. She was born in West
\'irginia and is now residing in Red Lodge.
His brothers are James A., born in Kansas,
having a farm adjoining that of our subject,
and George B., born in Xew Mexico.
ROBERT BROWNLEE. In presenting
to the reader of this work this appreciative
notice of Mr. Robert Brownlee, we do it feeling
that it will not only serve to keep green the
memory of one of Sweet Grass county's most
progressive citizens, but will in after years
give to some young man the necessary courage
to face and o\-erc(_ime such obstacles as must
lie in the wav of all who have the ambition to
rise above the mediocre in any walk of life.
Born in Berwickshire. Scotland, January 17,
1859. the subject of our sketch can still re-
member when the hc^me in the land o' the
heather was broken up to move lo Ontario,
where his parents settled near the then small
town of Barrie, on Lake Simcoe. There the
parents still reside, spending their declining
years in a comfortable abode that the deter-
mined Scottish home maker carved out of the
forests of birch and maple. The father, Alex-
ander, born in the town which our subject
also claims as the place of his nativity, first
saw the light of day in 1832. The mother,
Mary Ann (Stoddard) Brownlee, fit helpmeet
for the pioneering husband, was born a year
later. Since settling on the shores of the beau-
tiful Lake Simcoe, they have made it their
home and there raised a family of eleven chil-
dren, of which Robert was the fifth. Nine of
the eleven still live, scattered over all of the
earth, from Germany, where a sister is study-
ing in a musical conservatory, to Australia,
where two brothers reside. A sister, Mrs.
James B. Elliott, is a resident of Billings, Mon-
tana. Mr. Brownlee tells an amusing story
of how he induced his mother while on a visit
east in 1904 to go to a theater to see the vet-
eran actor and her kinsman, J. H. Stoddard,
in "Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush.'' This was
her first visit — at the age of seventy-one — to
a theater, having always held to the strict
Presbyterian views.
Our subject's early life was spent more in
helping make a living for the large family of
younger children than in study and his early
schooling was barely that prescribed by the
school laws. In his early teens he learned the
trades of blacksmithing and carriage building,
at which he wrought in Ontario until 1886.
when, impelletl by energy, he came to Billings
and there took a working interest in a sheep
ranch with J. B. Elliott. This he held for four
years and at the end of that time paid a visit
to the eastern states and his Canadian home.
After a few months spent in this way, he re-
turned to Montana and purchased a black-
smith shop at Melville, where he set out to lay
the foundation of the comfortable fortune
which his energT and business acumen
has enabled him to provide. In 1895,
he took as a partner George Taylor
and with him purchased a ranch on
what is known as the Big Coulee,
where Mr. Tavlor looked after the interests of
4/0
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the .firm until 1900, when lie retired. Mr.
Brownlee then sold his business the same year
and devoted his time to the ranch until 1903,
when he sold out his band of sheep and rented
the ranch. That fall he took twenty-five
thousand sheep to Schuyler, Nebraska, where
he fed and marketed them during the winter.
The care of such a band may be best understood
when it is stated that they devoured one thou-
sand tons of hay and the contents of two ele-
vators of corn for their winter's keep. The
summer of 1904 was spent in Billings looking
after property interests, but in the fall he re-
turned to Canada for the winter. The spring
found him again in Montana, where business
kept him until winter, when he left for a trip
to California, visiting Seattle, Portland and
Vancouver, B. C, en route. The winter was
pleasantly spent among orange groves, but in
March he returned, stating that "while orange
groves were good to look at, sage brush was
the right thing to live amongst." Since re-
turning, he has bought one hundred and sixty
acres of land eleven miles up the Boulder river
from Big Timber, where he plans to make his
home. While in California, he paid several
visits to the new camp. Searchlight, Nevada,
and invested in property known as the Black
Bear, adjoining the famous Quartet Mine, and
operated by the Searchlight Mining & Devel-
opment Company.
How well he has proven the possibilities
of Montana for men of industry is evidenced
by the fact that besides his home ranch of one
hundred and sixty acres, which he recently
bought for six thousand dollars, he owns twen-
ty-three hundred acres on Big Coulee, besides
city real estate and buildings in Big Timber.
Years of toil and study have been fully re-
warded, for by keeping in touch with the af-
fairs of the country, he found himself in 1900
the choice of the people of his county for their
representative in the state legislature and was
returned in 1903 and 1906 to that same office.
Republican in politics, active and energetic.
courteous and progressive, with a keen sense
of right and an equally keen sense of humor,
unspoiled by success and broadened rather than
made narrow by the confidence reposed in him
by the people without any solicitations on his
part. Mr. Brownlee is what might be classed
as a typical Montana man, and is yet as he has
always been to his many friends, plain "Bolj"
Brownlee.
Fraternally, he is a member of the K. P.
lodge No. 25, Big Timber, and Livingston
Lodg£, No. 246, B. P. O. E.
HENRY ALEXANDER SAMPLE, one
of the younger business men of Dawson coun-
ty, holds the responsible position of clerk of
court and dwells at Glendive. He was born
at Greenfield. Indiana, August 22, 1875, being
the .son of James M. and Charlotte ( Hum-
phries) Sample. The father was born Sep-
tember 23, 1842, and enlisted in the I'ifty-
fourth Indiana Volunteers, ser\ing three \ears
in the Rebellion. He was in the siege of
Vicksburg and was with General Grant on his
Mississippi campaign. After being honora-
bly discharged, he turned his attention to
farming, teaching school during the winters.
When thirty-two years of age he married and
in 1888 moved to Livingston, Montana, in the
vicinity of which he is farming at the present
time. Politically, he has always held with the
Democratic party and during his younger days
was a personal friend of James Whitcomb Ri-
ley. Mrs. Sample is the daughter of Henry
and Cynthia Humphries, of Greenfield, Indi-
ana, and previous to her marriage taught
school in Indiana and Kentucky. Our sub-
ject has one sister, Elsie May Linn, whose hus-
band, C. E. Linn, is an employe of the North-
ern Pacific railroad at Wrenshall, Minnesota.
Henry A., went with his parents to Fairfield,
Indiana, when six years of age and attended
the common schools there until thirteen and
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
471
tlien accompanied them to Livingston, where
he finished his edncation. After tliat he en-
tered the employ of the Northern Pacific rail-
road in the capacity of call hoy and later the
desk of billing clerk, but lost his job in the
strike of 1894. Following that he was em-
ployed in the Merchants' bank at Livingston
until 1897, when he occupied a position in the
store department with the Northern Pacific.
While engaged with the bank, Mr. Sample
took a correspondence course in bookkeeping
and was given a diploma. In September,
1897, he was transferred to Glendive and
given charge of the local division store, which
he conducted until 1899, when he was trans-
ferred to the office of the division superintend-
ent and successfully occupied all chairs ex-
cept that of chief clerk. In 1902, Mr. Sample
was appointed to the office of public adminis-
trator and two years later was elected clerk
nf the court for Dawson county, where we
find him at the present time.
On April 19, 1902, Mr. Sample married
Nellie E. Hurst, the daughter of W. S. and
L. M. Hurst, of Glendive, Montana, In 1899,
she completed the high school course at Glen-
dive and received her diploma. One child has
been born to our subject and his wife, Lillian
Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Sample are both mem-
bers of the Episcopal church and he is a Re-
publican in politics, always taking a keen in-
terest in these matters.
ALLEN B. LaMOTT is one of the lead-
ing and well-known stockmen of the Yellow-
stone valley, having his home and his head-
quarters in the city of Billings. Since the date
of his arrival here in 1885, he has been fol-
lowing steadily the occupation of raising and
handling stock of all kinds and his experience
and success in this line of enterprise have
placed him among the best stockmen of the
eastern portion of the state, while a con-
tinuous residence here for more than twenty
years entitles him to representation with the
pioneers of the state of Montana.
Allen B. LaMott was torn in Tompkins
county, New York, January 8, 1847, the son
of Lucius and Emily (Mix) LaMott, the
former a native of Vermont, and the latter of
New England, also. The father followed
farming all his life and died in 1901. The
mother was the daughter of Ethan Mix, a
New England farmer, and she is now living
in New York state, aged eighty-one years.
The other children of the family are Lucius,
living on the old homestead; Emily Robinson,
and Nettie E. Hart, living in New York state,
and Pearl Carr, in Massachusetts.
Mr. LaMott was reared and educated in
his native i)!ace and there remained associated
with his father until 1883, when he decided to
try the west, coming first to Dakota, where two
years were spent. Then he came direct to
Billings and was here only a few weeks before
he had a herd of stock of his own and com-
menced the business that has occupied him
steadily since that time. Success has attended
Mr. LaMott, owing to the industry and wis-
dom that have characterized his ways here and
his care of details, that great necessity that
always accompanies successful enterprises, is
as well displayed as is his ability to manage
afifairs and execute successfully well-laid plans.
Twice has Mr. LaMott been married, the
first time in New York state and Miss Loretta
Fulkerson being his chosen companion. Later
he led to the altar Elizabeth F. Dudley, a rela-
tive of his former wife, and this last wedding
occurred on June i, 1904.
Politically. Mr. LaMott is a well-informed
Democrat and his votes while not cast from a
partisan spirit, since he is independent in
thought, have, nevertheless, been put forth for
the advancement of the principles of genuine
Jeffersonian Democracy and his belief is that
such is the proper method of governmental
administration in national affairs, at least.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHARLES CARLSON. A striking- il-
lustration of wliat can be accomplished in the
resourceful state of Montana, is vividly set
forth in the case of Mr. Carlson, whose biog-
rapliy it is our privilege to outline at the pres-
ent time. To the traveler who had wandered
to the upper Clarke's Fork in the early nine-
ties there, perhaps, would not have been much
to invite him to stay, nor could he see anything
enticing in the wilderness that stretched in
every direction; but not so with Mr. Carlson,
who carefully studied the coimtry. So well
was he pleased with it that in 1894 he took a
quarter section as his homestead, which lies
just three-fourths of a mile from the present
post office of Belfrey. Should the same trav-
eler chance to come through the country now.
he would never realize that the magnificent
ranch under the charge of Mr. Carlson is the
same place he passed by a decade ago, refus-
ing to stop to even test its merits. But such
is the case. No better farm is in the cmmtry
than Mr. Carlson's. It is kept, too, in the pink
of condition for the Ijest returns, and this is
the work of the gentleman, who came with
his bare hands and set to work to build a home
on Montana's wilds. How well he has accom-
plished this, let any one judge who sees the
fine outbuildings, the good barns, the comely
residence, and the broad acres well tilled and
productive of wealth. So much for what
Montana has to offer to the intelligent and the
thrifty, with all due credit, too, to the man
whose hand has wrought and whose brain has
planned the successful outcome of it all.
Born amid the hills of Sweden, whence
came the sturdy Norsemen that ploughed the
rough Atlantic hundreds of years before the
trade- winds ever kissed the sails that Colum-
bus flew, our subject was well taught in that
thrift and industry that is the making of any
successful man. The date of his advent into
life was February 2, 1855, and his parents
were Carl and Carrie (Holt) Carlson, natives
also of Sweden, where they remained until
their death. His grandfather was a veteran
of the war of 1807 between Sweden and Rus-
sia and the conflict between Norway and Swe-
ilen. The father was a carpenter by trade and
taught this son in the art of wood working
and building. The public schools of his native
land furnished the educational training of our
subject and in due time he was fitted, by this
training and the excellent instruction of his
father, to meet the responsibilities of the world
for himself. He continued at his trade until
1879, when he came to Illinois and for two
years was occupied on the farm, for the pur-
pose of thoroughly learning the business of
farming. Then he went to St. Paul and
worked as a carpenter until 1889, when he
came on to Red Lodge and engaged with the
Rocky Fork Coal Company, continuing there
until he came to his present location in 1894,
to begin the work of transforming the wild
honiestead to the pleasant and \-aluable farm
of today.
Mr. Carlson n-iarried Miss Annie Peter-
son, a nati\-e of S\ve(len. and to this uni'in
eight children have lieen bom, namely:
Anne J.. Carl H.. Florence, Sidney, Peter, Su-
san' Lillie and an infant yet unnamed. The
chiklren are all at home and ]\Ir. Carlson has a
very interesting family. Mr. Carlson takes an
interest in all things for the advancement of
the country, is a worker for good schools and
maintains an excellent standing in the com-
munitv.
LOUIS R. KNAPP has decided that
Montana is to be his permanent home. He has
seen much of the northwest. He has lieen on
various places in the Sweet Grass county, but
his iiresent abode, three miles south of Big
Timber on the Boulder river, has been and is
being fitted as his home and will be known as
the Knapp homestead in years to come. In far
away Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, on Januarv
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
473
8, 1870, Louis R. Knapp first saw the light.
His father, Zopher Knapp, was born near
Binghamton, New York, April 7, 1818, and
died at Lisbon, North Dakota, on December
24, 1890. He had foHowed tiihng the soil all
of his days and was a greatly esteemed and
substantial citizen. He led to the altar Aurilla
Chalker, a native of Pennsylvania, and until
his death they lived a happy and bright life.
They were the parents of six children, four of
whom dwell in North Dakota, and their
mother resides in Fargo of that state, aged
seventy-seven. The other two children are in
Montana. \\'. J. and our subject both in this
county. \'ery early in life. "Slv. Knapp be-
came self supporting and gained his educa-
tion by taking the money he would earn from
day to day in attending the state normal school
in Moorhead, Minnesota. His plan was to
work a season, then attend school until his
miiney was exhausted, then again he returned
to work. In the winter of 1881, we find him
at Fargo, North Dakota, and the family settled
on a ranch some sixty miles from that town,
which was their principle marketing place.
Li\ing there in those days' was much like
roughing it out west and there he re-
mained until the country settled u.p
ruid then he determined to come still
further west. It was in 1898 thit Mr.
Knapp arrixed in Livingston, and after
spending one winter there, he immediatelx' came
the following spring to Big Timber. He was
so well pleased with this section that he lo-
cated a ranch. The only settlers on the creek
where he took his place were old time stockmen
and farming had hardly Iiegun. People had
not fully realized the worth of the agricultural
pursuits, for they confined themselves almost
entirely to stock raising and did not experi-
ment much with irrigation. The first loca-
tion Mr. Knapp made was on Dry creek, but
he sold that place and traded back and forth
several times until he finally secured the prop-
erty where he now resides. It was about a
year ago that he settled here, and he has three
hundred and twenty-five acres under the ditch
and makes a specialty of raising alfalfa. So
certain is the crop in this section that Mr.
Knapp is enabled to count accurately on three
and one-half tons or better of alfalfa to the
acre with a good stiff market every year. He
is so well pleased with the combination of
things here that as stated before, he has de-
cided to make this valv;able farm his perma-
nent home.
On November jj. 1895. occurred the mar-
riage of Louis R. Knapp and Miss Maude
Finley, the latter a native of Brockville. On-
tario, Canada, and a daughter of William and
Jane (Welsh) Finley. Mr. Finley died in
June, 1881, aged forty-two. and his widow
died May 5, 1903, aged fifty-seven. After
her husband's death. Mrs. Finley had moved
out west to Lisbon. North Dakota, Mrs.
Knapp being then about eight years of age.
Three children have been born to this union,
Arthur, August 19. 1897; Gladys, March 2j.
1900, and Gertrude, June 7. 190J.
Politically, Mr. Knapp is a well-informed
and live Socialist. While he never aspires to
ofiice. he is always well informed on the issues
of the day and takes a keen interest in political
matters.
EL:\IER T. BOSTIC. who has for more
than a decade been connected with the inter-
ests of Carbon county, is now residing about
three miles south of Bridger, where he has
a well improved and valuable farm of one
f[uarter section of irrigated land. He was
born in Columbia county. Wisconsin, June 5,
1866, the son of William H. aijd Martha Jane
(Emerson) Bostic. natives of New York
state, and now living in Carbon county. The
father came from his native place on the St.
Lawrence river to Michigan in early days with
his parents, he being then but seven years old.
474
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
In 1848 tliey journej-ed thence to Sauk county,
Wisconsin, and in 1861, he enhsted in the Sev-
enteenth Wisconsin and served through the
Civil War, participating with Slierman in the
famous marcli to the sea. I'-ollowing the war
lie returned to Wisconsin and there remained
until 1 87 1, when he removed to Nobles county.
Minnesota, and took government land. In
1880, with his three sons, he took construction
work on the Northwestern railroad and for
four summers followed that work. Then they
returned to Minnesota and two years later
went to Nebraska and there dwelt for six
years. They were there at the time of the Pine
Ridge Indian outbreak and furnished the
soldiers with w(wd. In 1892, they came on
to Montana and when the Crow reservation
opened they all settletl in Carbon county. He
had three brothers, namely : Charles, who died
from the effects of a wound, fighting the In-
dians in Florida ; Frank, who died in Michi-
gan; and T. G. Bostic, now residing in Carbon
county.
Our suljject receixed the major portion of
his education in Minnesota and when they first
went there their nearest postoffice was sixty
miles distant. He remained with his fa-
ther in all the tra\'els mentioned abo\-e and
came with him to Montana. In 1894. he took
the place where he now resides as a homestead
and since that time has continued in the quiet
labors of improving his farm.
In 1 89 1 Mr. Bostic married Miss Cora B.
Barrow, who was born in Sauk county, Wis-
consin, her parents being Richard and Frances
(Fessenden) Barrow, natives of Sussex, Eng-
land, and descended from old and wealthy
English families. The children born to this
union are: Kenneth C, Richard H., Ivan
George and Edward .A. The oldest was born
in Billings, and the others in Carbon county.
Our subject had two brothers, George, de-
ceased, and Charles H., now living in Carbon
county, and one sister, Ida, the wife of W. S.
Cabbon, of Butte, Montana.
JOHN C. HOOPER, one of Carbon coun-
ty's agriculturists, though now confining his
labors to producing fruits of the field and stock
breetling, has, formerly, been active in various
lines and is well acquainted with many por-
tions of the west and northwest. He resides
five miles south from Bridger on a well im-
proved and irrigated farm, which he pur-
chased in 1900, and which is the family home
today. John C. Hooper was born in Indian-
apolis, Indiana, on November 26, 1856, the
son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Swift) Hooper,
natives of Pennsylvania. The father came
on to Indiana when the country was first being-
settled and followed buying and selling stock
and other speculation. He became very
wealthy, but he and his wife both died when
our subject was young. The father was a
veteran of the War of 1812, and had two
brothers in the Civil \Var. He died in Indi-
ana, as did his wife, also. She was a cousin
of the Swift now well known as a pork packer.
She came from Pennslyvania Dutch stock.
Owing to his being left an orphan when young.
John C. went to Iowa to dwell with an uncle.
After finishing the common schools, he went
to college in Kirksville, Missouri, there com-
pleting his education. He had prepared him-
self for teaching, but after following that for
a short time, he decided he would prefer an-
other life and so went to buying stock for his
uncle, Stephen Hooper, and later followed the
commission business in Iowa. He bought and
sold stock for many years, operated a hotel
in Fairfield, Iowa, for one year and in 1876
journeyed west. He traveled over most of the
country west of Nebraska, and that state as
well, finally settling down in the employ of the
Horse Shoe stock outfit in Wyoming. In
1895, ^f'"- Hooper lirought his family to Sher-
idan, W'yoming, then started on a trip over-
land through Idaho, Oregon and adjacent
states, seeking a location. It was 1900, as
stated above, when he lighted on his present
holdings and since that time he has devoted
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
liimself to farming and stock raising. Mr.
Hooper has also during liis life done much
freighting, especially in Montana, and is,
therefore, well acquainted with the country.
In 1884, Mr. Hooper married Miss Addie
Thompson, a native of Missouri, and there
have been born three children, Stella May,
Lloyd Ray and John Otis.
PETER \V. NELSON is the effi-
cient chief of police of Lix'ingston and
has held that office many years, being
appointed under each administration,
whether Repu1>lican or Denmcratic. h^or
twenty-three years Mr. Nelson has been
a resident of Livingston and is one
of the best known men in the city and is thor-
oughly imbued with the Montana spirit of pro-
gression and 'energ-y. He is a native i>f Pos-
vgrund, Norway, the date of his birth being
July 19, 1863. His father, Marcus Nelson, a
tanner by occupation, came with his family to
Racine, Wisconsin, in 1869, ha\ing crossed
the ocean in a sailing \-essel and landed in
Racine in June of that year. He soon built
a tannery and so lucrative was his business
that he soon had to enlarge it and he continued
in the management of the enterprise until 1880
when he turned it over t(_) his eldest son. His
death occurred May 20, 1903. His father,
Marcus Nelson, the g'randfather of our sub-
ject, was a pilot and died in 1867. Our sub-
ject's mother was Mary Hawkinson in maiden
life and her parents were John and Mary A.
Hawkinson, the father being- a pilot.
Peter W. was educated in the public
schools of Racine and when sixteen years age
went to work for his father in the tannery.
This continued until 1883 when he came west,
landing in Livingston in April of that year.
He soon found employment with Major
Pease, but in a short time left that and opened
a livery stable, which in 1886 he closed out
CD take x\[) the saloon business. This occupied
him until i8gi when he was elected chief of
police by the Repul)lican party. In the fall of
1892, in cnmiiany with George Davis, Mr.
Nelson opened the Davis & Nelson saloon. In
1897 Mr. Nelson was appointed chief of police
and fire chief by Mayor Thompson and since
that time he has continued in these offices, be-
i ing successixely appointed by both Democratic
I and Republican mayors, although in politics
I he is a Democrat.
!
On March 19, 1890, Air. Nelson married
Miss Addie Dale, the daughter of John and
Christina ( Narham ) Dale, nati\-es of Norway,
but immigrants to this country when children.
Mrs. Nelson was born in the town of Norway,
Racine county, Wisconsin, August 23, 1861.
Three children have been born to Mr. and
Mrs. Nelson, two of whom are still living,
namely: Franklin M., Ixirn December 10,
1891, and Alice J., liorn June 3, 1893. ^^''■'^•
Nelson is a member of the Congregational
church. Mr. Nelson is affiliated with the
Yeomen and the Elks.
SILAS C. PREWETT has a ([uarter sec-
tion of fine irrigated land three miles south
from Bridger and is one of the prosperous
ranchers of Carbon county. He was born in
Daviess county, Missouri, on April 16, 1870.
His father was Thomas Prewett, also a native
of Daviess county, Missouri. There he re-
mained engaged in farming until 1892, when
he journeyed west to Montana, settling on a
farm in Park county. Later he secured land in
Carbon county and in 1897 settled here where
he now resides. He married Sarah E. Clark,
a native of Indiana, and now residing with
him. Our subject's paternal grandfather, Wil-
liam Prewett, was a native of Kentucky and
came among the earliest white men to Daviess
county, Missouri.
Silas C, Prewett was reared and educated
4/6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
in Daviess county, and wlien twenty ^•eal■s old
came on west to Livingston, Alontana. He
was on the range f(jr a time and tlien secured
some stock and went into stockraising- for
himself. His headquarters were on tlie Shields
river and there he continued till 1897 when he
came to Carbon county and bought an Indian's
allotment near Gebo. This was the scene of
his labors until 1905, when he sold that and
purchased the land where he is now making
his home. As stated before, this is all under
the ditch and is valuable propertv. ^Ir. Pre-
wett gives his attention to general farming and
raises some stock.
In 1905 Mr. Prewett married Miss Bertha
Ridgway, who was born and reared in Boze-
man. Montana. Her parents, Millard A. and
Lavina (Corbly) Ridgway, are natives of Mis-
souri and Iowa, respectively, came to Mon-
tana in very early days and are now residing
in Carbon countv.
HON. CHRISTIAN YEGEN and
PETER YEGEN, in business known as
Yegen Brothers, stand at the head of some of
the most important enterprises of the state of
-Montana, which form a principal integral por-
tion of the business transactions of the entire
Yellowstone valley besides reaching exten-
sively into other parts of the state. ^Merchants,
bankers and general capitalists, whose early
business experiences were in a most humble
way, as will be seen from the following, the
story of their doings for the last quarter of a
century is not only intensely interesting and
instructive, but demonstrates, most emphat-
ically, two- things, namely: The princely re-
sources of the great state of Montana, and the
wisdom, stability, executive force and business
capacity of the men who ha\-e wrought these
most gratifying results. From the time of
their birth, in the far distant republic of Switz-
erland, the former on November 19, 1857. and
the latter on August 7, i860, through the
carefully and wisely selected courses of in-
struction for their early and more complete
educational training, for their father, Con-
rad Yegen, was an educator by profession antl
was scrupulously careful to fortify his sons
by the best instruction possible to be given to
the youth, on to the time of starting in a new
and barren land without capital, through its
hardships and trying experiences, losses, sick-
ness and the succeeding inception of a primi-
tively small business, on to better things and
steady growth while they climbed the ladder
of commercial success and business prosperity
to the position of capitalists and financiers,
theirs have been exceedingly busy lives,
crowded with action for existence, then plans
for enlargement and the conception of move-
ments that required active e.xecutive ability to
put into operation and maintain to the culmin-
ation a mammoth and lucrative series of
businesses. Busy lives, indeed, wherein has
never been found the hour to allow their spir-
its to be depressed, nor the moment to fold
the hands and "wait for something to turn
up." nor an instant to hunt for "luck." but ac-
tion, wise, ceaseless, forceful action dominated
everything and every moment and has pro-
duced its legitimate progeny, a success, which,
for volume and worth, is not duplicated in
any city in the entire United States of the class
of Billings. What a splendid picture of actual
fact to exhibit as an object lesson to .the youth
of the land, wrought out. as it has been, by
painstaking industry and wise thought. Away
with those hateful, demoralizing and soul be-
numbing tales of woe .so frequently heard from
the lips of lazy youths in this day, "There are
not so good chances as father had," "I am
down on m}- luck." "Everything is against
me," they are all lies, hatched by laziness and
effemiinateness brought on through lack of
good, honest, noble work. The plain .\nglo-
Saxon word, work, stiff and plenty, is the only
antidote to this degenerate spirit. Look and
I
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
477
see, here is an example and to get the per-
specti\-e properly pore over the long- years of
patient industry these men went through with
no better prospect than _\-ou have. They gained
success, but they did nut du it with kid gloves
on their hands, neither will you. Pull off
your coats, roll up your sleeves and take hold
of good, honest work and success will follow
your wise efforts, now and in the future, as
it has in the past.
But let us read the story of these lives told
simply and plainly. The living children of the
family besides the men mentioned above, are
Margaret Alleman and Dorothea Plater, in
Switzerland ; Elizabeth Copman, in Wyoming ;
and John, in Bismarck, North Dakota. The
dear old parents, Conrad and Emerita (Pra-
der) Yegen, passed away in Switzerland, their
native land, in 1885, having passed industri-
ous and honorable lives, the father following
the work of the educator. Christian was ed-
ucated to take his father's place, but he pre-
ferred a business life and so in 1879, he came
to Bismarck to join his brother John and sister
Dorothea. From him Christian learned the but-
ter trade and the next year he took a small
farm and in 1881 sent for his brother, Peter,
who had lieen farming in a small way in the
old country. \\'ith the help of their sister,
Dorothea, they all spent one season on the
farm and then purchased a small restaurant
in Glendive, Montana, whence they went the
last of 1 88 1 to conduct the section house at
Terry station. It was days of palmy buffalo
hunting and they served buffalo meat, some
cranberries and bread for seventy-five cents
per meal and did well, as there was a rush
of people, and in 1882 landed in Billings with
three thousand dollars. This was in April and
they rented a small bakery, but as the rail-
road moved on, Billings became dead and all
three of them fell sick simultaneously with
mountain fever. 1884 saw them broke and four
hundred dollars in debt. They again opened a
small bakerv and baked their materials in the
morning and peddled it in the afternoon. Five
dollars was a good day's receipts in those
times. Later it came up to thirty dollars a day
and inside of a year they purchased for tw-enty-
seven hundred dollars their first building.
Soon after this they added a small stock of
groceries, being now on the south side, near
their present location. The next move was a
structure, two stories, twenty-eight by eighty
feet on their present location. In 1893, they
built an addition about the same size as their
former building to be used for hardware. The
next year they added fifty feet to the rear of
the grocery and built a new structure as large
as all their other buildings and filled it w-ith
dry goods of the best kinds and well assorted.
Still their growing business demanded more
room and they extended the hardware back
fifty feet and added another story, this being
in 1898. After this they erected a cold stor-
age plant, thirty by thirty-four feet. It
was in 1900 that the Yegen Brothers
embarked in banking, opening a savings bank
in Billings, the first of its kind in
the city, and during that year they
added a building seventy-five feet by one
hundred and thirty to accommodate tlieir in-
creased hardware and implement trade. In
1903 other savings banks were started, one at
Anaconda and one at Gardiner, and the fol-
lowing year one was opened in Butte. In
1903 they purchased the wholesale grocery
business of Millis & Company, together with
the spacious warehouses of that concern and
added that to their own already immense busi-
ness. In 1902 the Yegen Brothers incorpor-
ated under the same title and aside from some
stock sold to a few of their trusted employees,
they retain it all. They have platted two ad-
ditions to the city of Billings and aside from
their business tbey have found time to mani-
fest themselves citizens of keen interest in the
development and growth of the city and
county, to which they have contributed in no
mean way.
478
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Peter Yegen was married in September
1890, to Margueritte Tripp, a native of Switz-
erland. Her parents live near Lewiston,
Montana. The fruit of this marriag-e is three
children, David, Peter, and Elizabeth.
The marriage of Christian Yegen and
Laura B. Clark was celebrated on August 27,
1893, and they have five children, Louise,
Dora, Mildred, Virginia, and Christian. Mrs.
Yegen's father, W. R. Clark, was formerly of
Bozeman, this state, but he now resides in
Vancouver, Washington.
The Yegen brothers are Republicans in
politics and have ever striven to set in
action those principles they Ijelieve to be
for the welfare of the country. In
1892 Christian Yegen was chosen alder-
man of Billings, two years later he was
sent to the lower house of state repre-
sentatives, in 1896 he was chosen mayor of
Bilhngs, and in 1902 he was called by the
people to serve as state senator, being re-
elected to succeed himself in 1904. Thus it
is evident that the people are appreciative of
the integrity and ability that has won the suc-
cess that is now crowning the labors of Mr.
Yegen and have determined that he should
have ample opportunity to use the same in
public matters, and it is known to all that he
has faithfully discharged the duties of public
life as he has those of private business.
DANIEL W. TRIPP resides at Gardiner,
Montana, where he conducts a liquor store.
He was born in Fredonia, Maine, April 27,
1866, the son of Daniel and Emile (Higgins)
Tripp. The father was born in Bedford,
Maine, in 1821, followed sailing in his youth
and then farmed until his death at the age of
fifty-four. The mother was a native of Geor-
gia. They were the parents of five children.
Our subject received his education from the
common schools of his native place and then,
when eighteen, started in life for himself. He
determined to see the west and from the infor-
mation obtainable, he decided Montana was
the proper place and soon we find him at
White Sulphur Springs in Meagher county
and lor some years he was employed with the
stage -company. After this he followed the
fortunes of freighting and the arduous labor
connected with that acti\-ity until 1890, in
which year he removed to Gardiner and was
employed by the transportation company un-
til 1901. At the last mentioned the opened
his present business and has remained in it
since.
On September 27. 1903, Mr. Tripp mar-
ried Miss Jessie May Fitzgerald, the daughter
of S. M. and Mary Fitzgerald, mention of
whom will be found in another portion of this
work. j\Irs. Tripp is a member of the Epis-
copalian church. Mr. Tripp is a Republican
in politics and is always interested in the cam-
paigns. Fraternally he is affiliated with the
Eagles.
It is of interest to note that Mr. Tripp's
great-grandfather was the commander of a
war vessel during the Revolution while his
mother's father was a colonel in the southern
armv at the time of the Rebellion.
WILLIAM CALAWAY ADAMSON,
who resides about three miles south from
Bridger where he has a fine ranch well watered
and productive, is a native Kentuckian. Crit-
tenden county of the Blue Grass State is his
native heath and February 29, 1850, is the date
of his birth. His parents were born in Ken-
tucky, also, and both died when this son was
a small lad. They were William and Salina
(Dempsey) Adamson, both from old Ken-
tucky families. Our subject followed coal min-
ing in his younger days and continued in the
native state until 1889, when he came west to
Sheridan, Wyoming. There, also, he mined
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
479
the black diamonds and later went to the Black-
Hills. Soon, ho\ve\'ei", he returned to Wyom-
ing and finally came out to Red Lodge. When
the Crow Indian reservation was opened he
came to his present location and here he has
labored since, in the cultivation of the soil
and in stock raising.
The marriage of W. C. Adamson and JMiss
Frances A. Necum was celebrated in Kentucky
on October 9, 1868. Mrs. Adamson was born
in the same county as her husband, her parents
being- Wesley and Margaret (Hoyt) Necum,
natives, respectively, of Kentucky and New
York State.
To our subject and his wife the following-
named children have been born, Nancy L.,
Morence E., Mvrtle B., Estella G., and Marv A.
BENJAMIN S. HOLLOPETER resides
three miles southwest of Bigtimber, on one of
the largest rural places in Sweet Grass county
He is one of the very successful men of the
county and has gained his entire property
holding by reason of his careful efforts, wisely
bestowed, since coming to the state of Mon-
tana. His birth occurred at Covington, Ohio
on November 7, 1863. Samuel Hollopeter, his
father, was brought from the Keystone State
overland by his parents, John Hollopeter and
wife, when a small child. They were pioneers
to Ohio and opened up a farm in the wilds of
that country. Samuel was born in 1833 in
Pennsylvania and spent the larger portion of
his life on and near the old home place in
Ohio and died there in 1895. He married
Katherine Shellabarger, whose father, Jacob
Shellabarger, also brought his family from
Pennsylvania to Ohio in those primitive days.
Katherine Hollopeter was born in Pennsyl-
vania in 1829 and died in Ohio 1875. Our
subject is the third of seven children, the old-
est of whom died when three years of age.
He has one sister, Mrs. David McAllister, now
living in Oregon. His brother, Jacob, lives
in .\labama antl the rest of the family in Ohio.
Our subject served his time faithfully in the
common schools of Ohio and as early as 1875
went to Darke county, Ohio, and took up life's
battles for himself. For six successive years
he labored there for wages and then returned
to Miami county and followed agricultural
pursuits for nine years. It was about 1889
when he determined to see the west and shortly
after that we find him in Illinois, whence
after a brief stay, he came on to Montana,
arriving in 1890. A few months were spent in
the employment of W. P. Franklin near Mel-
ville and then for a year he was to be found
with Charles Severance in Judith Basin. Sub-
sequent to that- time, he moved to Bigtimber
and took up carpenter work in which he had
perfected himself years before and Mr. Hollo-
peter well remembers the celebration, of July
4th, 1891, which was properly carried out by
laying the floor of the Grand Hotel. About
that time he purchased a team and took a con-
tract to furnish the stone for the Montana
Trading Company's store and the Kellogg
and Walbridge buildings and while engaged in
this business, he located a ranch five miles
from Bigtimber, the property he still owns.
Thus Mr. Hollopeter launched out in farming
and stock raising for himself. Beginning in
a very small way, he soon found himself con-
fronted with the panic times of 1893 and sub-
sequent and it required every vestige of de-
termination and power on his part to maintain
himself without going to the wall. However, he
succeeded in pulling through those days with-
out loss of his stock or ranch and began his ca-
reer of success which was very fittingly pre-
faced by those years of hardship, which instead
of lessening his courage only increased his spirit
and hardened him for the battle to come. With
a renewed vigor obtained by thus overcoming,
Mr.Hollopeter began operations in such a man-
ner that success could but abide with him and
all the years along from that time until the
48o
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
present, have seen him steadily increasing' in
wealth and favor the becoming results of his
worth and operation. He has doubled his land
holdings, has made himself a reputation as a
stock breeder that is excellent throughout the
state, having both short horn cattle, Shrop-
shire sheep and other animals. At the present
time, however, Mr. Hollopeter is disposing of
his cattle interests and giving his entire at-
tention in the stock line to breeding horses.
He has a nine-fifteenths interest in the Belgian
Horse Company which owns a thoroughbred
Stallion, known as Colas 11, one of the finest
horses in this part of the state. In addition to
these labors of stock breeding, Mr. Hollopeter
has been doing general farming and the man-
ner in which he has improved his home place
bespeaks the taste, thrift and ability of which
he is possessed. Excellent orchards of cherry,
apple and plum trees are in evidence and he
has recently added to these a thousand more
fruit trees. His dwelling is a comfortable and
fine structure and stands on a sloping fiat
overlooking Boulder Creek and surrounded by
natural cottonwood trees. On one side of the
dwelling stretch out his well kept orchards
and pleasant alfalfa fields to the hills a quarter
of a mile away. Up the creek the scenery is
grand and diversified ending in the snow-
capped mountains of a distant range. Alto-
gether it is one of the most pleasant and beauti-
ful places to be found in the county .
On December 23, 1895, ^I"". Hollopet-^r
married Anna Mary Wetzel of Carlisle, Penn-
sylvania and since that happy day she has been
a faithful helpmeet, assisting in the good work
of providing their present competence and
building their pleasant home. They have one
child, Bertha A., born January 17, 1905. Mrs.
Hollopeter is the daughter of Moses and
Susan (Waggoner) Wetzel, the father a na-
tive of Carlisle and the mother of Perry county,
Pennsylvania. The family moved to Coving-
ton, Ohio in 1876 and twelve years later, went
thence to Oxford, Indiana where thev now re
side. It was 1895 when this daughter came
to ]\Iontana. She is a descendant of Lewis
Wetzel, whose father ami brother were killed
by the Indians on the Ohio river. Owing to this
dastardly massacre Lewis became enraged and
vowed to reap vengeance on the Red Skins,
which for many years he did with such awful
effect that he was a terror to the Red Skins
and his name is placed among the celebrated
Indian fighters.
Everything pertaining to the Hollopeter
estate shows forth those marks of thrift, pains-
taking taste and progressiveness bestowed by
the proprietors even from the smallest detail
to the largest operations and improvements.
The place is very valuable, being well irrigated
and provided with all kinds of substantial im-
provements and certainly Mr. and ]\Irs. Hollo-
peter are to be congratulated upon the excel-
lent success that they have wrought out by
their own labors and the pleasant home which
they now have the privilege of enjoying in
these days of their lives while yet they have
not reached the zenith of their powers, though
fit for keener enjo3'ment than in the days when
age shall have circumscribed them.
HEXRY CLAY HOWARD has done
work in Custer county that entitles him to be
mentioned among the very leading settlers and
capable men of this section of Montana and
it is a matter of instruction to all to recount
his labors and achie\-ements in this country.
At the present time he resides in the Tongue
valley, three miles above Etna, and has one of
the choice ranches of the entire valley. It
consists of two thousand acres, much of which
is under irrigation, all well improved, and all
the result of his own careful and persistent
labors and keen foresight. His stock consists
of cattle, horses and sheep.
Turning more particularly to the details 01
Air. Howard's career, we will see the spirit that
HENRY C. HOWARD
JOHN LEWIS GUILER
GEORGE HIRSCH
JAMES H. CALH(
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
has won this success, and will admire it more
as we become acquainted with the great odds
ag'ainst him.
Henry C. Howard was born in Tamworth,
New Hampshire, in 1828. His father, Alger-
non S. Howard, a native of Bridg-ewater, Mas-
sachusetts, descended from one of the leading
colonial families, immigrants from the Brit-
ish Isles, who participated in all the early
colonial wars, as well as the struggle for free-
dom, ]Mr. .A. S. Howard, himself, being also
a soldier in many of these. He grew up in
Massachusetts, removed to New Hampshire,
later to Elaine, Bangor, thence to the rural dis-
tricts and there spent his remaining days. He
came from stanch, old Puritan stock and was a
man who commanded respect and esteem from
all classes. His family was long lived and pos-
sessed all those virtues so characteristic of
those grand old colonists who braved every
danger for the privilege of freedom of consci-
ence and the establishment of those institu-
tions which were and are productive of such
abundant good to their descendants and
through this nation to the whole world. A. S.
Howard married Miss Almira Chapman, a
native of New Hampshire and a descendant
from Dutch ancestors, who were, also, early
settlers among the colonists.
When the family went to Maine in 1836,
our sul)ject was a young lad, but remembers
the journey and in the new location he was
educated and reared. He studied in the com-
mon schools, worked on the farm in sum-
mers, did lumbering in the winters, and by
1 85 1, having been of an economical turn, had
sufficient capital to try the far west and set
sail in October of that year from Boston, via
Cape Horn to San Francisco, arriving in the
latter port in March, 1852. He was ready
for the gold excitement that was filling the air
and at once went to the front with briglit
hopes. For two years he mined, prospected
and wrought in the new Mecca of the wesi.
and then turned his face toward his home in
Maine, this time trying the journey via the
isthmus. He arrived safely, married, and soon
had selected a farm for his future labors.
Lumbering with farming occupied him there
for twenty years, and his success was most ex-
cellent for he gathered a fortune in his labors.
This was in the vicinity of Fort Fairfield,
]\Iaine. Then, he began to long for the west
again. In 1882, his desires took definite form
and he came via the Northern Pacific to Miles
City, with the intention of seeking out a good
stock ranch and embarking in that business.
He scoured the southeast portion of the state
well and finally located where we find him at
the present time, taking a homestead. Remem-
lier that the country was new then, and opera-
tions were attended with all that that means,
which is always patent to the pathfinder, but
never can be fully described to one who has
never passed through those environments. Mr.
Howard at once set to work improving his land
and getting a start in the stock business, in-
vesting heavily in animals for a start. In those
days wild grass was so abundant that no one
thought of providing forage for the winter
and adopting the rule of the country, Mr.
Howard increased his herds rapidly without
any thought for winter hay. All went well till
the memorable winter of 1886-7, ^vhich is so
deeply marked in the annals of Montana, that
hundreds of thousands in money could not
cover the losses in stock alone to these sections.
Mr. Howard was no exception to the rule, and
in that dread winter he was forced to see the
accumulations of years taken from him, and
that, too, right before his eyes. Ninety-five
per cent of his entire holdings succumbed to
the inevitable. By dispensing what little meal
be could secure at the railroad and by cutting
down the cottonwood trees for the poor ani-
mals to browse on, Mr. Howard succeeded in
saving a few cows, but in the spring he found
he was out of business. His accumulations for
482
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
years were represented by bleaching; bones on
the plains, and lie had the problem of snpport-
ing- a family without means in a new and
strang-e country. He had nothing to return to
Maine with and if he had had, we doubt not he
would have spent it in some enterprise here, for
he is not the man to put his hand to the plow
and look back. He went to gardening, mak-
ing butter and so he gained food and clothes
for his household. Indians brought in wild
game which he could purchase cheaply and this
aided much. Everyone had lost faith in cat-
tle, so Air. Howard, believing as the others
did, began raising horses, but by the time he
had a good band, horses were not worth the
price of shipping out of the country and there
was no sale here for them. Thwarted again,
Mr. Howard, determined never to give up,
began the problem of irrigation, working on
it in his own thoughts. He had no capital to
lift the water from Tongue river, no other
water could be reached, what should he do? A
dry creek had its course over his land, and he
conceived the idea of making dikes across this
at dififerent places to hold the water of the
spring freshets and showers, so that he could
at intervals let this water go down into the
levels below the dike. He believed the little
lake bottom thus soaked would raise a crop,
and he put his belief into practice by making
some of these dikes. His neighbors laughed at
him. So people did and have done at all ad-
vanced ideas. But Mr. Howard was right and
he soon had crops growing. Then he con-
tracted for more land and extended his sys-
tem of irrigation, and it has bpen in successful
operation to his great financial advantage ever
since. During these years, the few head of
stock Mr. Howard had saved from the snow
had increased and after disposing of his horses,
he turned the cattle oven to his son on shares
and took up sheep raising himself. He began
this by taking a band of seven hundred on
shares. He had a struggle in this line for in
Cleveland's administration he sold wool for
five and six cents per pound, but he continued
and soon success came to him, the success thnt
rewards genuine intelligent effort. He has
continued in this line of business since and
has regained what he lost in the ravages of
winter and the low prices of horses. His herds
number ten thousand all the time, besides
horses and cattle, of which he has a few
hundred.
It is interesting to note some of the exper-
iences Mr. Howard relates. He needed a
wagon, but had none nor had he the money to
buy one with. So he conceived the idea .>t
making one and his ingenuity soon had the
vehicle ready for use, having utilized some old
rake wheels and supplied other indispensable
parts of his own handiwork. In fact it is said
of Air. Howard, owing to his skill and prac-
tical ideas, that if he needs anything he can
take his pocket knife and whittle it out. Such
are the men wlm have opened the west and
made it what it is today. Mr. Howard is one
of twehe children who are scattereil all over
the world and all the winners of abundant
success.
Air. H(^ward has the following named
children : Xellie. the wife of Edward Phil-
brick ; Annie, the wife of C. W. VanHorn;
Grace, the wife of Charles Harris; Bessie, sin-
gle ; and H. M. Howard.
Nearly one-fourth of a century has rolled
by since Air. Howard drove his stakes in Cus-
ter county and during that time almost every
conceivable obstacle has confronted him in his
path, but despite it all he has overcome by
sheer determination and resourcefulness, and
has so managed all that today he is counted one
of the wealthy men of the county and
is known as one of its builders. Al-
though nearly four-score years have passed
Iw since his birth, he is still hale and
hearty and looks w'lth bright hopes and expec-
tations on the 'path of life, while the golden
years of his days are being spent amid the
plenty his lalxirs have provided.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
483
JOHN LEWIS GUILER, a prosperous
farmer and earnest and conscientious minister
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, residing-
two and one-half miles east of Laurel, ]\Ion-
tana, was born in Noble county, Ohio, August
2";, 1850. His father, Alexander Guiler, was
burn near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 18 18.
He was a farmer and at the age of 16 he went
to Xoble county, Ohio, where he made his
home in the woods, and where he remained
until his death in 1884. He accompanied his
uncle, Alexander Franklin, and the family
came in 1836. He was a leader in church work
in the Methodist Episcopal Church. His father
came from the north of Ireland, and was of
Scotch-Irish stock, and member of the Presby-
terian Church. He came to the Lfnited States
during the French and Indiaii war. Not be-
lieving in the policy of that war he came to
America, so that he would not have to fight
for a cause he ditl not believe in. Having
started for America, he discovered he had for-
gotten something, and returned. He then
sailed on another ship, and in this manner be-
came separated from his wife, and did not
again find her for two years, when she was
discovered in New York City. Following the
death of his first wife he married Miss ]\Iary
Franklin, a relative of Benjamin Franklin.
I'he mother of our subject, Sarah E.
( Wharton ) Guiler, was born near Barnesville,
Ohio, in 1822. She was of English origin, and
her people were pioneers of Ohio.
Our subject received an excellent education
in Delaware, Ohio, at the Ohio Wesleyan Uni-
\ ersity. He then entered the ministry and for
two years preached in eastern Ohio. Was
ordained deacon in 1884, and elder in 1888,
the latter in Montana. During the first two
years he had three hundred converts in Monroe
and Washington counties, Ohio. In 1885 he
came to Billings, where he became pastor of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, remaining
two years, he jbuilt the church and thence he
went to Boulder, Montana, and there for four
years was a popular minister. Thence he went
to Butte for two years, and became one in a
corporation of three that purposed to build up
a temperance town in the Yellowstone Valley.
This company erected the first flouring mill in
eastern Montana, at a cost of $15,000. It was
in 1892 that Reverend Guiler came to his pres-
ent location. Since that period he has con-
fined his attention chiefly to farming, although
still supplying the church circuits. He has
developed the bee culture and thoroughly dem-
onstrated that bees can be successfully reared
with profit in Montana. He has 160 hives, his
being the largest apiary in the state. This,
alone, has added thousands of dollars to the
industries of Montana.
During the panic of 1893 he lost all of his
property. At present he hals 213 acres of land,
all paid for and under good system of irriga-
tion. On April 11, 1880, he was united in
marriage to Lottie V. Summers, born in Free-
dom, Noble county, Ohio, where she was
reared. Her father, John Summers, was a
pioneer of Montana, coming to Billings in
1880; her mother was Harriet (Milner) Sum-
mers. They have seven children: Jennie N.,
wife of Henry S. Nutt, living on adjoining
farm; Hattie E., wife of Francis H. Porter, a
farmer, living nearby: Aroma, a teacher in
Rosebud county; Mabel P., William L.,
Homer L., John A.
GEORGE HIRSCH is one of the well-to-
do residents of the Tongue valley and has the
distinction of being a pioneer of Custer county
for he came into these regions in 1882, nearly
a quarter of a century ago. From the sub-
stantial country of Germany hails the subject
of this sketch, and Bavaria is his native state.
His birth occurred on November 23, 1840. His
father, Lenhardt Hirsch, was born in the same
place, as was also. Margaret Haat, the lady he
married. The parents were farmers and re-
484
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
mained in Germany until tiieir death. George
was reared on the home farm and was edu-
cated in the pubhc schools and when of mature
age was employed in Bavaria until he was
twenty-nine years of age. Then he decided
to bid adieu to the Fatherland and try his for-
tune in the United States. Accordingly he
sailed to New York and thence came on to
Indiana. Later he went to Colorado, and from
there to the Black Hills in Dakota. During
these years, Mr. Hirsch was on the frontier
all the time and was well experienced in fron-
tier life and pioneering. As stated before, he
came on to Custer county in 1882, he was occu-
pied in freighting for a time, then was engaged
with the Diamond R outfit. As early as 1883,
Mr. Hirsch filed on the place he now lives on
and since then he has been engaged in farming
and raising stock. He has had good success
and is one of the prosperous men of the valley
and controls considerable property. All his
holdings are the result of his labors since com-
ing here and he has reason to take pride in
what he has accomplished in this line.
Mr. Hirsch is residing at his home place
on the Tongue ri\er enjoying the golden years
of a well spent life. Years ago, in far away
Germany he was united in marriage with Caro-
line G. Volkemer and to them was born a son,
George M., now minister of the Reform church
in Portland, Oregon.
JAMES H. CALHOUN, a well known
business man living one-half mile west of Bil-
lings, is a native of Ohio, having been born in
Jefferson county November 28, 1846. His
parents were Thomas and Harriet (Maple)
Calhoun, the former a native of Pennsylvania ;
the latter of Ohio, ^\■hen but a small lad
Thomas Calhoun removed with his parents to
Ohio and the family settled on a farm near
East Spring-field. On attaining his majority
his lather presented him with a farm, and upon
this property he continued to reside until his
death at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.
His father (Adley Calhoun), the paternal
grandfather of our subject, was a native of Ire-
land, but of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He was a
prominent pioneer of Ohio and became quite
wealthy. The mother of our subject remained
in Ohio during the full term of her Hie.
James H. Calhoun was educated in the pub-
lic schools of Ohio, and on attaining manhood
began working for wages, at first in the state
of Pennsylvania. It was in 1870 that he re-
moved to Clinton county, Missouri, where he
continued employment as a laborer for wages.
But on returning to Ohio he was engaged in
the mercantile business for a number of years.
To Billings, Montana, he came in 1886, and
here he took a homestead about nine miles west
of the city, remaining on the same until two
years ago, when he rented this property and
purchased several ten-acre lots near Billings.
Upon one of them he erected a fine house and
other convenient and necessary buildings.
In 1890 Mr. Calhoun married Martha
Rogers, a native of Milan, Ohio. Mr. Calhoun
is a Democrat and a trustee of the ^lethodist
Episcopal church.
WILLIAM LAVELLE is one of the sul>
stantial business men of Billings, being owner
and operator of the Billings brick yard, which
is one of the manufacturing plants of the city.
The yard was established in May, 1905, and it
has furnished practically all the brick used in
building in Billings since that time. The first
product from Mr. Lavelle's yard to be used
in Billings was the brick for the Stapleton
block and since that time he has kept the plant,
which has a capacity of thirty thousand bricks
daily, in operation at all times possible to do
so in order to supply the demand for bricks.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
48s
He has the contract for the new fifty thousand
(loUar Cathohc church now I>ein,g completed
in BiUings and as the huikling of the city is
on the incerase, Mr. Lavelle has determined
to increase the capacity of liis yard in the
very near future. He turns out a superior
quality of brick and is a thorough master of
the business of manufacturing and burning
brick, which is a very favorable thing for the
progressive city of Billings as it is of the ut-
most importance that its beautiful buildings
in course of erection and contemplation should
b€ composed of the best to be had.
Referring to the life of Mr. La\-elle in
detail, we note that he hails frnm tlie good old
Emerald Isle, whence come many of our most
exemplary citizens, his birth occurring on No-
vember 12, 1862, in Mayo county. His father,
William Lavelle, was a farmer in Ireland and
remained there till his death. He married Miss
Nora Barrett, who is still living in the native
land. Eleven children were born to our sub-
ject's parents who now live, seven of whom
are in Alontana. When seventeen William
came to the United States alone and visited
relatives in Scranton, Pennsylvania. That was
in 1879, and soon after that he came on to
Livnigstnn, Montana, where he soon engaged
in learning the brick business, both the manu-
facture and the burning. In 1881, he went
thence to Butte and worked at the same busi-
ness until 1890, when he established a j'ard
for himself. He conducted that successfully
in Butte until his removal to Billings, as stated
alx)ve, since which time he has given his at-
tention to the conduct of his plant here.
Mr. Lavelle has never seen fit to embark
on the matrimonial sea, but still enjoys single
blessedness. He is a life long member of the
Catholic church and a stanch supporter of his
faith.
Mr, Lavelle has a capital nf twenty thous-
and dollars in his brick plant and it will be
much larger and better when he finishes the
contemplated improvements and enlargement.
MONFORT BRAY resides in the Rose-
bud Valley, eighteen miles from Forsyth and
is one of the pioneers of this portion of Mon-
tana. He is a prominent farmer and stock
raiser and has done very much to bring up the
grade of stock, horses and cattle, in this por-
tion of the state. Mr. Bray takes keen interest
in stock raising. In the spring of 1906 he
became owner of a Percheron stallion which
is one of the finest animals in this part of the
state. He has some thoroughbred Short Horns
and his herds compare favorably with those of
^Montana. At the home place. Mr. Bray owns
five hundred acres of deeded land and leases
very much more. His is a very good place and
he is improving it.
Monfort Bray was born on the Hudson
river in New York, December 4, 1862, the
son of William and Katherine Permilla (Shoe-
maker) Bray. His education was received
from the native schools of his state and in the
summers he was occupied on his lather's farm.
In March, 1893 ^^^ '^^^ New York to join his
father and older brother, who were in Mon-
tana. In the same month, he landed in Mon-
tana and was soon engaged in working for
wages. As cattle raising- was to be the only
industry then flourishing in this portion of
Montana, Mr. Bray at once went to riding
the range as a cow boy. He worked for others
but a short time, however, for he soon gathered
a few head of horses for himself and started
in business. Afterwards he began also to raise
cattle and he has continued handling both
kinds of stock since. In July, 1885. he located
a homestead where he now resides and the
balance of his estate he has secured by pur-
chase. Mr. Bray is one of the stock producers
of the country and is also one of Montana's
well known and esteemed pioneers.
On July I, 1906, Mr. Bray married Fran-
ces I. Jones, a native of Orovdle, California,
where also she was reared and educated. Her
parents, Tom and ^lary (Meyers) Jones, were
natives of California. Mr. Bray's brothers and
486
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
sisters, who were all born in Xew York state,
are named as follows: William, Jr., who came
to Montana in 1881 and settled in Custer
county and is now living in Butte ; Hilan, who
came with our subject and resides near; Smith,
who came with his mother to Montana in
1886; Mart also came in 1886; Katie, de-
ceased; Cora, the wife of H. H. Williams of
Sheridan, Wyoming, and \'iola, wife of James
Williams at Kalispel, Montana.
Mr. Bray is a member of the I. O. O. F.
and he assisted in getting the postoffice of Bas-
inski established in the Rosebud Valley and
was postmaster for nine years, when the otiice
was discontinued.
ROBERT B. HUDSON, a progressive
rancher and stockman, residing five miles west
of Nye, on Limestone creek, was born in Osh-
awa, Ontario, Canada, February 8, 1866. His
father, Frederick, was Canadian born, and his
father, Robert, was a native of Massachusetts,
of Plymouth ancestry. The father of our sub-
ject at present resides at Absarokee, aged
seventy-five years. His mother, Catherine
(McDermott) Hudson, still lives, aged seven-
ty-seven.
Our subject received his early education in
the state of Michigan, where his father had
moved when Robert B. was three years of age.
When 18 he left the old home in the Michigan
pine woods and worked at various employ-
ments. He then came to Montana, making
his first stop at Livingston, where he was em-
ployed on the range two years. During this
period he passed some time mining. In 1880
he came to his present location and secured a
homestead of 160 acres. It was then a wild
country, and he assisted in cutting the road
that let the wagon up the river. He is the first
settler on the west fork of the Stillwater. The
nearest postofifice was at Nye City, which was
then "booming." When coming to Nye he
recalls walking through town and seeing bar-
ber shops, blacksmith shops, etc., and every-
thing that marked a boom town, and from
where the owners had walked out and left
everything behind. The postoffice was event-
ually moved to its present site in 1893. He
remained here until 1892 when settlement be-
gan in earnest. The first school was estab-
lished in 1894.
Our subject came here with no cash capi-
tal, and twenty-three head of cattle, and
rustled along the first few years, not daring to
leave his stock in summer on account of cattle
rustlers. These hardships were accompanied
with others which made life at times unendur-
able. From his small capital Mr. Hudson has
grown to be one of the most prosperous
ranchers in Sweet Grass county. He has about
300 Hereford cattle from which he breeds.
March 16, 1896, our subject was married
to Miss Anna Cooke, a native of Ireland, and
reared in Goderich, Ontario, where she grew
to womanhood. Her parents, Henry and
Louisa (Deacon) Cooke, are both dead. Her
father was sergeant major in the British
army. He joined the Second Batallion of the
Sixtieth King's Rifle Corps in 1844, and served
in different parts of Canada, Africa, India, etc.
and also participated in the Kaffir war of 183 1-
52-53. He was in the center of the India
mutiny three years later. He was in China
where he was stationed outside of the gates
of Pekin when the memorable destruction of
the emperor's palace occurred in 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Hudson have two children,
Edna, torn November 14, 1898, and Ruth
Evelyn, born February 9, 1901. Fraternally
Mr. Hudson is a member of Pleuticoos Tribe,
I. O. R. M., of Columbus. Politically he is
a Republican, but not active.
JOHN BAMBER, a veteran of the Civil
War and now an active member of the G. A.
R., Thomas L. Cain post No. 12, Glendive, is
one of the staunch representatives and sub-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
487
stantial agriculturists of Dawson county. His
fine farm of three hundred acres is just two
miles north of Glendive. He recently sold a
section of land in this vicinity and still has
one of the largest farms in the country. Air.
Bamber has led an e\'entful career and is now-
privileged to spend the golden years of his life
in peace and plenty, having the solid comfort
of knowing that he bravely assisted to fight
the nation's battles and has won from dame
nature his competence by honest labor.
John Bamber was born in Lancashire.
England, March 12, 1841. His father, Thomas
Critchley, was born, lived and died in Lanca-
shire, England, never traveling more than a
few miles from his home place, Leland, which
was six miles from Preston. His death was
the result of an accident in 1871. he being then
fifty-two years old. He was a direct de-
scendant of the old Critchley family, one of
whom was a general under James I. Our
subject took the name of Bamber as his mother.
Mary Bamber, took her maiden name after
the death of her husband. She died in Eng-
land in 1903 aged eighty-eight. John is the
oldest of five children, two of whom are living,
his brother William being in Pennsylvania,
having been employed for thirty-two years on
the Pennsylvania Railroad. From the com-
mon schools, Mr. Bamber gained his education
and he celebrated his twenty-first birthday on
the ship coming to New York City. After
landing he went direct to Long Beach, New
Jersey, and one year later, went to Pittston,
Pennsylvania, as a coal miner. He left this
occupation to enlist in Company G, 20th Con-
necticut \'olunteers, and in that capacity was
with Sherman on his famous march to the sea.
Mr. Bamber w^as brought into very close re-
lations with General Hooker, whom he knows
well to have been both a general and a hero.
The excellent action of the general at the time
of the siege won for him the w^arm and hearty
approval not only of Mr. Bamber but of thou-
sands of others. Mr. Bamber's old camp mate.
Jesse Moor, died four years ago in Connec-
ticut and their relations in camp life ripened
in a life long friendship. Four months of our
subject's martial service were spent amid the
horrors of Andersonville. The inhuman and
awful treatment that was there given to the
wretched inmates drove him crazy and for two
w'eeks he w'as a maniac. The horrors of that
place and those times can never lie fully de-
picted and it is with feeling of pain to this
day that Mr. Bamber refers to those days.
Finally he succeeded in getting out and often
he has been posted on picket duty where he
could talk to the enemy's pickets. On July 27,
1865. after much hardship, and brave service
Mr. Bamber was mustered out and went back
to the mines, working the summer of 186.6
with a rebel. In March, 1867, he went to
Westmoreland county. Pennsylvania, and fol-
lowed mining in the capacity of an ordinary
miner and boss until 1875, '" which year he
moved to Des Moines, Iowa, and again went
underground. Seven years were spent there,
whence he had come to avoid the labor troubles
of Pennsylvania when he found them just as
severe. Finally in 1882. he quit a foreman's
position in the mines to come to Montana and
decided never to mine again for' other people.
He located a homestead that year, where he
now resides and adjoining it was coal land and
his skill during the winter of 1886 and 1887,
was the means of saving the people of Glen-
dive from freezing to death as fuel was not
to be had from any other place. He opened
up a lead and coal w-as furnished the needy
people. Mr. Bamber worked the property for
three years and then gave his attention to
ranching. He has seen Montana from its
rough condition of 1882 when the vigilantes
were the order of the day, whom he fed on one
occasion to the present prosperous condition
and of all the places he has been on earth, he
chooses Montana ahead of any other. His
farm is well improved and he is one of the well
to do men of the country.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
In Pennsylvania. Mr. Bamber married
Mary J. Ralph, a native of Bristol, England,
who had come to the United States when five
years of age. They have become the parents
of eleven children, Francis, living at Glendive ;
Eliza, wife of James Butler, at Glendive; Alice,
at home; Elias, at Glendive; Emma, wife of
George Twible, stock detective at Glendive;
George, at Glendive. The following are de-
ceased, John, Sarah J., Emma and two who
died in infancy.
Mr. Bamber was a leader in labor affairs
in early days but is now bitterly opposed to the
strikes, ^\'hile in national affairs he votes as
he fought, in local politics he is independent.
Since leaving England, Mr. Bamber has paid
two visits to the motherland and contemplates
another soon: but as stated before, Montana
is his home.
WILLIAM WISEHAM TERRETT.
The Terrett family is one of America's oldest
families, the progenitors having settled in the
early days of Jamestown, in Virginia, coming
from a strong and prominent English family
of those days. William Henry Terrett has the
destinction of being the first one of the family
to set foot in the New World, and he. with
nine others, received direct from the King of
England a city charter for the city of Alexan-
dria, Virginia, which city they founded and
built. The family is decidedly a military one
and members have participated in all the wars
that have been waged on American soil, while
the record of the family shows them, as far
back as there is authentic data, to have been
prominent in all military conflicts. Captain
Terrett formed and commanded a company
during the Revolution. An uncle of our sub-
ject, John Chapman Terrett, participated in
the Mexican war, and is mentioned in Grant's
Memoirs. He was killed in battle.
Alexander Hunter Terrett, the father of
William W., was born in Fairfax county, Vir-
ginia, in 1818, and in 1855 removed with his
family to Monroe county, Indiana, settling on
a farm. At the breaking out of the Civil War,
he returned to Virginia and enlisted for the
cause of the confederacy, fighting for two
years until his death in those ranks. He had
married Elizabeth Carrington Payne, a native
of Virginia, and descended from a strong
English family, which settled in Colonial days
in \'irginia.
William W. Terrett was born in Washing-
ion, D. C, July 23, 1847, and was taken by his
parents to Indiana at the time of the removal
spoken of to that territory. There he was
reared and educated, remaining until 1869, in
which year he married Miss Priscilla G. Rich-
ards, a native of Virginia and the daughter of
John and Mary (Gantt) Richards, also natives
of \"irginia. In the same year of his marriage.
Mr. Terrett removed to Chariton county, Mis-
souri, and engaged in farming. He remained
there until 1882, when he came on to Montana,
selecting a ranch in Custer county, where he
now resides. Having established headquarters
here, he returned to Missouri, and finally, in
1890, he came to Custer county to reside per-
manently. He has given his attention to rais-
ing cattle and horses on an extensive scale and
is one of the prosperous and prominent men of
the county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Terrett seven children
have been torn, named as follows, Eloise, Ro-
salie. Richard Price, George Hunter, W. W.
D., Colville D.. and Julian.
MILTON C. LOWE, a progressive Yel-
lowstone rancher, resides five miles from Nye,
Carbon county, up Lodge Pole creek. He was
born in Gentry county, Missouri, May 4, 1869.
His father. Theodore, a native of Tennessee,
1
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
489
born in 1832, died in June, 1879. In early life
he moved to Montana, with ox teams, going
to Alder Gulch. But in 1882 he returned to
Missouri, and thence went to Colorado, where
he engaged in farming until his retirement,
three years prior to his death, which occured
at Boulder.
The mother of our subject, Samantha
(Robertson) Lowe, was a native of Kentucky,
and has also passed to the great beyond, dying
;March 12, 1905, aged 61 years.
Our subject is the third and only survivor
of a family of four children. He was educated
in tlie public schools and a business college in
Stanbury, Missouri. Thence he returned home
where be passed bis entire time until 1895,
when be married and found employment in
Colorado Springs, and in 1896 came to Xye,
where he located land and upon which he now
lives. For a number of years he had up-hill
work on this land, a portion of the time,
earning his living by outside work. He
is now on the road to prosperity. The
first winter here he dr(i\e a stage between
Nye and Columbus, and many a day while fac-
ing a blizzard he devoutly wished himself back
in Colorado. But last spring be visited there
and discovered that Montana was his state,
and here he intends to make bis future home.
He has 100 acres under irrigation and profit-
ably raises alfalfa.
?*Iarch 13. 1895, 'Slv. Lowe was united in
marriage to Frances Robinson, burn in Boul-
der. Colorado, and daughter <if Daniel and
Nancy Robinson. Her parents were pioneers
of Colorado, going there with wagons. The
father is dead; the mother li\-es with a daugh-
ter, Mrs. Charles Williams, at Absarokee.
Mrs. Lowe has a sister, Mrs. Leonard Ekwort-
zel. at Xye. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe ba\e three
children, iMilton, Harold and Harry.
Fraternally he is a member of the Improved
Order of Redmen, Pentecuse Tribe, No. 22,
of Columbus. Nationally be is a Democrat,
but locally independent.
JOHN C. HOPE is one of the very earliest
settlers on the upper Tongue River and now re-
sides in Rosebud county. He is a man of
prominence in the county, well and favorably
known and is occupied in ranching and stock
raising. His place is five miles south from
Birney and he has been upon the same ranch
for over twenty years. ]\Ir. Llope is a native
of Ayr, Ontario, Canada, and the date of bis
birth is September 12, 1863. He comes from
Scotch extraction as both of his parents, An-
drew and Helen (Anderson) Hope were na-
tives of Scotland and came to Ontario when
young people. The father is a carpenter and
cabinet maker and follow-ed that occupation
until his death. In the world famed schools of
Ontario our subject received his education and
at the age of nineteen left his native heath for
North Dakota. The next year we find him in
the Black Hills country where he followed
freighting for one season. In 1884, he journ-
eyed on to Cheyenne. Wyoming, and the next
year came to Sheridan, in that territory. The
summer of 1S85 was spent in working for
wages near Buffalo and in the fall of that year
he took a trip up into Montana. So well was the
pleased with the country that he selected his
present location on the Tongue river and began
raising horses. Those were early days for this
portion of Montana and Mr. Hope was brought
face to face with all of the trying hardships of
pioneer life, among Indians, far from the base
of supplies and without neighbors. The coun-
trv began to settle and de\elop and betimes
Mr. Hope has secured more land and is stead-
ily following the occupation of farming and
stock raising. He has always taken an active
interest in exerything for the welfare of the
country and in the fall of 1902 was elected
commissioner on the Republican ticket. He
made a very efficient and wise officer and won
friends from every portion of the country.
1893, Mr. Hope married Esther Butler,
a native of Ireland, who came to St. Paul.
Minnesota, when a young girl. One child has
490
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
been born to this marriage, Esther O., her
native place being the home ranch on the
Tongue River.
As many others have done, who hve in
this section of Montana, Mr. Hope has seen
much of the Indian character as various mem-
bers of the tribe are ahnost daily observed go-
ing back and forth through the country, tlie
reservation being near. He has never had
any difficuUy with the Indians, having always
treated them kindly yet firmly and he is highly
respected by them as well as among the white
residents of Rosebud county. It is very inter-
esting to note how different men ha\e dwelt
with the Indians and been treated by them and
it is certainly a study in human nature to be
able to iiandle these people when they are so
near, in such a successful manner that no diffi-
culty results. Mr. Hope is a man with good
sense of justice and in his deals as well as in
his daily life has so conducted himself that he
has established an excellent reputation and his
success in life has placed him in a prominent
position in this portion of the state.
PRESTON B. MOSS is president and
principal owner of the Frst National Bank of
Billings and is also engaged in sheep growing
besides other enterprises. He was born in
Paris, Monroe county, Missouri, in 1863, his
parents 1>eing David H. and Melville E. (Hol-
lingsworth) Moss. The father's ancestors
hailed originally from England and then came
as pioneers from Virginia to Missouri, being
among the early settlers of this last named
state. David H. Moss practiced law several
years and was elected prosecuting attorney of
his county, but later preferred another line of
business and so devoted himself to banking.
Preston B. secured his education in the public
schools, the Kemper Family School, Harvard
College, and Eastman Business College. After
school days he was associated with his father
in the bank for a short time then engaged in
lumber business in southwestern Missouri. In
1892 he came to Montana, located at Billings,
placed money in the First National Bank, in
March, 1893, became its vice-president and in
1896 was made president which {3<:)sition he
has held since that date. This well known fin-
ancial institution had been organized as a pri-
vate bank in 1883 by W. R. Stebbins, presi-
dent, and H. H. Mound, cashier. Soon after
that it was made a national bank with capital
of fifty thousand dollars and later this was
increased by one hundred thousand dollars.
Mr. Stebbins was president for three years and
then Mr. Mound served till 1892.
In 1889, Mr. Moss was united in marriage
to Miss Mattie Woodson, the daughter of
George W. and lantha (Jackson) Woodson,
of Paris, Missouri. The father was a mer-
chant and the family is related to ex-governor
Jackson, of Missouri. Mrs. Moss is a member
of the Christian church. They have five chil-
dren, Woodson J., Cullie, Melville, Preston B..
and David H. ^Ir. Moss is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, being a Shriner. Politi-
cally he is not bound by party ties, but pre-
fers to reserve for his own decision the ques-
tion both of local and national politics rather
than be dictated to by partisans.
S. WALTER KELSEY. Montana is
widely known because of her vast rich mines,
but, also, she is known far and near as one of
the best stock states in the union and the fact
that she has within her boundaries today so
many stockmen, who are men of means and
large property holdings, justifies this reputa-
tion she enjoys among the sister states of the
union. Among these men who have reaped
well from their endea\'ors in the line of stock-
raising, we are constrained to mention the
name of S. W. Kelsey, of whom this article
speaks. He is a resident of Custer county, his
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
491
home being in the vicinity of Stacey, and he I
stands among the leading stockmen of tliis
part of the state. His land holding amounts
to about fifteen thousand acres, while he
handles about six thousand sheep, half a thou-
sand head of cattle, and a goodly number of
horses.
Mr. Kelsey was born in Paxton, Illinois,
on December 20, 1868, being the son of Theo-
dore B. and Rhoda N. (Grey) Kelsey. The
father was born in South Carolina but was
brought by his parents to Illinois when a small
child, where he resided till grown to manhood.
His boyhood days were spent on the farm and
when the call came for men to defend the
union, he stepped forward, enlisting in Com-
pany D, Twelfth Kansas, having removed to
Kansas prior to that time. When the war was
done he returned to life on the farm, but the
grasshoppers destroyed his crops and he re-
turned to the east, and about 1S75 wc-ut to
Wayne county, Iowa, where he remained thir-
teen years. Then, it being 1888, Mr. Kelsey
came to Custer county, Montana, and since
that time has been a resident of this section
of the state, and is at present engaged in the
mercantile business in Moorhead. His wife,
who is still living, was born in Indiana.
Our subject went with his parents to the
various sections where they lived after his
birth, and received his education mainly in
Iowa. \\'hen he came witli them to Custer
county, he at once began to ride the range and
in other ways became conversant with the
stock business, and as he was of an economical
turn, he saved his money and by 1892 he was
in shape to enter business for himself. In
partnership with his brother, Arthur R., he
embarked in the sheep business and although
they had hard work to pull along for a few
years, they soon began to forge ahead and
prosperity came their way in reward of the
faithful and careful work they bestowed in the
prosecution of their business. After some
years, thev added cattle to their sheep and also
horses and in rearing these kinds of stock they
have been occupied ever since, with the result,
as has been stated, that they are among the
leading stockmen of this part of the state at
this time.
In 1898, Mr. Kelsey married Miss Amelia
M. Miller, a native of Fremont county, Iowa.
She was liberally educated and taught scho(jl
before her marriage, coming to Montana when
twenty. Her father, Edward Miller, was born
in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and his people were
among the first settlers of that now populous
state, having come thither from Pennsylvania.
He married Mary E. DeBorde, a native of
Wisconsin. Her father's people came to Amer-
ica in the h'rench fleet at the time of the Re\'-
olution. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey three chil-
dren have been born, namely : Walter Emer-
son, Austin Monroe and Marion Grey. Mr.
Kelsey is affiliated with that time honored in-
stitution, the Masonic lodge, and is one of the
leading- men of the county.
W. H. HORTOX, who was born in Char-
iton county Missouri, on April 30, 1865, re-
sides one mile north from Brandenburg, in
Custer county and is to be classed with the
most prosperous and well to do stockmen and
agriculturists in the county. He is a progres-
sive man and in partnership with his brother,
Thomas, who lives with him. has wrought a
wonderful change from the wild land, that
was here when he came, to the magnificent
irrigated ranch that is now their property.
Thomas was born in the same locality as his
brother and came hither one year before him.
They have one thousand acres under the ditch
and have recently taken out a ditch from the
Tongue that is five miles long. Theirs is one
of the choicest ranches in the entire valley and
it is a model of accomplishment in the years
they have dwelt here. They handle stock and
do general farming and are evidently among
the most thrifty people of the county.
492
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
The parents of these young men were B.
F. and Susan (Fuel) Horton. The father was
born in Virginia and went with liis parents to
Missouri in early days, being among the first
settlers of Sheridan county. He was a Union
veteran of the Civil War and died June 8,
1897. The mother's people were, also, very
early settlers in Missouri. Our subject was
reared and educated in his native place and
then engaged in fanning and stock raising. It
was in 1894 he came to Miles City and soon
after settled where we now find him.
In 1897, Mr. Horton married Miss May
Haynes, who was born in the same county as
her husband, and to them three children have
been born Lillian, Charlott. Edith.
The Messrs. Horton have accomiilished a
good work here and such are the men who
make any country what it is in its prosperous
days, and it is very encouraging to be able to
note the labor they have performed, and it is
a source of inspiration to others to put forth
efforts that wnll result in further improvement
and substantial building up of the country.
They own the Circle Bar brand of horses
which are known all over the state as among
the very best in the entire west. The Horton
Brothers are very active and progressive and
handle a great deal of stock each year.
THERON W. HICKS, a highly esteemed
and representative citizen of Carbon county,
and extensively engaged in the stock industry,
resides one mile and one-half south of Nye.
He was born at Avoca, Wisconsin, November
27, i860.
The father of our subject. Franklin Z.,
was an early settler of A\'isconsin, coming
there in the 50's. He died in Rapid City,
Dakota, in January, 1896. to which place he
had removed several years previous. At the
time of his death he was judge of the super-
ior court, and had been twice elected to con-
gress from Wisconsin. He was a self-educated
man, studying law as had Lincoln, under dif-
ficulties. He was, also, an early California
pioneer, going there in 1849. In 1861 he en-
listed in a Wisconsin regiment, and served
through the Civil War as a quartermaster.
At the close of the war he returned to his law
practice, which he followed until his death
at the age of eighty. The mother of our sul>
ject died while he was an infant three years
of age.
In the Hawkeye State the latter received
a good business education, and when alwut
seventeen years of age faced the world for
himself, going- to the Black Hills with wagons.
There he remained ten years, and was engaged
in freighting. Thence he went to Wyoming,
and there he ran a stage from Fort Piedmont
to Sand Creek two years, thence going to
Butte, Montana. From the aroma of sage
brush to sulphur smoke is quite a radical
change, but he remained there four years hand-
ling ore most of the time. Thence he went to
Gardiner, Montana, where he began working
for the Yellowstone Park Transportation Com-
pany, and with whom he is still connected.
He passes the summers in the Park in charge
of stock, and during the winters takes them
to his ranch where they are well cared for.
He holds a position of considerable resjjonsi-
bility, but is fully capable of handling it to the
best advantage.
At Livingston, Montana, September 2,
1896, our subject was married to Emma Fitz-
gerald, a native of the Silver State, born at
Chico Hot Springs. Her parents, Sellick and
Marv (Brown) Fitzgerald, came form Oregon
to Montana in a wagon. They had driven
from Iowa to Sacramento, California, thence
to Oregon and Montana. They still live at
Gardiner near which place they have a ranch.
For many vears they were in the hotel l)usiness
at Gardiner. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks have two
children, Theron, born September 7, 1898, and
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
493
j\Iary, born June 14, 1903. Politically All
Hicks is a Republican, althougli not active.
GUY D. HUNTER is a native Montan-
ian. the place of his birth being Bozeman and
the date April 28, 1869. Irving Hunter, his
lather, born in New York state in 1838 was
a mill man and settled in Bozeman as early as
1866. He owned one of the first saw mills
in the county and was well known. He met his
death at the liands of an infuriated man named
Law during- some trouble over a parcel of
land. Our subject's mother was Josephine De-
Ratt, a native of Cayuga county. New York.
The opportunities for gaining an education
were rather meager in the early days of Mon-
tana, yet our subject received fair training and
when seventeen years of age went to w'ork on a
ranch for Myers Bros. In 1887 he started to
farm for himself locating on a place southwest
from Bozeman where he remained until 1891.
Later, he homesteaded the place where he now
resides, one mile northeast from Clyde, and
embarked upon cattle and horse raising. He
has met with splendid success and now owns
four sections of agricultural land in the val-
ley, one-fourth of which is already under the
ditch. He has considerable stock and is one
of the well to do men of Park county :
On February 4. 1892, occurred the mar-
riage of Mr. Hunter and ]\Iary Francis, the
daughter of Henry Francis, a rancher and
stockman. Four children have come to crown
this marriage, Allen W., born June 10, 1893:
Lulie, Nina E., and Alice.
Mr. Hunter is a Republican and a member
of the M. W. A.
JOHN T. FOWLER. The subject of this
sketch resides on a handsomely located ranch
one-half mile from Dean, Carbon countv. The
place of his nati\'ity is LaFayette county, Wis-
consin. His father, Richard, was born in 1849
came to Wisconsin, where he engaged in min-
ing, having followed that business in England.
In Wisconsin he became foreman of a smelter,
in which vocation he remained until his death
in 1887. The mother, Sarah (Garbett) Fowler,
was also a native of Yorkshire, where she was
married. She came to the United States with
her husband, where she died in 1884.
At the age of sixteen years our subject left
school and home in Wisconsin and went to
Iowa, remaining, however, but a short time.
Following a visit home he went to southwest-
ern Missouri, and in 1880 to the Black
Hills. Thence he went to Minnesota
and subsecpently made another visit home. It
was in 1882 that he came to Butte, Montana,
going thence to Helena and Marysville, where
he followed mining in various camps in that
territory and Colorado. To his present location
at Dean he came in 1893, '^"^ li^i'^ he secured
the homestead upon which he at present re-
sides.
yiay 20, 1905, I\Ir. Fowler was married to
Annie Farris, born in Iowa county, Wiscon-
sin, and where she was reared and educated.
Her father, John Farris, was a native of Ire-
land, coming to the United States in the for-
ties. Her mother, Mary (Stevens) Farris, was
a native of Pennsylvania, her people having
gone there from New York.
REINZA W. BLAKESLEY, although
not one of the earliest settlers of Montana, is
certainly to be classed among its most pro-
gressive and acti\e men of today. A young-
man filled with energy' and dominated by wise
judgment as has been manifested in his busi-
ness enterprise, he has succeeded in his labors
since coming to Montana in such a gratifying
manner that he is classed among the well to
494
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
do men of Rosebud county today. In Decem-
ber, 1900, he first set foot inside the state and
for two years he was engaged in teaching
school. During these two years he not only
taught school but gave himself carefully to
the study of the natural conditions and re-
sources of what is now Rosebud county and
he wisely determined to take up the stock busi-
ness. He invested his earnings in sheep and
secured more. Although his experience in
handling sheep in the west is confined to the
little which we have mentioned, he has shown
himself a master in the business and is be-
coming a close second to some of the leading
sheep men of Rosebud county. So well has he
succeeded in his efforts that in the spring of
1906, he purchased a ranch of ele\en hundred
acres, where he now resides, fifteen miles up
the Rosebud from Forsyth. This place is his
headquarters and he handles his stock in var-
ious directions and gives all his care, his en-
ergy, his wisdom, and his close attention to
business. He is looked upon as one of the
very substantial and leading citizens.
Mr. Blakesley was born in Ringgold
county, Iowa on May 7, 1877. His father, H.
C. Blakesley, was a native of Indiana and came
to Iowa in the early fifties, being a pioneer
of what is now Ringgold county and he has re-
mained in Iowa ever since. He married Mary
E. Devass, a native of Iowa, who died when
Reinza \V. was a small child. Our subject
received his education in Iowa, being a very
diligent student and fitted himself for teach-
ing as a stepping stone to a business life. He
was highly esteemed as an educator in this
county and did excellent work during the time
he gave his attention to it.
In 1902, Mr. Blakesley married Edna F.
Philbrick, who was born, reared and educated
in the state of Maine. She came to Montana
also in 1900 and taught school for two years
in Rosebud county. Her parents. Freeman and
Mary F. (Merrill) Philbrick, were natives of
Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Blakesley have two
children, Hazel Fern, a bright littU
an infant unnamed.
irl, and
HENRY J. STANBACH, who resides at
Shields-, Montana, has certainly shown a com-
mendable energy and progressiveness in the
labors he has accomplished in Montana since
the sixties, being at the present time one of
the wealthy land owners and stockmen of the
state. Following his life in consecutive order,
we notice first that he was born in St. Paul,
Minnesota, November 25, 1859. His father,
Voleman S., a Hessian, was born at Frank-
fort-on-the-Main in 1832 and followed tailor-
ing. He came to America in 1848 and settled
in Baltimore, where he learned his trade. He
moved to Minnesota in 1855, and soon there-
after rented the old Ramsey county farm. In
1865, he came to Helena bringing his family
and took up a ranch later at Winston, where
he now lives. He married Julia Market, who
was born in Bavaria in 1829, came to Amer-
ica in 1847, the wedding occurring in Balti-
more in the early fifties. Our subject was edu-
cated in the various places where the family
lived during his boyhood and he remainetl
with his father until twenty-five years of age,
at which time he commenced business for him-
self. Among his first acts was the taking of
a homestead on the Shields river, which is a
part of his present estate. Soon after that he
embarked in the cattle business and he has
been more or less occupied with that ever
since. At the present time he owns eighteen
hundred acres of good soil on the Shields river
and four years ago completed a ditch upon
which he had been laboring eleven years and
which cost twenty thousand dollars. He was
the first man to use the steam plow in the \-al-
ley and has always shown himself a very pro-
gressive man. Formerly he handled a great
deal of stock but has now reduced his herds
to two hundred and fifty cattle.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
495
On January 12, 1898, Mr. Stanbacli mar-
ried Mary Storer, who was born in the
northern part of England near the mouth of
the Tweed, being the daughter of Thomas and
Martha (Spaven) Stanbach and the oldest of
four children. She came to America in 1889.
Mr. Stanbach is a member of the CathoHc
church while his wife belongs to the Presby-
terian. He is a Democrat in politics and takes
a lively interest in general affairs. Mr. Stan-
bach has two sisters, Mrs. Mary Lokowisch
and Mrs. Lizzie Degan, both living at Wins-
ton. Mrs. Stanbach has one sister, Sarah
Storer. dwelling at Chestnut, Montana. It is
of interest that the older Stanbach left St.
Paul, it being May 2. 1865, and he came on
the old l'~isk overland route, traveling all the
way by ox team and arriving in Helena on
November 20 of the same year. He and his son
are both sturdy pioneers of this county and
the success achieved by our subject places him
among the substantial business men of the
state.
ALBERT P. O'LEARY, M. D., one of
the well known physicians of Billings, was
born at Flint, Michigan, August 26, 1870, be-
ing the son of John C. and Olive M. (Vernon)
O'Leary, natives of county Cork, Ireland, and
New York state, respectively. The father
came from his native land to Michigan in 1849
and in addition to conducting a farm there en-
gaged in the lumber trading of that time.
His marriage occurred in 1853 and in 1876
he removed with his family to Oregon and
engaged in stockraising. Later he removed
to Mackay, Idaho, where he follows sheep
raising. Dr. O'Leary has two brothers, one,
John \'., raising sheep at Mackenzie, Oregon,
and the other Frank, engaged in the same
Inisiness in Idaho. He also has two sisters,
Mary V. and Edith, both of whom are teach-
ing school in Butte, this state.
The doctor received his early education
from the public schools of Oregon and later
matriculated in the Wasco Independent Acad-
emy at The Dalles, that state, where he was
graduated in the class of 1892. The next fall
he went to Michigan and entered the famous
state university at Ann Arbor and studied
steadily for six years, being graduated in 1898
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Al-
though fully equipped by the excellent course
he had pursued. Dr. O'Leary felt it incumbent
upon him to still further pursue his duties
and researches. Accordingly he became interne
at St. Vincent's hospital in Portland, Oregon,
and remained one year. After that he had
charge of contagious diseases for Silver Bow
county, Montana, until 1903, with his home
in Butte. The following two years were spent
in the practice of his profession at the hot
springs of Boulder and Alhambra, this state,
and from those points he came to Billings
and has since remained in the steady practice
of medicine.
Dr. O'Leary is a inember of the time hon-
ored Catholic church and is also affiliated with
the Knights of Columbus.
ORLANDO E. HASKIN, one of the
leading and influential citizens of Carbon
county, and engaged in general ranching and
stock raising, resides at Dean. He was born
in Lowell, Indiana, October 12, 1865.
His father, of the same name, was born
in Pittsfield, New York, and when a young
man removed to Indiana. He was a mill-
wright by trade, and erected several important
mills in the vicinity of Lowell, and which he
owned and operated. He died in 1869. Orig-
inally the family came from the British Isles,
in 1700, and settled in New York. Several of
them participated in the war of the Revolu-
tion, and among them was our subject's pa-
ternal great-grandfather, Enoch. The mother
496
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
of the subject of this sketch, Loraine (Evans)
Haskin, is a native of Ohio. When a small
child she went to Indiana with her parents,
and here she was married. She came to Mon-
tana in 1889, where she still resides.
In 1849 an uncle of our subject went to
California, via the Panama route, and here he
was quite successful. \\'hen he returned to
New York City he began the construction of
a tunnel under the Hudson river, for the pur-
pose of connecting New York with Jersey
City. He did not live to witness its comple-
tion, but he had concei\-ed the original idea
while crossing the ri\er the ferry boat being
delayed by the drift ice. An uncle of our sub-
ject's father, and the father of his mother went
to California alxiut the same period.
In the public schools of Lowell our sub-
ject received his education, and also worked
on a farm. At the age of twenty years he
came to Billings, and for a short time fired a
yard engine for the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. In November, 1886, he came to his
present location, at that time on the Crow In-
dian reservation, upon which there were only
four settlers. There arose a dispute regarding
the line of the reservation, and our subject,
not believing he was on the reservation at all.
had considerable trouble with the Indian De-
partment before securing his rights. In 1896
our subject went to Boston and here he en-
gaged in pneumatic tunnel work until 1901.
when he returned to his Montana ranch, and
where he has since remained. In March, 1903,
his wife was appointed postmistress of Dean,
the office being located in Mr. Haskin's house.
In 1894 our subject was married to Eliza-
beth Swain, a native of Michigan where she
was reared and educated, principally in Grand
Rapids. She taught school in Michigan and,
also, in Montana. Mr. Haskin has one child
Helen L., born in Montana.
Our subject takes an active interest in
politics, and last year served as delegate to
state and county conventions.
FRANK W. DRAPER, deceased. Pres-
ident Roosevelt said: "The best heritage the
pioneer can leave to future generations is the
simple yet powerful story of his life ; of hard-
ships endured, of dangers passed, and the final
victory over wilderness and desert plain."
He has spoken nothing more truthful. In ac-
cordance with the spirit of this excellent say-
ing we desire to grant the reader a review of
the life of one who was numbered with the
sturdy pioneers of southeastern Montana as
well as of other portions of the great West..
Frank W'. Draper has finished his career,
his work is done, but though he sleeps there is
much in what he did that will stir hearts to
worthy effort in admiration of the courage
displayed by him in his trying ordeals.
In far away Ticonderoga county. New
York, on February 4, 1854, the subject of this
memoir was born to Hiram and Mehitable
(LeCrane) Draper. The father, a native of
New York state, was killed in battle while
fighting for his country in 1863. Previous to
his demise, the father had taken his family to
Belvidere, Illinois, and there Frank W. grad-
uated from the high school. When seventeen
years of age he accompanied the balance of the
family to Edgar, Nebraska, and taught school
there for a couple of years. In 1874 he went
to Sioux City, Iowa, and shortly afterwards to
California. Two years later we find Mr.
Draper with a prairie schooner making his
way via Denver. Colorado, to the Black Hills,
Dakota. He embarked in the furniture busi-
ness with Mr. Pepper, but later sold that busi-
ness and started a drug store. After eighteen
months in that business he accepted the posi-
tion of wagon boss for a large freighting- com-
pany doing business between Bismarck and the
"Hills." In 1880 he drove to Miles City and
took charge of the Diamond R wagon train
and freighted out from Miles City. This was
the winter which was so indelibly stamped in
the memory of all the old inhabitants of Mon-
tana. Stock died by the thousands, buft'alo
FRANK W. DRAPER AND FAMILY
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
497
starved off tlie plains and freezing- to death
roamed the streets of the towns as mildly as
dairy cattle. Such cold and snow have never
been experienced since. It was not an unusual
thing for Mr. Draper's men to find some of the
mules frozen stiff when they went to harness
up. It is well nigh impossible to estimate the
suffering endured by the sturdy freighters.
Six months later Mr. Draper went to Junction
City and opened a retail liquor store, and a
few months later inoved to Benson's Landing,
four miles from where Livingston now stands.
The centers of business in those days changed
so rapidly that Mr. Draper built a house in
sections to enable him to move without so
much loss. When Clark, now Livingston, was
started Mr. Draper at once moved thither and
it is on record that bis was the first building
erected there. He remained in business there
until the fire of 1885 burned up his entire
property, save the lot, and his next move was
to Cook City, then a lively place. On Novem-
ber 6, 1886, the smelter shut down in that
camp and things went down but Mr. Draper
remained with .the town till August, 1887,
when he transferred his residence to Nye and
there remained till the camp was found to be
on the Indian reservation, when he was forced
to again take the road. This time he located
in Red Lodge and in partnership with Dr.
Macomber opened the first drug store of the
town. A year or so later he sold out and set-
tled on the ranch for one summer. Later we
find him dwelling on the farm where his death
occurred on July 10, 1901. Cancer was the
cause of his taking away and he was mourned
by a very large circle of friends.
The marriage of Mr. Draper and Miss
Matilda Martin was consummated September
13, 1882, Judge Braden performing the cere-
mony as there were no ministers in the coun-
try then. Mrs. Draper was born in Germany,
came to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1874, accompa-
nying her brother and later went to Miles
City with friends. Her parents had died in
32
Germany. Six children have been born to Mr.
and Mrs. Draper: I. Albert, Edwin W., and
Charles H., who are living and two twin girls
and a twin sister of Albert who have died.
Mr. Draper was a charter member of the
K. P. and I. O. O. F. lodges of Livingston and
also of the \\\ O. W. at Red Lodge. He was
a stanch Repul)lican and always took an active
part in local politics. He was the first school
trustee and hired the first school teacher in
Red Lodge, this being in 1888. Thus it is
seen that Mr. Draper has been a pioneer in the
true sense of the word and his labors were
always in the line of progress and development
of the country.
JOHN P. HUXTABLE is one of Custer
county's agriculturists and stockmen and is
to be classed w-ith the pioneers, for he took
land from the raw state, securing a quarter
under the homestead right, and has made of
it a good home and a valuable farm. His
place is about six miles south from Etna and
he has resided here since 1889.
Devonshire, England, is the nati\e heath
of our subject, and January 24, 1855, the date
of bis birth, his parents, Josiah and Ann
(Pugsley) Huxtable, natives of the same place
as this son, having been farmers there till the
death of his father. The mother still lives, in
England. Being reared on the farm in Eng-
land, and educated in his native place, our sub-
ject is imbued with the spirit of thrift so
characteristic of his race. When twenty years
of age his adventurous spirit led him to try
the United States, believing better things
awaited him here. Van Buren county, Michi-
gan, was the objective point and in 1878 he
came on west to Kansas where he farmed for
some time. In 1881 we find him in Glendive
where he did ranching. The next year be went
to Bozeman and in the spring of 1883 he made
his way to the Musselshell, but in a short time
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
went tlience to Miles City and in 1889, as men-
tioned Ijefore, he came to his present place
and began operations of a permanent character.
From that time till the present Mr. Huxtable
has been steadily laboring in the chosen oc-
cupations and steadily he has prospered. It
came slow at first but as he became better es-
tablished and got his land under cultivation
and his stock increased, times for him were
better and he is now rated one of the substan-
tial men of the county.
On November i, 1900, ]\Ir. Huxtable mar-
ried Miss Mary E. Bergen, a native of Ferry-
ville, Wisconsin. When young she came with
her parents, Jacob T. and Caroline (Torgor-
sen) Bergen, to Red \\'ing, ^linnesota, where
she resided until her marriage. Her father
was born in Guttenberg, Sweden, came to
America when young and is a veteran of the
Mexican war. The mother was born
in Bergen, Norway, and came to Amer-
ica with her parents when a girl of
twelve years. Mr. Huxtable has two brothers,
Nathaniel, and Cephas, and two sisters, Anna
and Martha. Mrs. Huxtable's sisters, she has
no brothers, are named as follows, Caroline A.,
Fannie M., Emma C, ]\Iinnie B., and Ida O.
To our subject and his wife one child has been
born, John P., at Red Wing, ]\Iinnesota, on
July 28. 1903.
FRANK B. OSBORNE, tlie subject of
this sketch, was born in Morgan county. Illi-
nois, June 30, 1862. At present he resides on
a fine and productive ranch four and one-half
miles up the creek from the town of Fishtail,
Carbon county. His father, James C, is a
native of Tennessee, and when very young'
was left an orphan. At the age of eleven years,
he and a younger lirother, walked to Illinois,
where they lived with relatives until he had
attained his majority. There he learned the
trade of a plasterer, and purchased a farm.
This was in Morgan county, and he now rents
the place and resides in town. The mother of
our subject, Maria (Phillips) Osborne, is a
native of Illinois, and is still living. Her peo-
ple were early pioneers of that state.
Until he arrived at the age of seventeen
our subject attended the public schools in Illi-
nois. He then left home with the small capi-
tal of $1.25, going first to Missouri, where
he found employment on farms. To south-
west Kansas he removed in 1882, and from
there he went to the Indian Territory. The
same fall he went to California; in 1883 to
Pug'et Sound, and the same year he continued
on to Butte, Montana. He came to Prickley
Pear Junction, Montana, in 1885, and there
for a short time conducted a section, coming
thence to Bigtimber, where he remained until
1889. So soon as the Indian reservation was
opened he secured a homestead in the vicinity
of Fishtail, and here he has since remained.
He is at present engaged in the cattle business.
Mr. Osborne is a single man.
SAMUEL O'N. C. BRADY has resided,
in Montana for nearly a c|uarter of a century,
and during this term of years he has risen
from a poor boy to be one of the wealthy
stockmen antl land owners of Park county.
An account of his career can but be interest-
ing and instructive as well, for the success he
has achieved will certainly stimulate others in
their labors. Samuel Brady was born in Dun-
lewey House, Donegal, Ireland, June i, 1861.
His father, George Eraser Brady, was born
in Lifford, Donegal, Ireland, and was a prac-
ticing physician. His father, the grandfather
of our subject, was an otticer in the British
army. Our subject's ancestors came to Amer-
ica in very early days and Fort Brady was
named after them. Then some returned to
the old country and from that line sprang
Samuel Brady. Private schools furnished the
i
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
499
educational training of jNIr. Brady and he re-
mained in Ireland until 1882, in which year
he set sail for New York, landing June 26.
He soon found his way west to Iowa and be-
gan working on a farm. In the spring of- 1883
he came on to Montana and went to work for
Myers Bros, on the Shields river. For five
}-ears he followed working out and then he had
accumulated sufficient capital to warrant the
inauguration of independent action, so in 1888
he took four hundred and eighty acres of gov-
ernment land, two miles east from where
Myersburg now stands and settled down to
raising stock. For a while it was pretty hard
pulling as his capital was very limited, but by
doing general farming and commencing in a
very small way. he soon succeeded in getting
a fine start and has grown steadily since until
at the present time he has five thousand sheep,
sixty head of cattle and a goodly number of
horses. He owns five thousand, four hundred
acres of deeded land and leases one thousand
two hundred and eighty acres from the state.
All of this has been achieved without assist-
ance of any kind from the outside, for Mr.
Brady started without capital sa\-e two good
strong hands and a determination to win his
way to success. His holdings enumerated at
this time, place him among the leading stock-
men of the county, while his acts for the years
past have given him an unsullied reputation and
standing among his fellows.
On January 26, 1904, Mr. Brady married
Sarah C. Gassert. a native of Pennsylvania.
They have one child. Violet E.. born April i,
1905. Mr. and Mrs. Brady are both members
of the Episcopal church.
In political affiliations he is allied with the
Democrats and takes an active interest in the
campaigns. Mr. Brady also is affiliated with
the A. F. & A. M. Since living in Montana
he has traveled several times across the Atlan-
tic to \-isit the old home place and has also
kept himself well informed upon the questions
and progress of the day and is an energetic
and substantial man.
FERNANDO LA ROCHE, an enterpris-
ing ranchman of Carbon county, residing one
mile from Dean, down the creek, was born
in Niagara county, New York, city of Lock-
port, on the Erie Canal. His father, Charles
P., was a native of Pennsylvania, removing to
New York with his parents when a child. He
was a farmer and merchant. He came to Fort
Benton, Montana, in 1880. and the same year
he purchased a team and came overland to
Sweetgrass Creek, where he took a homestead
about eleven miles east of Big Timber, and
here he engaged in the cattle business. In
1884 he returned to his old home in New York
where he died in 1891. The mother of our
subject. Hannah (Raymond) La Roche, was
born in Niagara county. New York, coming
to Montana with subject in 1881. They came
by rail to Sioux City, Iowa, and thence up the
river by boat, on General Terry steamboat, 26
days to Junction, Montana, and then overland
to the fine ranch of Mr. La Roche. Subse-
quently she returnetl to New York, where she
died in 1897.
In the public schools of Lockport our sub-
ject received his earliest education, which was
completed in the country schools of Montana.
When he was seventeen years of age his par-
ents returned to New York, but he remained
in Montana. In his youthful days he was 'a
cowboy, and was in the employment of "The
21' outfit, one of the most extensive in the
territory. He returned to New York in 1887,
and engaged in the employment of a street car
company in Buffalo. He came to Billings,
Montana, in 1894, but the following winter
went to Michigan. In 1895 he purchased the
ranch upon which he at present resides, and
here he rears cattle and horses.
500
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
At Buffalo, New York, in 1891, our sub-
ject was united in marriage to Eva Heiman.
born near Lockport, New York. They liave
one child. Florence.
The greater portion of the life of our sub-
ject has been passed on the frontier, and here
he has endured many hardships and made con-
siderable history in his eventful career.
On the way from Junction to the ranch
Fernando was walking to better see the coun-
try and fell a long distance behind. Start-
ing to hurry up to the wagons he came sud-
denly on a large band and camp of Indians.
He was so scared he ran like a deer and some
of the Indians after him. Finally he overtook
the wagon, which was waiting, and there
learned that the Indians were friendly Crovvs.
But, Mr. La Roche remarks, "I did not know
they were friendly when I was scurrying
after that wagon."
When he was out with a friend taking a
vacation in the Park he fell in with some
horsemen looking for thieves who had stolen
their stock. Our subject and his companion
assisted them and finally the horses were lo-
cated and recovered, and later by the aid of a
U. S. marshal and a posse of men the thieves
were apprehended.
MRS. ANNIE E. TOWN, although just
beginning to enter the golden days of the
years of her life, is, nevertheless, ripe in rich
experiences in the west, and especially such
as are most intimately connected with the his-
tory of Montana and particularly with the Yel-
lowstone valley. Having been a resident here
since the days when the Indians were hostile
and a portion of the time, too, when the his-
tory making battle and campaigns were being
fought and carried out, she speaks authorita-
tively by personal experience of those days and
incidents, as well as from knowledge gained
by being a close student of history, both local
and general. Therefore it will be intensely
interesting to the pioneers of this portion of
the state to be privileged to read of her life
and the doings of the days of her experience.
In the vicinity of Montreal, Canada, on
April 5, 1845, ^ii"s. Town was born to ^lark
and Katherine (Ormsby) Walsh, natives of
Mayo county, Ireland. It was near the old
abbey of Mayo, on Christmas morning, 18 10,
that the father first saw the light and in his
native land he was reared and educated. Be-
ing aged twenty-two, he was fired with a spirit
of energy and believing better opportunities
awaited him in the new world, he came to
America and soon thereafter he was in the
contracting business and as such assisted in
the construction of the famous suspension
bridge across Niagara, under the supervision
of the world renowned Roebling, later con-
structor of the longest suspension bridge in
the world, the Brookl}-n bridge over East
river. New York. His connection with the
bridge at Niagara dated from 1853 to 1855,
the year of its completion. Then he con-
structed Fort Riley, Kansas, and after that
built forts and posts all over the United States.
He was well known to General Custer per-
sonally and to many other noted people in the
west especially. His last piece of work was
the Santa Fe depot at Leavenworth, Kansas,
where he had made his home for some time
previous, on Broadway and ShermaTi. His
death occurred in May, 1895. Twel\-e hours
after his demise his faithful wife breathed
her last and they rest side by side. It was a
fitting close of a happy life, for from the day
of her marriage in old Ireland, in 1841, she -
had been a most faithful and belo\-ed com-
panion and helpmeet. Shortly after their
marriage they sailed, it being June, 1841, to
the New World, and Mrs. Walsh used often
to speak of the days of her childhood, when
the cuckoo came every morning to wake her
from her slumbers with its rich notes at New
Brook Gate. Three boys and three girls were
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SOI
the children born to tliis couple. A brother, M.
J. Walsh, residing in Whiteworth, British Co-
lumbia, and a sister, Mary C. Walsh, of San
Francisco, being the only survivors besides our
subject.
Mrs. Town commenced her education in
New York state and remembers the school
well, as the tuition charged was one penny per
week. After that she studied in Portageville,
New York, St. Louis, Missouri, and in various
other places as her father's business took him
from place to place and the family removed to
these places until they finally settled in Leav-
enworth.
At Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1861, oc-
curred the marriage of Miss Annie E. Walsh
and William Burke, a government contractor
and a secret service man during the war. He
assisted to build Fort Keogh and acquired a
fine ranch in the vicinity of Miles City. His
wife joinetl him in 1878, after having lived
in Leavenworth exactly twenty years. This
trip was made by rail to Yankton. Dakota,
and thence by boat to Miles City, the whole
occupying one month. Mrs. Burke was ac-
companied by other parties to relieve the mo-
notony of the journey.
To Mr. and Mrs. Burke three sons and
two daughters were born of whom, one son,
John F. Burke, lives in Anaconda, and one
daughter, Mrs. Katherine May Shannon,
dwells in San Francisco. In 1879 Mr. Burke
was killed at the Powder river crossing known
as Foley's stopping place. It was a dirt roof
house and the roof fell in and killed him and
a companion by the name of Smith. The
family was at that time li\ing in Miles City
in \-ery comfortable circumstances. Mrs.
Burke was present when Miles City was laid
out and is intimately acquainted with the con-
ditions existing in those early days and re-
members many interesting things connected
with the movements then.
On December 2. 1880, INIrs. Burke mar-
ried George H. Town at Miles City and in
1882 they removed to Billings. They arrived
on November 7th, Billings" first election day.
To this second marriage, one child was bom,
Mrs. Mary Harriett Connolly, whose husband
is an expert grist miller.
Mrs. Town takes a pardonable pride in
being personally able to discharge all the busi-
ness responsibilities incuml^ent upon her in a
satisfactory manner. She has been in Bil-
lings practically since its start and although
she has had many ups and downs she is able
to spend the remainder of her days in all com-
fort and have the joy of looking back on a
well spent and eventful life. She is a pioneer,
or, rather, the pioneer of Christian Science in
Billings and is a delighted and deep student of
their scientific and devotional literature, hav-
ing progressed rapidly in this unique combi-
nation of the spiritual and scientific.
Mr. Burke was a very trusted messenger
for Custer and Terry and was a man of force
and ability. Mrs. Town attended the dedica-
tion of the First Church of Christian Scientists
on June 10, 1906, in Boston, Massachusetts.
NATHANIEL HAYDEN resides about
fourteen miles up the Rosebud river from For-
syth, where he is conducting a large irrigated
ranch, handling the same for Mrs. Sarah E.
Straw, the owner. He was horn in Wayne
county, Ohio, on January 18. 1852, the son of
Samuel and Matilda J. (Kimble) Hayden, na-
tives of Pennsylvania and Wayne coimty,
Ohio, respectively, and now living in Boulder
City, Colorado. Our subject received very
little schooling as his parents were constantly
on the frontier, moving to Colorado in 1863,
and in fact Mr. Hayden has spent a large por-
tion of his life on the frontier in a tent. He
freighted the first load of Buffalo hides into
Denver, it being 1866. In 1876 we find him
in the Black Hills, at the beginning of the rush
there and he remained in the vicinity of Dead-
502
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
wood until 1881, during which time he was
prospecting, freighting, mining, etc. During
that time he took a trip to Texas and had some
thrilling experiences in fighting the Indians.
In ,1881 Mr. Hayden came to the Yellowstone
valley and engaged in hunting for the railroad
camps. When game became scarce he located
on a ranch on the Rosebud river which he sold
in 1884 and returned to the Black Hills and
was occupied in freighting until 1887. In
that year he journeyed again to Montana and
for a number of years he was occupied in trap-
ping and hunting wolves in the Rosebud
valley and also did freighting. In 1905 ^Ir.
Hayden secured a lease on the ranch where he
now resides and is giving his entire attention
to handling the estate which is a fine irrigated
property.
In 1878 Mr. Hayden married ]\Irs. Cor-
delia Hayes, who was born near Council
Bluffs, Iowa. As will be seen by the fore-
going Mr. Hayden has had much experience
on the plains and in life that goes to make up
the typical westerner. Being exceedingly fond
of the chase, he became a very skilled nimrod
and is as well experienced in hunting as per-
haps any man that could be found in his
section.
OSTEN E. HEREIM, Avhose home place
is a cjuarter section of land twelve miles east
from Absarokee on Red Lodge creek, is a
native of Stavenger, Souden, Norway, and
his birth occurred ]\Iarch 25, 1874. His fa-
ther, Erek O. Hereim, is dwelling on the farm
where he was born in Norway, being aged six-
ty-four. He married Ingobar Arthoun, who
died in 1900, aged fifty-two. Our subject is
the fourth of nine children, being the oldest
of those living. Has two sisters, Mrs. Matt
Lindenow, and Christina, in Martindale, Mon-
tana. The pubhc schools of his nati\-e place
furnished his education and when fourteen he
laid aside his books to take up the life of herd
boy, following the same till the last two years
in Norway, which were spent in the zinc
mines. It was 1892 when he set sail from
Norway for New York, whence he journeyed
on to Big Timber, thence to Castle, and the
day after arriving he was at work herding
sheep and for two years stayed with one em-
ployer. Then he was with M. T. Graude for
five years and then worked for Perry Moore.
All these years, Mr. Hereim was planning how
to turn his savings, for he had been careful of
his money, into a home. Later we see him in
Carbon county and here he was principally
engaged with the Arthoun Brothers until
1900, when he made a trip to his old home to
visit. One month after he arrived his mothei
passed to the world beyond, but he had the
great pleasure of a visit with her before that
sad hour. The month before he made that
trip home he had sent a ticket for his younger
brother. Johannes, to come to America. Jo-
hannes went on a trip to bid his grandparents
farewell, and in crossing the river the ice gave
way and he was swept under to his death. Mr.
Hereim was decided to make his home in Nor-
way, but finally he concluded to return to Mon-
tana and when he arrived here he took a band
of sheep with Arthur Arthoun and they ban- .
died them two years, doing well. Then he
purchased the quarter section where he now
resides and is fast bringing it in subjection
to> the plow and is making it a good home
place. Mr. Hereim goes each shearing sea-
son and by his own efforts is making prosper-
ity for himself.
On July 21, 1901, Mr. Hereim married
Miss Olena Tjoolina, a nati\'e of his birth-
place. She came to the Lnited States alone,
her father being dead. Her mother still lives
in Norway. The children born to this union
are: Ingabor, born July 9, 1902; Ole, born
March 16, 1904; and Orando O., born July
A
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
503
2. 1906. Mr. Hereim is an adherent of the
Lutheran church and in pohtical matters is
Republican.
HECTOR McDonald, proprietor of
the Bear Gulch Hotel in Jardine. has had a
most active and industrious career. His birth
occurred in Milan, Canada, on April 12, 1862.
His father, John R. McDonald, a well-to-do
farmer, was born in Inverness, Scotland, in
1816 and died in 1903. He married Miss
Annie McLeod, a native of the same place as
her husband, her birth occurring- in 1824. She
is now living in Milan, Canada. They be-
came the parents of eleven children of whom
Hector is the eighth. He was educated in the
public schools of Milan and at fifteen started
in life for himself, being engaged in Vermont
until 1 88 1, when he determined to see the
west. Soon after arriving in Montana he en-
tered the employ of the Western L'nion Tele-
graph Company and remained with them for
nine years. In 1888 Mr. McDonald took
charge of the Northern Pacific Telegraph de-
partment, \\ith headquarters at Livingston.
Two years later he went to work for the elec-
tric Jigdit company in Livingston and remained
with them for ten years. Then resigned to ac-
cept the position as under sheriff. On Jan-
uary 12, 1903, he removed to Jardine and be-
, came electrician for the Kimberly Gold Min-
ing Company. On March i, 1904. he opened
the Bear Gulch Hotel.
On December 10, 1890, Mr. McDonald
married Miss Helen McLennan, who was born
in Inverness, Scotland, August 28, 1864. Her
father, ?»Ialcriliu ]\IcLennan, was born in In-
verness, Scotland, and followed the butcher
business, his death occurring when he was
si.xty-nine years of age. He had married Miss
Annie Campbell, also a native of Scotland and
now living in Inverness. One child has been
born to Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, Clarence
E., May 23, 1892. They are all members of
the Presbyterian church and stanch supporters
of their faith. Mr. McDonald is a Democrat
in politics, is aiifiliated with the Masonic lodge,
the A. O. LT. W., and several other lodges.
He is achieving a good success in his present
enterprise, is a genial whole-souled man and
has won many friends in Montana.
Many men have boasted of numerous trips
across the continent in the days of "Forty-
nine" and those following, but, perhaps, few
men, if any in the L'uited States can be found
who have actually walked from the Pacific
coast to the Mississippi ri\'er. It certainly is
a feat worthv of notice.
HENRY CHAP.MAN is one of Uon-
tana's pioneers and his experiences in detail
would form a very interesting chapter in the
history of the state. His father was a pioneer
before him in the new and wild west, and there-
fore all the days Mr. Chapman has so far spent
have been more or less in pioneer work and
experiences. Born in Douglas county, Ore-
gon, October 25, 1855, he has never been
east of Wyoming Territory and is a warm ad-
mirer of -the west with its boundless resources.
His father, Addison B. Chapman, ilroxc a team
from Iowa to Oregon in 1854 unci died in the
latter territory in 1865. He had married Su-
san Shoey, who died in Red Lodge September
9, 1905, aged eighty. Henry is the second in
a family of five children, all of whom now re-
side in Montana. His education was received
in his native country and as early as seventeen
he stepped from the parental home to try his
fortune in the famous Klamath country. For
one year he was at Fort Klamath, when he
returned home and a year later he went to
Fort Harney, engaging in the cattle business.
His labors were bestowed there until 1881, in
which year he went from Oregon to Wyo-
ming Territorv, still conducting the cattle and
504
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
sheep industry. He ranged liis stock over into
Montana considerably and was one of the lirst
to drive a wagon tlirough the country where
he now resides, on Redlodge creek, ten miles
west from Roberts. The country was then
occupied by the Indians, whose reservations
occupied most of it. His headquarters re-
mained in Wyoming until 1892, when he set-
tled on his present place, it having recently
been thrown open from the reservation.
In November. 1896, Mr. Chapman married
Miss Carrie E. Clark, a native of Unity,
Maine, and who came west to join her brother,
Elisha, who owned a ranch in the Judith Basin.
One child has been the fruit of this union,
Andye Leon, born January 22. 1899. On Oc-
tober 15, 1905, while Mr. Chapman was ab-
sent from home on business, this son sickened
and died very suddenly and no. news of the
sad event reached him until his arrival home.
This was a terrible blow and a deep grief to
his home.
Mr. Chapman has never affiliated him-
self with fraternal orders, and although he
takes the interest in political matters that be-
comes the loyal citizen, he is not a partisan,
nor does he seek ^loluments of office. His
principles are Republican and he is counted
one of the substantial men. Mr. Chapman re-
marks that the first winter in the country was
spent in camp with his brother and J. R.
W'eaver on the Stinking Water, and they
devoted their time to hunting elk. So
plentiful were those animals then that
it was no uncommon sight to observe
bands numbering from five to ten hundred
head. Often the day's count of game was fif-
teen head apiece. Their nearest postoffice was
Absarokee, eighty miles distant, and Red
Lodge and the surrounding towns were not
even thought of. For a portion of his time,
Mr. Chapman also raised cattle in the Mis-
souri valley. After coming to this section,
where he is now located, he has given atten-
tion to stock raising and farming and has
some fine bred animals at the present time. His
horses are considered some of the choicest in
this portion of the west. Although Montana
is still far from having her resources all devel-
oped, still there is such a wonderful change in
the ad\ancement of settlement and enterprise
since Mr. Chapman came that he is the witness
of some of the most rapid of Montana's
thrifty growth and has had a good part in for-
warding the same, as hrs labors as path finder
and then as one who opened the wild by sub-
stantial settlement have mingled with the ef-
forts of pioneers who have in whole accom-
plished the very pleasing results that now con-
front the eye and senses everywhere in Mon-
tana.
JAMES N. RANDALL, familiady
known as "Pretty Dick," resides twelve miles
down the river from Gardiner and follows
ranching. He was born in Birmingham,
Iowa, June 16, 1866. His father, James J.
Randall, was born in Bellefontaine. Ohio, in
.\ugust, 1833, and followed general merchan-
dising. His father, James Randall, the grand-
father of our subject, was born in Indiana.
The mother of James N. Randall was, in
maiden life, Adeline E. Marquis, a native of
Bellefontaine, Ohio, and born in March, 1835.
She was the mother of thirteen children, nine
boys and four girls, seven of whom are still
living, our subject being the fifth'child in order
of birth. After attending the public schools
until about thirteen, Mr. Randall started out
in life for himself. He began work in a meat
market in Ottumwa, Iowa, and continued there
five vears. Then he went to Minneapolis,
Minnesota, and worked in a spice factory for
a year. After that, he headed for Montana
and in October, 1883, arrived here and at once
took up work on a cattle ranch. For two years
he rode the range and then moved to the upper
Yellowstone and drove stage in the Park until
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
505
1889. In February, 1898, lie located his pres-
ent ranch and since that time has given his
attention mostly to general farming. Since
1889, however, in addition to the other work
mentioned, Mr. Randall has made a special
business of guiding hunting and touring par-
ties through the Rockies and is very familiar
with all of the surrounding country. Every
year he takes out a large English party, his
reputation having become so well known, and
he guides them to the best places for hunting
and seeing the country. Year before last, they
were successful in slaying some wild bufifaloes,
something that has not been done for many
years heretofore.
On October 25, 1892. Mr. Randall mar-
ried Dora A. Roseborough, who was born in
Kansas, November 17. 1870. Her father, Lo-
gan Roseborough, was born in May, 1847,
and followed mercliandising and farming. He
married Susan Fitzgerald, who was born in
Iowa in May, 1847. They were the parents
of ten children, Mrs. Randall being the second
one born. Mr. and Mrs. Randall have two
children, Leslie W.. bom September 29.
1893, and Helen E., Ixjrn June 30, 1897.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall are members of the
Presbyterian church, while in politics, he is a
Republican. Owing to the fact that Mr. Ran-
dall has lieen on the frontier the larger portion
of his life and has had vast experience in hunt-
i!ig. prospecting, and so forth, he has encoun-
tered many thrilling experiences and is a very
interesting talker.
SELLECK M. FITZGERALD, a pioneer
of the west since 1863. with an active life
crowded full of various experiences from Col-
orado to the British Columbia line, the subject
of this article, is certainly to be mentioned as
a genuine path finder and frontiersman. He is
now residing on a fine ranch, two miles north
east of Gardiner. His birth occurred April
24, 1840, in Van Buren county. Iowa, his
father being Ambrose Fitzgerald, who was
born in 1800 near Richmond, Virginia. He
followed farming and married Mary A. Long-
well, born in Ohio in 181 2. It is of great in-
terest that her parents both lived until they
were one hundred and three years of age. Af-
ter receiving a common school education in
Iowa, Mr. Fitzgerald gave his attention to
general work until 1863, when he started out
for himself, becoming captain of a train that
headed across the plains for California. It
is supposed that he is the youngest man who
ever held that responsible position. They ar-
rived in California in due time without hav-
ing bad any serious trouble with Indians or
accidents on the way and Mr. Fitzgerald
rented a farm. Owing to the terrible drouths
of that year, he lost everything and in Novem-
ber of 1864, he went to southern Oregon and
engaged in the stock business. He was very
successful in this venture and in 1872 drove
his stock to eastern Oregon. The next year
he took them through the mountains to Mon-
tana, locating on the upper Yellowstone, and
for over twenty years he has been in this val-
ley. For sixteen years, he conducted a hotel
in Gardiner and is today considered one of the
well-to-do men of this part of the country.
On the 12th day of June, 1863, at Fort
Laramie, \\hile they were crossing the plains,
occurred the marriage of Selleck M. Fitzger-
ald and Mary A. Brown, a romantic wedding,
and the fruit of the marriage should thor-
oughly gratify even President Roosevelt, for
they have become the parents of thirteen chil-
dren. Mrs. Fitzgerald was the daughter of
Ransom Brown, a native of Virginia, who
married Sarah Cobb, a native of South Caro-
lina. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fitz-
gerald are enumerated as follows : Ambrose,
March 13, 1864; Ransom, July 17, 1865;
Henry B., August 4, 1866; Eliza J., January
2, 1868: Mary M., January 18, 1869; Eva S.,
August 21, 1871 : Selleck M., August 3, 1872;
5o6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Ida B., February i8, 1874; Ella E., May 23,
1875; Emma M., October 9, 1876; Jessie M.,
May 8, 1878; Pearl E., June i, 1881 ; Babe,
March 7, 1883. Nine of the children are still
living and those left are all married.
Mr. Fitzgerald is a good stanch Republican
and a member of the Elks. He takes great
interest in educational matters and has been
chairman of the board of education since its
organization. A more hearty, energetic and
hospitable person than Mr. Fitzgerald is hard
to find in this section of Montana and he
numbers his friends in a verv wide circle.
REV. THOMAS F. STACK merits rec-
ognition among others of the earnest workers
in the priesthood of the Roman Catholic
church in Montana. Thomas Francis Stack
is a native of Listowel, County Kerry, Ire-
land, being born on October 5, 1874, the son
of Thomas and Honora (Donoghue) Stack,
both of whom were likewise born in old
County Kerry and still reside in the Emerald
Isle, the father being a merchant. For fifteen
years a resident of the United States, Thomas
Stack eventually returned to his native land,
and of his seven children Thomas F. was the
second.
Father Stack received preliminary educa-
tion in the national and parochial schools and
thereafter entered St. Michael's college, a pre-
paratory institution, where he completed a three
years' course, graduating in the class of 1893.
The same year he matriculated in All Hallows
College, Dublin, where he devoted especial at-
tention to philosophy, in which connection he
won distinction. In this well-equipped insti-
tutfon, governed b)- the \'incentian Fathers,
he studied for five years. Coming to America
in 1898. he completed his studies at St. Bona-
venture's college, Allegany, New^ York. Two
years later. Father Stack had finished the pre-
scribed course, and he was there ordained to
the priesthood on July 16, 1900, by Archbishop
Quigley, the present archbishop of Chicago.
Forthwith, Father Stack started for [Mon-
tana, arriving in Helena August 15, and re-
porting to Bishop Brondel. .\t the expiration
of ten days he was assigned as assistant priest
at Deer Lodge, where he remained six months,
and on March 15, 1901, he became assistant
priest under Father Callahan, at the Churcli
of the Sacred Heart in Butte. Here he en-
tered with enthusiasm and devotion upon his
duties, proving an able coadjutor to Father
Callahan and striving to further in every pos-
sible way the material and the spiritual welfare
of his parish. In December of the same year
Father Stack was transferred to St. Agnes'
church. Red Lodge, where he labored till De-
cember, 1904, when he was appointed to Bil-
lings. His work here is w^ell known and for a
further account of the progress of the church
in Billings with its early history, we refer the
reader to the general history of Yellowstone
countv in this volume.
ERVIN GRANT BLAIR, one of the pio-
neer stockmen of northern Park county, re-
sides eight miles north of Meyersburg, where
he owns o\er twelve thousand acres of land,
which he devotes tii general farming and stock
raising. His flocks consist of eleven thousand
sheep, while he owns also some cattle and
about seventy-five horses. Mr. Blair was the
first man to breed Hampshire sheep in this
part of the state and his flocks are all fine ani-
mals. He owns two splendid thoroughbred
Norman stallions and takes a great interest in
horse breeding, being a thorough horseman
and admirer of e.xcellent animals. In addition
he buys wild horses and breaks and sells them,
thus dealing in as well as raising these animals.
Ervin G. Blair was born in McConnells-
burg, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1865, being
the son of James A. and Mary E. (Holman)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
507
Blair. The father was born in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, in 1827 and died at Aurora,
Illinois, January 5, 1900. His father was
Robert Blair, of English extraction, who mar-
ried Elinda Ervin, of Scotch-Irish ancestors.
Ervin G. received his education in the common
schools, completing the same in Jennings Sem-
inary, Aurora, Illinois. He was eighteen years
of age when he came to ^Montana and his first
labor here was by the month on a stod< farm.
Having fully mastered the methods of sto:k
breeding and raising in this section of the
country, in 1887, he homesteaded a place in the
northern part of Gallatin county and took up
stock raising for himself in company with h'S
brother, James E. Blair. They continued suc-
cessfully together until the spring of 1893,
\\hen his brother died. Mr. Blair still followed
the business on the old homestead until 1898,
when he purchased the fine estate he now
owns. He still owns half of the homestead
and since coming to this larger place, he has
made extensive improvements and increased
his holdings in stock. Mr. Blair is a man who
takes great delight in his labors and being suc-
cessful has done much to forward the stock
interests of this part of ^Montana by purchas-
ing some of the best animals.
On July II, 1894, Mr. Blair married Rus-
sie A. Welliver, the daughter of Russell and
Dell Welli\-er. Her father was born in Penn-
sylvania and her mother in Illinois, while her
native place is Orion, Illinois, and the date of
her birth June 8, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Blair
have three children, Erwin W., born July 19,
1896; ]\Iarion I., born i\Iay 16, 1898, and
James Roscoe, born February 25, 1906.
Mr. Blair takes an interest in politics, lie-
ing allied with the Republican party, is a mem-
ber of the Elks, the Yeomen, the ^lasons and
was elected a member of the board of educa-
tion in Livingston. He is a man of energy,
wisdom and force and is one of the builders of
this part of the country. He is appreciated
among his fellows and the success he has won
stamps him the man he is.
Mr. Blair was elected commissioner of
Park county for four years in 1906 and is
serving with general satisfaction. He is di-
rector in a co-operative grocery in Livingston,
which is doing well. In the fall of 1906 he
incorporated his ranch holdings under the
name of Blair-Penwell Ranch Company, with
a capital of one hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars, all but si.xty-five thousand
being paid up, and he is president and general
manager of the concern. He has a splendid
residence in Livingston and in the summer en-
joys the freedom of the ranch.
i\Ir. Blair's father was born in Fulton
county, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1830. His
mother, Mary Elmira Holman, in maiden life,
was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania,
and died near Aurora, Illinois, December 18.
1 87 1, aged thirty-eight, having been the
mother of eight children. Her parents, Eli
and Harriet (Hammett) Holman, moved
from Fulton county, Pennsylvania, t(T DeKalb
county, Indiana, in 1864, where they both
died, he September 25, 1877, and she June 2Ti,
MAX GRUEL is known as one of the best
informed men on the science of agriculture in
this portion of the state of Montana, and even
a cursory glance at his career and his studies
is sufficient to indicate that the experience he
has had justifies the statement. Born of that
substantial and thrifty race that has left its im-
press the world around, Mr, Gruel inherits the
same substantial qualities and is a citizen of
which our state may be proud. His home is
eight miles west from Joliet, on Redlodge
creek, and there he owns a quarter section,
sixty acres of which are under ditch and very
productive. He raises general crops, but is
now turning his attention to sugar beet pro-
duction, beginning with ten acres this year.
5o8
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Taking up more in detail the life of Mr.
Gruel, we note first that he was born in Wur-
temberg, Germany, on December 14, 1871.
His father, Johannes Gruel, was born in 1830,
took honors in his graduation from the medi-
cal university and for forty-two years he was
a steady practitioner of medicine in his home
town, his death occurring in 1900. He mar-
ried Christania L. Wanner, who is still living
at the advanced age of seventy-one, having
been born October 8, 1835. Our subject was
the sixth of a family of seven children, three
of whom, Charles, Louis and himself are re-
siding on Redlodge creek. The rest of the
family is in Germany. Having finished the
public school course, our subject then pressed
on into the Agricultural college at Hohenheim,
whose reputation is so excellent that students
from all over the world are matriculated to
gain its advantages. He completed the estab-
lished course and soon after that date he was
asked to accept the oversight of a large estate,
which position he held for two years. Prior
to his college course, he had made such study
of scientific farming and had held oversight
on several large farms. Also, for two anrl
one-half years he was connected with a sani-
tary dairy, which supplied milk for invalids and
infants. In January, 1898, Mr. Gruel left
Germany for Argentine Republic, and as soon
as he had mastered the language he took the
oversight of a large plantation, his address
there being Estancia Sophia. From there he
finally came to Montana and he arrived via
New York in June. 1899. Fo'' two years sub-
sequent to his arrival, he was with his brother,
Charles, and then he purchased the quarter
section where he now resides. His first inten-
tion was to open a stock ranch, but since then
he has decided to enter the field nf beet pro-
duction, as stated. He has fifty head of fine
Hereford cattle, besides other stock, and is
one of the well-to-do men of the community.
Politically, Mr. Gruel is independent, while in
church relation he is Lutheran.
SAM. P. TUNNELL, a native of Haw-
kins, Tennessee, torn February 25, 1832, at
present resides on a valuable ranch two and
one-half miles from Fishtail, ascending the
creek. His father, John, also born in Tennes-
see, in the early forties went to Sullivan coun-
ty, Missouri, where he remained until his
death. His mother, Elizabeth (Charles) Tun-
nell, was a Tennesseean by birth, dying in
Missouri.
During the early boyhood of our subject
schools were scarce, and it was a limited edu-
cation he received at that time. At the age
of fourteen he accompanied his parents to
Missouri, but in 1861 crossed the plains with
ox teams to Lassen county, California, where
he found employment on farms and at dri\--
ing stages. About the year 1870 he went to
Cherry Creek, Nevada, and joined a number
of the various stampedes to several mining
camps, and among others, some camps in
Utah. He came to the Gallatin valley, Mon-
tana, in 1883, and the following fall to the vi-
cinity of Livingston. It was in 1904. that he
removed to his present eligible location.
In 1859 Mr. Tunnell was united in mar-
riage to Mary J. Vencill, a native of Virginia.
With her parents she went to Missouri at an
early day. coming west with our subject, and
dying in Nevada. Four children have been
torn to Mr. and ]Mrs. Tunnell : R. ^^'., born
in Missouri, and now on a ranch in Allierta ;
Stresley. born in California, where he accom-
panied his father in his various mining" expe-
ditions, and attended school mainly at Cherry
Creek. He attended the Brigham Young
Academy one term, where he had as school
fellow the notable Reed Smoot, now United
States Senator; Mary F., wife of Woodson
Hodges; Laura B.. wife of William P. Dut-
ton. The fall of the Custer massacre on the
Little Big- Horn, our subject left Cherry Creek.
Nevada, for the Black Hills, accompanied by
three other persons. Indians at that period
were quite hostile, and about a dozen men
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
509
who were traveling in a party ahead of our
subject were killed by the red skins. On this
trip he endured many hardships, and at one
time he was compelled to dig a hole in the
ground in which to sleep on account of a
serious wind storm. From the time he left
Missouri until his return it was forty-four
years.
RUDOLPH SU:\IER, in whose house
the Etna postoffice is kept, his wife being the
postmistress, is one of the substantial and
wealthy residents of the Tongue valley in
Custer county and has won his holdings and
his position by dint of hard and careful labor
and by a walk that commends him to the fel-
lowship and good will of all who know him.
He was born in Austria, near the line of Ger-
many and Switzerland, on October 2, 1868,
being the son of Rudolph and Kate (Erich)
Sumer, natives of the same locality where this
son was born. The father followed farming
and lumbering and died in his home place in
1905. Our subject was educated and grew
up in the locality of his birth and received
good training in both the German and French.
Until he was twenty-two he was engaged with
his father and then he decided to try his for-
tune in the United States and soon was in
Portland, Oregon. There he remained, work-
ing for wages, for two years when he came
on to Custer county and for four years con-
tinued to work for wages. Then he found
that by economy he had laid by enough to
warrant his investment in land and he bought
a portion of the estate he now owns. From
time to time he has added to the land by pur-
chase until he now has four full sections and
is considered one of the well-to-do men of the
valley. From the first he went to stock rais-
ing and has continued steadily at this with
good success from the start. He has his place
well improved and is a thrifty, progressive
and intelligent stockman and farmer of the
county. His stock consists of cattle and horses
and he has fine animals.
In 1897 Mr. Sumer married Miss Sarah
Walters, the daughter of Nicholas Walters, a
native of Switzerland, whence she came with
her parents, also natives of Switzerland, to
America when she was a small child. Mrs.
Sumer has four brothers and two sisters :
Reno, Leo, \\'illiam, Fred, Clara, who is a
teacher in the schools of Custer county, and
Edith. Mr. Sumer has brothers and sisters
mentioned as follows : John, Joseph, Jack,
Albert, Charlie, Kate, Mary and Rose, all in
Austria. To Mr. and Mrs. Sumer three chil-
dren ha\'e been born : William Rudolph, at
Miles City, on May 7, 1899; Walter, at Miles
City, on March 29, 1901 ; and Walton Leo,
on the ranch, July 12, 1903.
Mr. Sumer started in this country without
capital, save two good strong hands and a
determined spirit, and the large holding of
property he now has to show represents his in-
dividual labor and wisdom in business. His
wife has long been postmistress at Etna, now-
over five years, and they are people of excel-
lent standinp- with hosts of friends.
A. W. McINTOSH. Nearly four score
years ago, in New York state, was born to
William and Helen (McKinzie) Mcintosh, a
son, who is now the well known veteran of
western e.xplorations and a substantial citizen
of Rosebud county, whose name is mentioned
alx)ve. Mr. Mcintosh traveled from the At-
lantic to the Pacific. Came west in the early
days and has had a life on the frontier which
would be interesting to any lover of history.
While he has been occupied in all the various
lines of activity that are generaly found on
the frontier and is thoroughly acquainted with
pioneer life and pioneer experiences in every
particular, still he more especially gave his
5IO
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
time and efforts to mining. Like many others,
who have assisted materially in opening the
west, Mr. Mcintosh was very much fascinated
by the search for hidden treasure. He has
participated in almost every one of the famous
early day mining rushes and is intimately ac-
quainted with the country from the Eraser
river to the Rio Grande. It was 1859 when he
crossed the isthmus and landed in San Fran-
cisco. California, Nevada, Utah, New Mex-
ico, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and British Co-
lumbia besides many other places have been
visited by him in his search for nature's treas-
ures. He was in southern Idaho then came
to Mrginia City in 1864 and the same year re-
turned to Lewiston. Idaho. Thence he came
to Elorence and a year later to Walla Walla,
and in 1865 landed again in Montana. After
that he spent a decade mining in LUah and
various other portions of the southwest, and
afterward in 1881 he settled on a ranch where
he now resides, some eleven miles up the Rose-
bud from Eorsyth. Mr. Mcintosh was one of
the aggressive, fearless men in mining and al-
ways made plenty of money but as his plans
were great, he had the courage to execute
them, so it was always spent again in further-
ing large mining schemes. As the country
was exceedingly new when Mr. Mcintosh
came here he had an opportunity of making
an excellent selection and showed his wisdom
in doing so, as his large estate is now one of
the choicest in Rosebud county. Our subject's
father was a native of Scotland and came to
New York when a young man and was em-
ployed on a canal. Later, he engaged in farm-
ing and removed to Michigan, which was his
home place until his death. His wife was born
in the Genesee valley. New York, her father
being one of the very earliest settlers there and
a prominent and wealthy man. Their son, the
immediate subject of this article, was born
July 5, 1829, and received his education in
New York, Michigan and Ohio.
In 1872 Mr. Mcintosh married Barbara
Jamison, a native of Scotland, who came to
the United States with her parents when
young. To this union the following children
have been born : Alexander, at home ; Mary,
the wife of ^^'illiam Campbell : James and
Lucv B.
HARRY BRICE BLAIR, one of the
hustling business men of Park county has
achieved success in several lines of enterprise,
each one of which would have lieen a com-
mendable undertaking of the ordinary Inisi-
ness man. He gives his attention mostly to
general farming, sheep raising, his headquar-
ters being at the Wall Rock ranch nine
miles west from Meyersburg. This estate
consists of five thousand and eight hundred
acres and was purchased by Mr. Blair in 1903.
His sheep number about six thousand head,
while he has some other stock. He is mak-
ing an ideal sheep ranch, supplying all im-
provements needed in this industry and he has
fine flocks.
Harry Brice Blair was born at Eola, Illi-
nois, September 15, 1868. His parents are
mentioned in the biography of his brother,
Ervin G- Blair, in another portion of this work.
Having completed his education at Aurora.
Illinois, Mr. Blair came west to Montana when
seventeen and settled in the Smith Ri\er Yal-
ley. In 1890 he homesteaded on a tributary
of sixteen-mile creek and went into the cattle
business, which he followed for three years.
Then he sold his cattle and began raising
sheep. He continued in this business on Six-
teen-mile creek until purchasing the land above
mentioned, when he transferred his head-
quarters to the ^^'all Rock farm and is making
extensive improvements.
On February 17, 1892, Mr. Blair married
Thirza Van Doren, whose parents, John W.
I and Harriett (Wagner) Van Doren, are men-
I tioned elsewhere .in this volume. Two chil-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
dren are the fruit of this union : Mildred H.,
born March 22, 1894; and James Halsey. born
May 28, 1898.
Mr. Blair is an active Republican and be-
longs also to the order of the Elks. In com-
pany with his brother and his wife's father
Mr. Blair owns the Shields River Telephone
line which has been extended from Livingst<m
to Dorsey and is now put in connection with
the Bell system. It is a great benefit to the
settlers of the valley and is a promising re-
munerative enterprise. That Mr. Blair has
made a splendid success in the sheep business,
has become one of the leading real estate own-
ers of the county and by his energy and skill
has assisted materially in placing the telephone
system in a good running order indicates him
to be a man of no mean business talent, and,
presaging the future by the past, we are safe
in saying that many bright victories lie in his
path. He is a genial man and has made many
friends and has a standing of the best through-
out the county.
DEFOREST W. BIGELOW, one of the
early western pioneers and one who has had
a large share in the making of western his-
tory, is at present a prosperous ranchman in
the Yellowstone valley, residing two and one-
half miles from Fishtail up the creek. He
was Ixirn in Rock Island, Illinois, IMav 22.
1834.
His father, James R., in the opinion of our
subject, was born in the western part of the
state of New York. By occupation he was .a
steamboat captain and pilot ; first on the lakes,
and subsequently on the Mississippi river. In
1859 he crossed the plains to Denver, Colo-
rado, remaining, however, only a short period,
going thence to California Gulch, and after-
ward visiting other places. Returning to
Den\-er he engaged in placer mining. In the
spring of 1862 he went to East Bannock,
Montana, with a pack train of which he was
wagon master. The same year Alder Gulch
was discovered by William Fairweather who
came to Bannock after supplies. His discov,-
ery he attempted to keep a secret, but Mr.
Bigelow discovered it, and, in company with
Mr. Fairweather, and his son, he started for
Alder Gulch. Mr. Bigelow secured a claim,
Xo. 6, below Discovery and Summit claims.
.\t that time our subject was too young to file
on a claim. They all remained there until
1864. going thence to Last Chance Gulch
(now Helena). Then Mr. Bigelow and his
son divided their time between Alder and Last
Chance Gulch. Finally Mr. Bigelow sold out
his Summit claim for more dust than his son
could lift. The father then left his son at
school in Alder Gulch. At that time subject
was thirteen years of age. His father, when
loading the dust on to an animal, in two sacks,
asked the subject to hold one of the sacks
which he was unable to do, and he was a
strong boy.
In 1865 Mr. Bigelow started for the Koo-
tenai mines, which had recently been discov-
ered. He secured claim No. 3, and this lie
soon disposed of for another large load of
"diist." Then ensued a rush for Blackfoot
City, and he was swept along with the tide,
and took the claim where he was subsequently
murdered. .It was supposed that he had been
killed by a man who had served as foreman of
his mine. .\t that period Captain Williams,
X. Beidler, Colonel S. F. Sanders, Neil
Howey and John Featherstone were the prin-
cipal leaders of the vigilantes. They put
forth everv' effort to discover the murderer
and apprehend him, and it was supposed aft-
erward that the man who had killed Mr. Bige-
low had been subsequently murdered by In-
dians. At the time of the killing of Mr. Bige-
low a large number of the population of Mon-
tana were "road agents," and a man never
knew friends from foes. Following the mur-
der of Bigelow, Colonel Sanders made a thrill-
512
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ling speech, and assured the people that unless
something was done immediatel)- all the law-
abiding people would be killed.
The mother of our subject, Maria { Fos-
ter) Bigelow. went to Denver with her hus-
band where she died.
To Denver our subject went with his
mother the year following the arrival in that
city of his father. He accompanied the latter
to Aider Gulch, and other mining camps, and
remained with him until his father went to
Kootenai. While he was in Nevada City he
witnessed the lynching by vigilantes of George
Ives, the first one executed by lyncli law in
Montana. Ives exhibited a great deal of
bravado, and so sure was he that he would
not be hanged that he came forth from his
cabin smoking a cigar. But the vigilantes
were in deadly earnest, and upon the appear-
ance of Ives each one drew a bead on the
spectators and sympathisers with Ives who
were present, and thus held them motionless
until the hanging was over. Following the
death of his father our subject was taken in
charge by the vigilantes, and wanted for noth-
ing. They placed him in school and paid all
necessary expenses. The men foremost in
caring for him were X. Beidler, Captain Wil-
liams and Neil Howey.
In i860 our subject left school and joined
the Salmon River stampede. The following
fall he returned to Helena, and soon after
other mining camps were discovered. In 1869
he went to White Pine, Nevada, and here he
joined the Pioche stampede, returning in 1876
to Helena, where he remained until the dis-
covery of Penobscot, Wippoorwill and Marys-
ville mines. In 1880 Mr. Bigelow removed
to a ranch in Prickly Pear Valley, where he
continued to live until 1883, returning thence
to Helena. After five years passed on Crow
Creek, Montana, he removed to Great Falls
and acted as foreman in the construction of
the Great Falls smelter. He was manager of
the smelter for a while, and also conducted
the Cascade hotel. To Boulder, Montana, he
came in 1890, and the following year he went
to the Yellowstone National Park as overseer
of work. He came to his present location in
1893, 3"<^1 October 25th, of that year, secured
a homestead where he has since remained.
In 1873 ^Ii'- Bigelow was married to Car-
rie E. Howe, born at Ogden, Utah. Her par-
ents were Joseph and Caroline (Jelly) Howe.
She is the mother of nine children ; Mrs.
James Dwyer; Mrs. Lawrence Lynch; INIrs.
A. F. Ketchens; Mrs. C. B. Scott; Lily, a
baby; James R., Edward, Harry and Daniel.
JOHN W. VAXHOUTEN, a prominent
builder and contractor, and the descendant of
a prominent family, at present resides at Bil-
lings. He was born in Taylor county, Iowa,
March 2-j, 1862. He is the son of Peter and
Sallie Ann (Jenks) \'anHouten, the former a
nati\'e of New Jersey, born ]\Iarch 5, 1839;
the latter of Harrison county, Pennsylvania,
born March 23, 1841. Peter VanHouten was
a mechanic and moved to New York with his
parents when a child and again to Hancock
county, Illinois. They left the latter state in
1845, the year that the Mormons made their
exodus to Utah. He went to Missouri where
he remained a few years, going thence to Iowa.
It was in 1891 that he first came to Billings,
where he still resides. His father, John W.,
grandfather of our subject, was bom in New
York City. Removing to New Jersey he re-
turned to Gotham, and subsequently removed
to Illinois. Here he joined the Mormon
church, but later became convinced that he had
not pursued the right course, and left them. He
was of Holland ancestry, of the old Anneke
Jans family, and their old estate is now in the
heart of New York City. It has never been
settled, and at present there are three hundred
and fifty claimant heirs.
The father of our subject's mother was an
JOHN W. VAN HOUTEN
JOSEPH E. MASON
WILLIAM E. DICKSON
RANK N. HERMA;
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
513
Englishman. She moved to Iowa with her
parents at an early day, but was caUed from
earth at Bilhngs, June 16, 1895.
Our subject was educated in the common
schools of Iowa and was reared on a farm. He
learned the trade of a carpenter, but on arriv-
ing at maturity he farmed for a period of five
years in Iowa. In 1880 he removed to Color-
ado, but returned to Iowa and in 1892 went to
Nebraska, coming to Billings in 1896. Since
his arrival here he has erected about three hun-
dred buildings, and has contributed much
toward beautifying the town.
In 1887 he was married to Estella A. Cal-
kin, born in Hancock County, Illinois, August
7, 1865. She is the daughter of Henry K. and
Mary E. (Gillespie) Calkin, the fcjrmer a na-
tive of Pennsylvania ; the latter of Wheeling,
Virginia, and of Irish ancestry. Henry K.
Calkin was an early settler of Hancock county,
Illinois, having gone there with his parents in
1839. In 1882 he moved to Taylor county,
Iowa, where he at present resides.
Mr. and Mrs. VanHouten have six chil-
dren: Leo. H., Ray M., (high school), Lloyd
C, Daphne, Leveta and Elton J.
Our subject belongs to the Highlanders
and the Mountaineers.
JOSEPH E. MASON, one of the pro-
gressive, energetic and enterprising citizens of
the far famed Yellowstone valley, resides ten
miles southwest of Billings. He is a native of
the Empire State, having been born in Syra-
cuse May 16, 1865. His father, Augustine,
was born in Montreal, Canada, April 28, 1830.
He secured' an excellent education and in 1855
removed to New York, where he engaged for
a while in boating on the Erie canal. This
avocation he followed for seven years, but in
the spring of 1866 he started west
for California with his family, but on
arriving within the boundaries of Colo-
rado he was so much pleased with the
climate and surroundings that he final-
ly settled at Fort Collins. There he
remained until 1891, going thence to Fort
Laramie, Wyoming, where he remained until
his death, which occurred April 4, 1901.
While in the west he gave his attention prin-
cipally to farming and stock raising. He was
*juite wealthy and a representative man in the
community in which he resided. His
father, Frank Mason, came of a well-to-do
French family, going to Canada when he was
twelve years of age. He gained considerable
property in Canada, becoming a capitalist of
note. Politically he was a leader of promin-
ence. He died in Canada.
The paternal great grandfather was Lord
Messier, born in France. The family name in
F"rance was Messier, but was subsequently
changed to Mason, in Canada.
The mother of our subject, Charlotte M.
Beebe. was a native of New York where she
was reared and educated, her people being
among the early settlers of that state. She
died November 11, 1896.
The elementary education of our subject
was secured in the public schools of Fort Col-
lins, Colorado. In 1887 he went to Laramie
county, W^yoming, where he engaged in the
business of stock raising, going, in 1894, to
Gering, Nebraska, where he passed two years,
going thence to Alliance, same state, and re-
maining there until 1900, when he came to the
Yellowstone Valley. He had many teams and
was in the business of freighting for about one
year. Subsequently he worked for Yegen
Brothers, at Billings, about seven months.
April 2, 1902, he came to his present location,
and April i, 1903, he entered into partnership
with Charles Spear, a banker of Billings. To-
gether they bought cattle which they "ran"
until the fall of 1905, when they sold out. They
also engaged in the breeding of horses, includ-
in the Black Percherons. Their intention when
opening the ranch was to convert it into a
514
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
blooded stock farm, and give especial atten-
tion to raising tine horses and cattle, and feed
sheep in the winter. Considerable attention
has been paid by them to the poultry business.
August 6, 1885, our subject was married
to Carrie L. Hough, a native of Alabama. She
died January 15, 1895. January 28, 1896,
Mr. Mason was united in marriage to Anna E.
Ganser, born in Madison county, Nebraska,
January 10, 1878. At the age of seven years
she moved with her parents to western Ne-
braska, where she was reareil, educated and
married. Her father William Ganser, was
born near Berlin, Germany, coming with his
parents to the United States when a child. He
was reared in Dane county, Wisconsin. At the
age of 29 he went to Nebraska, where he en-
gaged in farming and stock raising. Her
mother, Anna E. (Klasan) Ganser, was also
a native of Wisconsin, where she was married.
Mr. Mason has four children by his first
wife : Grace M., a student of the Billings High
School; Roy A., at home with his father;
Myrta, a school girl, and Joseph E., Jr., a
school boy.
W^LIJAM E. DICKSON. The strength
of the county or state is gauged by the sub-
stantiality of her agriculturists and Custei
county is greatly favored in that she has a class
of intelligent, capable and progressive stock
men and farmers who make the bone and sinew
of the social life and are the solvers of all polit-
ical questions. Among this number of stable
men we are constrained to mention the gentle-
man whose name is at the head of this article,
and who has shown himself a man of ability
in that he has achieved a splendid success in
his endeavors in Custer county.
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, is the native place
of William E.. and his boyhood days were
spent in that busy center. January 9, 1864,
was the date of his birth. His parents, John
A. and Lucy (Bartley) Dickson, are natives
of Penns}lvania and now dwell in ]\Iiles City,
retired. The father's parents were natives of
Ireland and immigrants to the New World.
He was reared on a farm, but after his mar-
riage he removed to Pittsburg and engaged in
the lumber business. In 1873, he came west
to California, Missouri, and there took up
farming until 1899, when he came on to Miles
City. He was all through the Civil war, serv-
ing in the Eighty-sixth Pennsylvania Volun-
teer Infantry, in the army of the Potomac. Our
subject was educated in the public schools of
the places where his parents lived during his
school days and in 1887 we find him in Las
Animas, Colorado, and soon thereafter he en-
gaged as a cowboy and also did much work
with horses. Two years later he came on to
Laramie, Wyoming, and was engaged with
the P. J. Horse Company, owned by Stokes &
Whitehouse. In 1891 he was in Buffalo and
Sheridan and there remained until 1897, when
he came to Custer county. So well pleased
was he with this section of the northwest that
he determined to locate and so sought out his
present place, a farm of one hundred and sixty-
five acres, and purchased it. He settled down
to work and has fitted up and improved his
place until he has one of the choicest farms
on the Tongue river. His buildings are com-
modious and substantial, his land is in a high
state of cultivation and his entire estate bears
the marks of a thrifty and wise man.
In 1894 Mr. Dickson married Mrs. .\rlena
Thomas, the widow of the late George
Thomas, and she is a native of Illinois. She
came with her parents to Missouri and later
with them to ^Montana. Her father, Israel
Harris, has been engaged in stock raising.
Mrs. Dickson had two children, Blanch, born
March 14, 1893, and Mildred, August, 1897.
Mr. Dickson takes an intelligent interest
in political matters and school affairs and is
ahvays on the side of development and im-
provement in all lines.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SIS
FRANK N. HERMAN, one of the stock-
men and ranchers on the Tongue river, resides
aljout fourteen miles southwest from Miles
City, and has a good home place and handles
many horses. He was born in Norway, Feb-
ruary 22, 1856, the son of Nelson and Anna
(Johnson) Herman, both natives of Norway,
and now living on their homestead in the vi-
cinity of St. Peter, Minnesota, the place they
took in i860, when that country was filled with
Indians and the wilds were almost unbroken
by settlers. The father is aged ninety-six.
Owing to the fact that Frank N. was reared,
on the frontier where school privileges were
not the best, he had little opportunity to gain
an education, but he improved what he had and
has constantly been a reader since so that today
he is well posted on the important and perti-
nent questions of the day. As early as four-
teen he left the parental roof to seek life's way
for himself and about his first venture was to
assist in driving a band of cattle from Minne-
sota to the Red Cloud agency, Nebraska, for
the Indians. For a decade thereafter he was
variously employed in different sections of the
west, as operating a stage from ]Miles City to
Ashland, conducting a sawmill on Little
Pumpkin, and so forth. He purchased a ranch
near Junction in early eighties, and thus we
see that he had been saving his money in the
years he had been for himself. The following
year he came to the vicinity <>f his present place
and so well did he like this part of the country
that he determined to locate. He secured the
place where he now lives and embarked in rais-
ing cattle and horses. Success followed him
in his labors and he soon had bands of stock
in \arious directions. Later Mr. Herman de-
cidetl to confine liis efforts to one line, so dis-
posed of his cattle and handles horses mostly
now. He has a good ranch and produces what
is needed in his business for forage and grain
and so forth.
In 1900, Mr. Flerman married Miss Ellen
Perry, who died shortly after her marriage.
Then occurred the marriage of Mr. Herman
and Margaret Perry, a sister of his former
wife. Mrs. Herman's parents, James and
Mary J. (Fries) Perry, were natives of Ire-
land and Dutchess county, New York, respec-
tively, and pioneered to Michigan in early
days. Mrs. Herman's brothers and sisters are
John H., Eugene C, LeVis, James,. Lucy,
Edith and Eva. Mr. Herman has one brother,
Ollie, and four sisters, Mary, Jane, Anneta
and Josephine. The children born to our sub-
ject and his wife are three: Gertrude E., born
October 8, 1898; Frances E., April 8, 1893,
and Gladys L., September 8, 1895. Mr. Her-
man is always interested in the affairs of the
county, state and nation and takes an active
part in all campaigns and while he never seeks
office, he is careful to study the principles of
action so as to be able to judge intelligently of
the issues. He has many friends and stands
secure in the esteem and confidence of his
fellows.
HAR\'Y A. CORBIN is one of the ca-
pable and worthy men who have made Cus-
ter county what she is today. Among the
people of the county, Mr. Corbin has made
hosts of friends by his upright walk and his
fairness and wisdom. He is esteemed by all
and his life has been such as merits the good
will of those who know him. Engaged in
ranching and stock raising, Mr. Corbin has
displayed in his labors a steadiness and perse-
verance that could but win success, and de-
spite the set backs which uncontrollable cir-
cumstances brought about to all, still he has
so conserved his interests that he is comforta-
bly fixetl and has the satisfaction of knowing
that he has wrought it out by his labor and
skill.
In far awav Clinton countv. New York,
5i6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
on November 2, 1859. tliere was born to Asa
P. and Elizabeth (Phinney) Corbin, a son,
who is now the gentleman of whom we speak
in this article. The parents were both natives
of New York;, and on lx)th sides of the house
Mr. Corbin is descended from old and promi-
nent ancestry, who were connected with the
destinies of the New World long before there
was any United States and when the hard
problem of getting a foothold in an unknown
land was so hardly contested by the noble
colonists who sought even these hardships
rather than sacrifice their freedom of con-
science. Referringmoreparticularly to our sub-
ject's father, we note that he was born on No-
vember 2, 181 9, following farming and died
when Harvy A. was nine years old. From
the public schools of his native place our sub-
ject was well educated and remained at home
until he v\-as twenty-one. At that time he
came out to Detroit City, Minnesota, and went
to work for his uncle who was sheriff of
Becker county, Minnesota. In 1883 Mr. Cor-
bin cam€ on out to Billings and after working
there for a short time, he returned to 3ililes
City and engaged on a cattle ranch on the
Tongvte. By the time that one year had passed
Mr. Corbin became firmly convinced that Cus-
ter county was the place for location and so
returned to New York and persuaded his
mother and his sister and her husband to come
out to the territory of Alontana with him.
Upon their arri\-al here they soon located in
the Tongue valley and began stock raising. In
this they prospered well until the winter of
1886-87, when they lost practically all their
stock. Then Mr. Corbin homesteaded where
he now resides and bought more land until
he had sufficient to make a first class ranch
and again went to work in raising cattle and
doing general ranching. Since then he has
continued at this occupation and has been
favored with good success.
In igoo Mr. Corbin married Carrie Card,
a native of Colorado. She was reared in
Deadwood, Dakota, and came on to Montana
in 1895. Mr. Corbin has one sister, Mary, the
wife of James R. Fiddes.
CHARLES W. SELLECK. On a hand-
somely improved stock ranch, supplied with
excellent and commodious buildings, one-half
mile north of Roscce, resides the subject of
this biographical sketch. He was lx>rn in
Lenawee county, Michigan, June 8, 1864. His
father, James, a native of Troy, New York,
removed to Michigan with his parents when
a small lad. The family located on a farm.
There he died in 1876. The mother, Kate
(Yakely) Selleck, born in the Empire State,
also came to Michigan with her parents while
quite young. At present she is residing with
our subject.
Having received a fair education in the
public schools in his neighborhood the latter
subsequently took a thorough course at Pouch-
er's Business College. Ionia, Michigan. He
then began working on his father's farm. He
was an only child and when twelve years (jf
age he lost his father, and upon him fell the
responsibility of providing for his mother. In
1885 he went to Dawes county, Nebraska,
where he secured a piece of government land
and began farming profitably, engaged in rais-
ing stock and general ranching. Here he re-
mained until 1895, when he came to his pres-
ent location in Carbon county, where he pur-
chased 320 acres of land on the Rosebud
river. It was at this period a "raw ranch,'" but
he has greatly improved it and has it under
a good system of irrigation. All in all this
property is as fine and productive as any farm
on the river.
Mr. Selleck was married in 1889 to Miss
Nellie Mosier, a native of Iowa. With her
parents, when quite a young girl, she removed
to Nebraska, wdiere she was married. Her
father. Cross O., is at present living in Car-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
517
bon county. Her motlier, Ann. died several
years ago. Five children have blessed the
union of Mr. and Mrs. Selleck : Katie, Lottie,
Grace, Thomas and Bessie, all at school.
Fraternally Mr. Selleck is a member of the
Masonic order and the A. O. LT. W.
GEORGE TOSTOX was born in Iowa
county, Wisconsin, August 2, 1854, and now
resides four miles west from Meyersburg. His
education was received in Wisconsin and when
eighteen he began to work for his father. Two
years later, he took a homestead in the Crow
Creek region, which he sold in 1886 and re-
moved to the Flathead valley in 1888. Here
he located and soon was engaged in the stock
business. He has added to his land holdings
until he now has seven sections and handles
alx)ut two hundred cattle. He has won first
class success in his labors and is classed among
the leading stockmen of Park county.
On December 3, 1894, Mr. Toston married
Sallie F. Todd and to them ha\-e been torn :
W. Rufus, January i"]. 1897, and Thomas ^I.,
October 9, 1898.
Mr. Toston is a member of the Lutheran
church while his wife belongs to the Chris-
tian deudminatinn. The principles of the Re-
publican party are those he believes correct
and he takes a keen interest in these matters.
He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and a
man nf integrity and worth. Mrs. Toston is
the daughter of D. F. and Mary E. Todd.
She was born in Richmond. Kentucky, March
27, 1866, and remained with her parents un-
til her marriage. Her father was born in
Madison county. Kentucky, and lived the
earlier part part of his life near College Hill,
that state. His father, the grandfather of our
subject, Peter Todd, was also a Kentuckian
by birth and an associate of some of his an-
cestors was Daniel Boone. Mrs. Todd's
mother was a daughter of Maeleson Todd, a
prominent farmer of the eastern part of the
United States and well known as Captain
Todd. When he died he was regarded as the
oldest Mason in his part of the country. The
Todd family came from Scotland the latter
part of the eighteenth century and settled on
the Atlantic coast. Captain Todd's wife was
a Miss Morton, a cousin of Judge Morton,
who is well known in this country. It is thus
seen that on both sides of the house ]\Irs. Todd
comes from strong families.
REV. JOSEPH J. BOWKER, the pres-
ent rector of St. Luke's Episcopal church of
Billings, was born in Manchester, England,
April 19, 1868, His father, James Bowker, a
native of Stoneclough, Lancastershire, Eng-
land, followed wholesale purchasing of dry
goods for a leading Lancashire firm, and died
in January, 1880. The mother, Elizabeth
Slater, in maiden life, was married in 1867,
and she, too, was torn in England. The other
children born to this couple besides the im-
mediate subject of this article, were: Rev.
Benjamin T. Bowker, vicar of Saint Nathan-
iel's church in Wigan, England ; and Mrs. P.
E. Haslam, of Bolton, Lancastershire, Eng-
land.
Between the ages of five and twelve Jo-
seph J. was kept in constant attendance at the
National schools and the four years next suc-
ceeding this period he studied in the higher
grade schools in the Manchester district.
From sixteen to twenty he was constantly en-
gaged in teaching in the National Schools
and from twenty to twenty-three years of age
he was privileged to study in St. Augustine's
College of Canterbury and upon being gradu-
ated from this institution he came immediately
to Canada and was ordained in August, 1891,
at Winnipeg. After this his labors were in the
parishes of Stonewall and Deloraine, Mani-
toba, where four years were happily and profit-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ably spent as the young rector was thoroughly
in love with his labors and inspired by the pos-
sibilities of the work.
From the scenes of his initial labors, Rev.
Bowker was called to the rectorship of St.
Paul's in Virginia City, Montana, and after
two years and six months of labor there was
called to the corresponding position in Butte,
with the church of St. Andrews. At this last
place, he was a faithful laborer for five years
and on January i, 1903, he was installed in
St. Luke's in Billings. For a more complete
detailed account of his labors here see the his-
tory of this church in the historical portion of
this work.
On October 4, 1895, R^v. Bowker and
Miss Mary A. Fogarty were united in mar-
riage. Mrs. Bow^ker's father, John E. Fog-
arty, of Canterbury, England, was an officer in
the British army and saw much service in the
Crimean and Colonial ^^'ars.
Rev. Bowker has shown a lo\e for his
labors and a devotion in following the pastoral
work that commend him to his many parish-
ioners who esteem him highly, "for his works,
sake," as well as for his kindliness and worth.
He is highly respected in the city of Billings
as well as wherever he has wrought, and is
a man of sterling worth as has been exhibited
in the devoted labors of the past decades.
As we ,go to press it comes to our notice
that Rev. Bowker has been invited to become
principal of the Cathedral Schools in Orlando,
Florida, and archdeacon of the southern
Florida diocese.
LOUIS GRUEL, who resides eight miles
west from Joliet, on Redlodge creek, is one of
the progressive and industrious agriculturists
of Carbon county, and has by his thrift and
wise management accumulated a handsome
competence of this world's goods. His ranch
is mostly devoted to general productions, but
it is his intention to utilize a goodly portion
of it for the production of sugar beets in the
near future, as it has been demonstrated that
this is an excellent section for this industry.
Louis Gruel was born in Wurtemberg,
Germany, on February 25, 1859, the son of
Johannes and Christania L. (Wanner) Gruel,
natives, also, of Wurtemberg, and mentioned
in the biography of Max Gruel on another
page of this work. Having received his edu-
cation in the public schools of his native city,
our subject at the age of fourteen began the
work of mastering the confectionery and bak-
er's arts. Three years were spent in accom-
plishing this important enterprise and then he
spent one year more in following, after which
he came to Philadelphia, via New York. Three
years were spent in the Quaker City at his
trade and then came a journey to Chicago,
where he resided until 1887. In that year,
Mr. Gruel went to O'Brien county, Iowa, and
opened a bakery and restaurant. This was the
scene of his activity for two and one-half years
and then he shipped his entire plant to Red
Lodge, arriving there in October, 1889. He at
once opened a bakery and confectionery store
and for eleven years he successfully conducted
that. At the expiration of that period, Mr.
Gruel found his health failing and an impera-
tive demand that he relax from the arduous
lalx)rs of in-door life. Accordingly, he sought
a farm and purchased the right of a squatter
to his present place. It was in 1901 that he
came thither and since that time has given his
attention to the manag-ement of the estate and
is bringing it to be one of the best in the valley.
One hundred acres are under the ditch and are
very productive.
In March, 1884, Mr. Gruel married Miss
Christina Biegert, also a native of \\'urtem-
berg, twenty miles distant from his own birth
place, yet they never met till in America. Mrs.
Gruel came to the United States alone, her
parents, Michael and Aphrosina Biegert, hav-
ing died when she was a young girl. To our
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
519
subject and his wife seven children have been
born: Theodora, in Chicago, June 18, 1885;
Anna, in Iowa, May 12, 1887; Fred, Decem-
ber 27, 1889, at Red Lodge; Otto, April 4,
1892. at Red Lodge; Ermina, at Red Lodge,
April 21, 1893; Edgar, at Red Lodge, Feb-
ruary 14, 1900, and Elsa, at Red Lodge, April
3, 1902. Mr. Gruel is a member of the M. W.
A. and is independent in politics. He is a
thrifty, substantial man, well esteemed and a
first-class citizen.
ROBERT E. CUTLER is a native of
Genesee county. New York, June i, i860, be-
ing the date of his birth. He now resides
twelve miles north of Genesee on a ranch anl
follows farming. His father, Francis O.
Cutler, also a native of New York city, was a
Methodist preacher and died about ten years
since. He married Catherine Gourley. a native
of Dundee, Scotland, who was born in 1831
and migrated to the L^nited States in 1851. The
marriage occurred in 1852 and six children
were the fruit of the union, our subject being
the only boy. Mr. Cutler traces his direct
ancestry to one who crossed the Atlantic on
the Mayflower. When ten years of age, the
Cutler family moved to the frontiers of Kan-
sas and Robert had very little opportunity
after that to attend school, so he made the best
of the situation, gaining what he could from
home instructions and reading until sixteen,
when he started out in life for himself. His
first work was on the railroad and as early as
1878 he came to Montana, passed through the
upper Yellowstone and went to mining at Cook
City. For twelve years he continued there
and then bought his present place, where he
has resided since. Mr. Cutler was first mar-
ried on March 6, 1889, and the children born
to that union were Leo L., November 14,
1890; James E., January 21. 1892; Grace,
January 3, 1894; Robert C, July 10, 1896;
Abe B., September 2t,. 1898, and Chester,
July 4, 1900.
December 24, 1902, Mr. Cutler married
Harriette E. Ball, who was born in Pine City,
Minnesota, April 24, 1875. Her father, Ar-
temus E. Ball, was a native of Massachusetts,
a lawyer by profession and a soldier in the
Third Iowa, enlisting in 1861. Soon after his
enlistment he was promoted and served with
distinction until he was mustered out at the
close of the war. ^Ir. Cutler's father also
served two years and was mustered out at the
close of the war. Mrs. Cutler's mother, Har-
riette { Hoag) Ball, was the mother of seven
children, this daughter being the fourth. Mr.
and ]\Irs. Cutler have one child. Mauley R.,
torn January 8, 1906.
In church relations, Mrs. Cutler is an Epis-
copalian. Politically Mr. Cutler is independ-
ent, although allied with the Republicans.
OLE C. NIELSEN. About two miles
west from Hathaway is the home place of Mr.
Nielsen, who has spent sixteen years of his
life in Montana. The farm consists of three
hundred and twenty acres of good land, one-
half of which was secured by homestead right
and the balance being purchased. Since the
time of his settlement here in 1890, Mr. Niel-
sen has given his entire attention to general
farming and stock raising. He is one of the
thriftv and industrious residents of Rosebud
county and the result is, he has been prospered
in his labors. • When he came here, this part
of what is now Rosebud county was very wild
compared with its present development, and it
recjuired considerable labor and self denial to
open up a farm in the virgin sod. But Mr.
Nielsen came with a determination of making
a home and the result was that he put forth
every effort to that end and has accomplished
his purpose in a good manner.
Like many of the prosperous and substan-
520
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
tial citizens of the United States, Mr. Nielsen
was Ijorn on the other side of the Atlantic,
his native place being Denmark and the time
of his birth about October 20, 1849. His
father, N. P. Nielsen, was also born in that
country and followed blacksmithing there un-
til 1872, when he came to Wisconsin and there
wrought at his trade until his death. He had
married Anna Marie Olson, also a native of
Denmark, who died there in 1870. Our sub-
ject received his education in his native land
and in 1872 came to the United States with
his father. He worked for wages in Wiscon-
sin until 1887, in which year he went witii a
carriage company from Racine to Moline, Illi-
nois. He remained with this company in Mo-
line until 1890, when he resigned his position
and came west to seek out a home. Being at-
tracted to Montana, he soon selected the place
where he now resides and, as stated before, he
has given his entire efforts to building a home
since coming to this state.
In 1882, Mr. Nielsen married Rassine
Nielsen, and to them have been born the fol-
lowing named children : Annie, Niels, Peter,
Marv, Soren, Emma and Anton.
HON. THOMAS S. HOGAN, a man
well known over the state of Montana anil at
the present time a leading attorney in Billings,
was born near the city of Chippewa Falls,
Wisconsin, on December 23, 1869. His par-
ents, John and Bridget (Ahern) Hogan, na-
tives of the Emerald Isle, migrated from Tip-
erary county, Ireland, to the United States
about 1850. Soon after their families were
located they were united in marriage, this
event occurring in the state of Ohio. Mr. Ho-
gan dwelt first in Boston and then came west
to Ohio and worked at his trade of stone lay-
ing. About i860 he and his wife made their
way to Wisconsin and the last ninety miles of
their journey was made on foot, so dense was
the wilderness they were penetrating. Most
arduous labor was required to clear and put
under cultivation a farm in this section, but
they were equal to the task and became
prominent and honored citizens, the father
passing away at a ripe age in 1902. They had
a family of nine children and Thomas S. was
reared and educated in his native heath, grad-
uating from the high school when sixteen. For
three years subsequent to that he taught school
and then went west to Washington, and for
two years afterward came thence to Montana.
One year was occupied in mining in the vi-
cinity of Butte, and four years, beginning with
1892, he was engaged in the smelters of Ana-
conda. In 1896, Mr. Hogan was a candidate
for his party, the Populist, with which he had
been affiliated actively during his majority,
to the office of secretary of state of Montana
and was promptly elected. In 1894 he had
been a candidate from Deer Lodge county for
representative to the state legislature, but was
defeated by only sixteen votes. Following the
completion of his term as secretary of state,
Mr. Hogan practiced law four years in Butte
and in 1904 located in Billings, where he has
won a place in the esteem of the bar and the
people that is very gratifying, and enjoys a
large and constantly increasing patronage in
his professional business.
Mr. Hogan was a prominent and active
member of the Knights of Labor, having been
district master workman of the state.
In 1894, Mr. Hogan and Miss Kathleen
Donovan, who was born in Chippewa county,
Wisconsin, were united in matrimony and four
children have been jjorn to crown the mar-
riage, namely, Ralph J., Emmett V., Mary T.,
and T. Fritz.
OWEN DUFFY. The good old "Emer-
ald Isle" has furnished many a stanch citizen
to the great Republic of the United States and
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
521
many a faithful veteran who fought as only
the true Irishman can fight has given his blood
for the Stars and Stripes, and no more loyal
supporters of that grand banner are found on
the earth in this day than those same faithful
ones who have been transplanted from the
"Isle" and who have raised families to revere
and cherish the laws and the free institutions
of our beloved land. Quick to perceive the
advantages of the New World, many were the
immigrants thither from Ireland, and who but
this race would have remained, even one, to
Ijear the trials of their own land, and there has
been a ready adaptation to the new order of
things, and, it is with regret we say it, yet it
is true, there has been noticed by students of
the subject that often times the worthy immi-
grant, by contrast perhaps, has a more appre-
ciative spirit for the real freedom of America
than those called her native sons. Among
tiiose who have come hither and found homes,
carving their fortunes from the resources of
the land, we are gratified to mention the
gentleman whose name heads this arti-
cle. His present residence is eight miles
west from Joliet on Redlodge creek. Christ-
mas day. 1861. was the date of his birth, and
this e\'ent occurred in the province of Mun-
ster, Ireland. His father. Owen Duffy, was
1>orn, lived and died in Ireland, the closing
event of his life being at the age of sixty-
seven, in 1892. He had married Margaret
Mclntyre, who died when (lur subject was a
small lad, he being the youngest of seven
children. All of the children are now in the
United States, scattered in dift'erent locations.
James resides on American Fork in Sweet
Grass county, this state. The first twenty-two
years of Mr. Dufi^y's life were spent in his na-
tive country and then he determined to l)id
farewell to all this and try his fortune in Alon-
tana. He sailed to New York city, arriving
without unusual event, and there took passage
for Big Timber. J^Iontana, direct in 1884. His
brother had been in this locality for four years
and he had worked on the latter's ranch, re-
maining with him for nine years. At the ex-
piration of that period he came to his present
location, anticipating the opening of the reser-
vation. He filed finally on the quarter, section
where he now resides and to the improvement
and cultivation of this he has devoted his en-
ergies since. When he located his nearest
point for mail and supplies was Red Lodge,
thirty-five miles distant, and no roads were
constructed through the country. It was two
years before any roads were built and Mr.
Dufify had to well experience the life of the
pioneer. He has faithfully laboreil abng and
now has one hundred and forty acres under
the ditch and producing abundant crops. He
raises mostly hay and grain, but intends in
the near future to devote much attention to
the production of sugar beets.
Mr. DufTy has never seen fit to affiliate
himself with any order, Ijut is a consistent
member of the Roman Catholic church. In
politics he is Republican, although not es-
pecially active. Thus far on life's journey.
Mr. Duffy has chosen to walk without the re-
sponsibilities of the married life and belongs
to the order of jolly bachelors.
JOSEPH BROWN is a miner residing at
Gardiner and was born in Baden, Germany,
September i, 1834. being the son of
Toseph Brown, also (lerman, born at
Baden in 1800 on a farm. He mar-
ried Catherine Meyers, a native of Baden, who
was about three years younger than himself.
They had four* children, our subject being the
only one who came to America. This trip oc-
curred in 1850, after he had received his edu-
cation in Germany. For two years he re-
mained in New York and then moved to Erie,
Penns\l\ania, where he spent ten years pros-
pecting for oil. He went to Marquette, Michi-
gan, about 1S62 and was employed in the cop-
522
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
per mines for one year. In tlie fall of 1863
he started for Virginia City, Montana, but did
not get there until the following year. Not
finding pay dirt there, he crossed over to
Grizzly Gulch, near where Helena now is, and
from that time until the present ;\Ir. Brown
has been one of that sturdy army who has fol-
lowed mining and prospecting steadily in the
promising" state of Montana. Like the others,
he has had varying success, rather better than
the average, but sometimes down and some-
times on the crest of the billow. He located
at Bear Gulch in 1876. There he staked out
the Legal Tender, Graham, Tip Top and
Mountain Chief, in company with James Gra-
ham. These properties are now owned and
operated by the Kimberly Company and are
spoken of as the Jardine Mines, being quartz
properties, Mr. Brown has located and worked
several placer claims that have panned out
first class.
In religious persuasions he was raised a
Catholic, while in politics he is a strong Re-
publican. He has always taken a keen and
active interest and has served at several con-
ventions. Mr. Brown is a Mason and can
truly be said to be one of the sturdy pioneers
of the state of Montana. He comes from a
very long lived family, his father, Joseph
Brown, died at the age of eighty-six, his
grandfather, Joseph Brown, dying at the age
of ninety-six and his great-grandfather at the
age of one hundred and six. As early as 1866
Mr. Brown, in company with four others,
spent three months in the Yellowstone Park
and his is supposed to be the first party that
ever thoroughly looked over this wondrous
region.
JAMES WOOSLEY resides just south-
west of Sedan, which is in Gallatin county. He
owns eight-hundred and seventy-five acres of
good land and does both general farming and
stock raising, having enjoyed a bounteous
measure of success in his labors here. He is
a native of Illinois, the date of his birth be-
ing January 10, 1841. John Woosley, his fa-
ther, who died when James was four years old,
was a Kentuckian, farmed in Central Illinois,
and used to own forty acres where Decatur
now stands. He married Jane Smith, who
was born in Indiana. After receiving his ed-
ucation from the public schools, our subject
in i860 went to work for himself on a farm.
The ne.xt year, 1861, he rented a farm and
on August 15, 1862, he enlisted in the 18th
Illinois Infantry, serving throughout the en-
tire war. He was present at Vicksburg at
the surrender to General Grant and was also
at the surrender of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Having done well the part of the brave soldier
in defending his country throughout the long
years of war, he was ready upon the receipt of
his honorable discharge to return to farming;
but he did not come back to civil life as he had
gone into the army, for the bullets of the
enemy had done their work and Mr. Woosley
was forced to take up life with one arm sadly
crippled. However, being of a bright dispo-
sition, he overcame all of this and made a good
success in his farming. In 1880 he moved
to Kansas and tilled the soil near Cedardale
five vears. He came to ^lontana but soon re-
turned to Kansas. In 1887, however, he came
to permanently locate here and selected a
homestead in the east Flathead valley. He
still retains that homestead which is the seat of
his residence, but has added to it until he has
an estate as mentioned alx>ve.
On .\ug-ust 9. i860, Mr. Woosley married
Martha E. Pratt, the daughter of Matthew Y.
and Lvdia (Jones) Pratt, a native of Illinois.
They have become the parents of nine chil-
dren, only three of whom, however, are still
living: Joshua Y.. torn September 8. 1861 ;
Sarah E., January 25, if
and John S.
May 30, 1 87 1. Both Mr. and Mrs. Woosley
are members of the Christian church and are
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
523
exemplary people. Mr. Woosley is a Demo-
crat but not partisan.
OLOF NELSON was born in Sweden.
July 13, 1856. At present he resides on a fine
ranch fourteen miles northwest of Red Lodge,
on Red Lodge creek. His father, Nels Nel-
son, born at Skornn, Sweden, followed the
avocation of an agriculturist. He died in
1905. The mother, Hannah Xelson, a native
of the same place, died in 1899.
On attaining his majority our subject had
passed through the common schools of his vi-
cinity, and obtained a fair business education.
In 1882. having followed (arming during his
early manhood, he landed in Boston, Massa-
chusetts, going from there direct to New
York, where he remained three months. He
thence went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, but
in 1883 he came to Livingston, Montana, and
here he found employment on the Yellowstone
Park branch of the Northern Pacific railroad.
The following fall he went to Portland, Ore-
gon, and here he resided eight months, coming
thence to, the vicinity of Billings, ^lontana,
where he found emplo)'ment with I. D. O'Don-
nell on a stock ranch, and with whom he re-
mained seven years. During this time he had
taken a ranch four miles west of Red Lodge,
on Willow creek. This he disposed of in 1898
and removed to East Red Lodge Creek, where
he remained four years. Having disposed of
this property he indulged in a profitable trip
through, the wonderful Yellowstone Park. To
his present location he came in 1904. At pres-
ent he lives with his two brothers, they ha\-ing
between them 320 acres of excellent land.
In 1879 our subject was united in mar-
riage to Celia Anderson. She passed from
earth twenty years ago. Mr. Nelson has three
brothers : Nels, who came from Sweden
with our subject, and one year later to Mon-
tana. He is now living on the ranch. Mang-
nus, coming to Montana in 1886, and where
he now has 160 acres of land and is residing
with our subject; Martin, now in Sweden.
Our subject has four living sisters : Bangter,
Hannah, Annie and Anna, all in Sweden. He
has lost one sister, Christine.
SAMUEL FEYLER. Bom in Lincoln
county, Maine, March 9, 1869, the subject of
this sketch is at present a prosperous farmer of
Yellowstone county, residing eight miles west
of Billings. His father, Rufus, a native of the
same place, combined the businesses of farm-
ing and ship carpentering, working the greater
portion of the time at his trade. The mother,
Amelia (Swartz) Feyler, also a native of
Maine, descended from ancestors who were
among the first settlers of the Pine Tree state.
In the public schools of Maine our sub-
ject received his early education and in 1882
came to Billings, where he at first worked for
wages. Continuing this for ten years he; then
purchased a ranch upon which he now resides,
having eighty acres all under an excellent sys-
tem of irrigation, and which farm he has, by
industry and keen business sagacity, made a
most valuable property. He owns considera-
ble stock and is well-to-do in every respect.
GEORGE MACE, well known all over
eastern Montana, and now the postmaster at
Howard, is one of the old timers who chased
the buffaloes and blazed the path through these
sections as well as in many other places of the
west. He is a man of intrepid courage and
strong powers in the lines which he has fol-
lowed. His experience in the west, for he
has traveled all over the country west of the
Mississippi and between Mexico and Canada,
would make a large and interesting volume
had we the space to outline it. Suffice it to
5M
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
say, however, that from the time he was a
small lad till he settled in Caster county he was
on the go in all the various callings and rela-
tions that obtain on the frontier, from the po-
sition of cowboy to postmaster, and his time
of hunting the noble bufifalo was one which
can never be effaced from his memory, being
filled with adventure and thrilling incident. A
more detailed account of his life will, there-
fore, be sowght after and we append a brief
epitome.
George Mace was born in Xew York Au-
gust, 1848. His father. John ^lace, a native
of England, came to the United States when
a young man and then after a few years here,
he returned to his natvie land and there re-
mained until his death. He married Miss
Louisa Hicks, also a native of England. Our
subject was nine years of age when his parents
went to England from New York, he accom-
panying them. He finished his education in the
old country and when sixteen returned to the
United States, as he preferred this country to
where his parents remained. From that time
onward he was traveling in all portions of
the west and became personally acquainted
with all the callings of frontier life. He has
mined, been cowboy, done freighting, packing,
and all the arduous things that allure the rest^
less from the quieter home of the east. In
1869, we find hiiu working on the Union Pa-
cific railroad, and in the famous centennial year
he made his way from Arizona to Montana,
settling in the vicinity of Miles City, being
among the first to locate there permanently.
That continued to be his home until 1880. when
he came on west to his present location and
took land. At the present time ^^Ir. ]\Iace has
three sections of land, one-third of which is
under the ditch and very productive. He gives
his attention to general farming and stock
raising and is one of the well to do men of the
county.
In 1883. Mr. Mace married Miss Hannah
A. Anderson, a native of Norway. She was
reared in Minnesota and came to Montana
with a family from that state in 1883. Here
Mr. Mace and she met and later were married,
and their children are Hannah, Bertha, and
Alfred.
CHARLES R. CROSS is one of the pio-
neers of Custer county and is today dwelling
on his ranch about two miles up the Tongue
from Miles City. He gives his attention to
the cultivation of his ranch and to stock rais-
ing, having been one of the first ones in this
country to start in that business. A native of
Burlington, Vermont, November 23, 1863, the
date of his birth, Mr. Cross inherited the thrift
and stability of the New Englander and has
manifested it in his career. His parents, Fran-
cis and Elizabeth Cross, were farmers and the
latter died when he was an infant. The father
was a native of France and came with his par-
ents to the United States when a child. He re-
mained in Vennont until his death. The other
members of the family, the brothers and sisters
of our subject, are Frank, deceased; '^^^ L.,
who came to Custer county in 1876; Joseph,
deceased; H. G., a rancher in this county;
Mary Besette, Marie Videll, Orilla McCuen.
and Louisa. Charles R. grew up and was edu-
cated in his native place and at the early age
of sixteen stepped forth to assume the burdens
of life for himself. He at once came to Fort
Keogh, the journey from Bismarck being by
boat, and for two years was employed by his
brother who was operating a farm on the mili-
tary reservation. Then with his brothers, V.
L. and H. G.. he went to upper Pumpkin creek
and embarked in stock raising. They contin-
ued in this until the winter of 1886 when they
lost twelve hundred cattle, which catastrophe
so cripple them they went out of business.
For several years Mr. Cross was occupied in
various ways and in 1893, he came to his
present place and located, and since then he
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
525
has labored here with good success. It is of
interest to note that during the first two years
of the time he was raising cattle with his
brothers of the Indians on the war path
and there were some exciting times.
In 1887, Mr. Cross married Hannah Wing,
a native of Deamnien, Norway, and the daugh-
ter of H. T. and Caroline (Larson) Wing,
natives of Norway, also. The family came to
Ottertail county, Minnesota, when Mrs. Cross
was twelve years old and two years later came
on to Custer county where the father was en-
gaged in stock-raising until his death in 1899.
Mrs. Cross has one brother, Alf. L., and two
sisters, Helga Kennedy, and Julia Ostein. To
Mr. and Mrs. Cross, four children have Iieen
born. Francis T., J. Margaret, Vi\ian A.,
Harold V.
GEORGE C. CAMPBELL, one of the
progressive Yellov.-stone Valley ranchers, born
in Ontario, Canatla, Alarch 11, 1874. now re-
sides three and one-half miles north of Roscoe,
Carbon caunty, on an eligible and finely im-
proved ranch. His father, Alexander R., a na-
tive of the same place, went from Canada to
Buffalo, Wyoming, with his wife and children
in 1886. Here he located on a ranch upon
which he remained until he died. His father,
Alexander Campbell, emigrated from Scot-
land to Canada. The mother, Helen (\Vatt)
Campbell, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland,
when a small child came to Canada with her
parents. Here she was married and is now
living in Buffalo, Wyoming. Her mother was
a Cameron, and her people on both sides of
the house were connected with a distinguished
Highland family.
In the common schools of Canada our sub-
ject recei\-ed his elementary education, which
was supplemented by courses in the schools of
Buffalo, W'yoming, to which place he came
with his parents in 1886. There, at the age
of fifteen years he began riding the range and
was employed by the Bar L. X. and two other
large companies, continuing until 1892.
In the spring of 1892 the war between the
cattle rustlers and the stockmen broke out in
Johnson county, Wyoming. He served as a
deputy under Sheriff Angus and was one of
the first party that left Buffalo to head off
the Whitecaps. His party participated in the
three days' fight, April 11, 12, 13 with the
rustlers at a ranch on Crazy Woman.
Three years later, in the spring of 1895,
he came to his present location where he se-
cured a homestead. Later he purchased more
land until now he has a half section, nearly
all of which is under irrigation and well im-
pro\'ed, and is one of the largest stock owners
in his part of the country.
In 1898 Mr. Campbell was united in mar-
riage to Dora E. Brown. She was a widow,
the name of her first husband having been Mc-
Donald. Her father, James Brown, died while
he was a young man. Her mother is at pres-
ent the wife of R. O. Morris, mentioned else-
where. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have two chil-
dren, Earl M. and Helen. With them are three
step-children, Maud, Elizabeth and Nellie Mc-
Donald, all living with our subject.
EDWARD KAISER, the popular and ef-
ficient postmaster at Meyersburg is one of the
well known men in Park county. He owns
about fourteen hundred acres of land around
Meyersburg and is platting a portion of it for
the promising village where he resides. He
was born December 21, 1865, the son of Sam-
uel and Margaret (Holderman) Kaiser. The
father was born in Switzerland in 1847 arid is
now living in the Crow Creek valley. He is a
cooper by trade and was following this oc-
cupation in Helena at the time of the stampede
to the Black Hills, Dakota, which he joined.
Not finding this so auspicious as he expected,
526
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
he started a brewery at Central City. After
that, he returned to Montana and now resides
as stated above. His wife died when our sub-
ject was a lad. After Edward finished his edu-
cation at Readersburg. he being then fifteen
years of age, he left home and went to work
on a neighboring farm. After that he rode
the range in Jefferson county for some time,
in 1890, he took up ranching again, this time
for himself, selecting a homestead near his
present location. In 1895. he sold that place
and in March 1899, bought the place that he
now owns. For more than sixteen years he
has been postmaster and the office has always
been taken with him when he moved from one
place to another. He has a fine large body of
land, and is seeking with a good measure of
success to make of Meyersburg one of the pros-
perous towns of Park county.
In 1890, Mr. Kaiser married Alvie R-
Nave, daughter of F. R. Nave, and to them
have been born three children. \'era E. May
30, 1892; Claude R. July 9, 1893: Margaret
C, October 11, 1897. Mrs. Kaiser died on
October 6, 1903.
On September 6, 1905, ]Mr. Kaiser con-
tracted a second marriage. Etta S. Bown, the
daughter of Spellman and Eliza (Fitz) Bown,
becoming his wife. Mr. Kaiser is a good
strong Republican and takes a keen interest
and satisfaction in the campaigns.
WILLIAM! ROBISON, born in Clay
county, Indiana, February 5, 1869, is one of
the leading stockmen of the Yellowstone Val-
ley, residing at Billings. His father, J. B.
Robison, a native of Ohio, removed to Clay
county in 1850, remaining there until 1874,
when he went to Montgomery county, Kan-
sas. Here he tarried until 1898. returning
thence to Indiana, where he is now making
his home with his son. The mother of our sub-
ject, Hannah J. (Reader) Robison, was a na-
tive of Ohio, going to Indiana with her hus-
band, and later to Kansas, where she died.
The subject of this sketch received his
elementary education in Montgomery county,
attending the public schools. Arriving at man-
hood's estate he engaged in farming. He first
came to. the Yellowstone Valley in 1889, where
he worked for wages a few years, then pro-
ceeded to better his condition by purchasing"
a ranch twenty miles north and four miles
west of Billings, where he engaged in the
sheep business, and that successfully.
In 1893 he was united in marriage to May
I\Iiner, born in Fallon county, Illinois, and
coming to the Yellowstone country with her
parents about 1883. Her father John Miner,
is now a resident of Carbon county, Montana.
Mr. and ]\Irs. Robison have three children,
Thomas. Florence and Clara.
SAM XEW'XES resides one mile south
of Howard in Rosebud county and for nearly
a quarter of a century he has been a resident
of Montana, having during that long period
passed through many experiences incident to
the frontier, and having alwaws shown a pos-
session of the true material that makes the
rugged frontiersman and the path-finder. His
life has been passed with much hard labor, and
while he has won the smiles of fortune at this
time it has not been without the efforts that
show the aggressive and wide awake man of
energy.
England is his native country and Feb-
ruary 19, 1854, the date of his birth. Mr.
Newnes' parents, William and Maria (Powell)
Newnes, were both born in the same shire as
our subject and the father was a postmaster
and followed the nursery business. His death
occurred in 1905. Our subject was educated
in his native land and there remained until
1880 when he came to Ontario, Canada. He
occupied himself with farming there until
April, 1882, and then started to view the west.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
527
He landed at Howard tlie following May,
second day and went to work on the railroad.
He selected government land soon after com-
ing here and was among the very first actual
settlers in this portion of the Yellowstone
valley. Since that time, Mr. Newnes has con-
tinued in farming and stock rising and has
prospered as his labors entitled him to do, be-
ing now one of the well to do men of the
vicinity.
In 1S74, ]\Ir. Xewnes married Jessie Dow-
ling, who was born in Manchester, England,
on ]\Iarch 6 , 1857, the daughter of James
Dowling, a native of Scotland. The children
Ixirn to this union are fourteen, three of whom
are dead. Sam F., James D., Harry, Maria,
William, John, Samuel, George, Joe, James,
Charles, Jessie, Elizabeth, and Ben. Mr. New-
nes has a very interesting family and one that
would delight the heart of our worthy presi-
dent. During the years of his residence in this
'ate Mr. Newnes has shown a spirit of real
thrift and desire to build up the country and
bring to the front its various resources, so that
others would be attracted hither and the real
advancement that has come would be apparent
to everyone. To this end he has taken an
interest in politics, has ever been on the side
of good schools and is a progressive man.
CHARLES F. GRANT resides at Shields,
Park county, which place by his enterprise and
push is becoming to be recognized as one of
the business jxiints in the county. It was 1903
when he arrived there and at once put up a
hotel, a livery stable, a saloon, a blacksmith
shop, a large general merchandise building and
hall, and brought in a fine stock of general
merchandise. About three months later, he
sold the general merchandise business and
since that has been conducting the other busi-
ness himself.
Charles F. Grant was born on July 17,
1858. in San Francisco, California. His father.
Frederick Grant, a native of Virginia and a
miner by occupation, crossed the plains over
the Santa Fe trail in 1849. Two years later,
Mary Wilson, with her parents crossed the
same route and she was married to Frederick
Grant. She was born in Ohio and with her
husband has long passed from the activities of
this world. Charles F. was educated in San
Francisco and when arrived at his majority he
started for himself and took up mining as his
initial occupation. Three years later he turned
his attention to the merchandise business, es-
tablishing a store in Leadville, Colorado. Later
we find him in the same business at Cripple
Creek, whence he moved to Spokane, Wash-
ington. Soon after that, he opened up a gro-
cery store at Boise, Idaho, and remained there
until 1898, when he came to the state of Mon-
tana. He spent considerable time traversing
the various portions of that state and finally
located at Utica, where he conducted a livery
barn and hotel. In the fall of 1901 he built
the first hotel and li\'ery stable at Clyde Park
and two years later sold them and established
himself at Shields, as has been mentioned be-
fore in this article. He is doing a good busi-
ness and as is evidenced by this brief outline
of his life, he is counted one of the energetic
and forceful men of the county.
In March, 1883, Mr. Grant married Lil-
lian Birch, the daughter of William and Nel-
lie Emmerson Birch of Stockton, California.
Two children are the fruit of this union, Ma-
bel, lx)rn February 7, 1885, and Madge, born
February 6, 1887.
Mr. Garrison is a good active Republican,
but is in no sense a politician. He has great
faith in the state of Montana and especially
Park county, and presages much good for this
section in the next few, years.
FRED STANDEN, torn at Olmstead
Falls, Ohio. May 4, 1864, has a handsome
ranch on which he resides, one and one-half
528
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
miles southwest of Laurel, Yellowstone county.
His father, John Standen, was a native of
Kent, England, coming to the L^nited States
while a young man, and locating in Ohio. He
was engaged in the butcher business, also rais-
ing considerable stock which he shipped. He
died ni August, 1904. The mother of our sub-
ject, Betsy (Aps) Standen, was also a native
of Kent, coming to this country with her hus-
band. She died in 1877.
In the public schools of his native town
our subject was educated. But he was com-
pelled to leave school at an early date, owing
to the death of his mother, and in 1882 he re-
moved to Valley, Nebraska, working there for
wages. To the Yellowstone Valley he came in
1899, and here he purchased a farm of 160
acres. This he improved and two years later
he sold the same and went to Wyoming, re-
maining there only one year, and returning
to Montana and purchased an Indian alottment
on Clark's Fork. This property he exchanged
for the ranch upon which he now resides,
June 23, 1903. Since then he has materially
improved the property, and has 160 acres un-
der irrigation, together with good, convenient
buildings, etc.
He was married in 1888 to Minnie Kellett,
born near Rome, Illinois, November 28, 1869.
When one year and one-half old she was taken
by her parents to Douglas county, Nebraska,
and here she remained until she came to Mon-
tana with her husband. Her father, Patrick
Henry Kellett, was born in County Kerry,
Ireland, coming to the United States at the
age of twelve years, and locating in Kentucky.
Later he removed to Illinois and subsequently
to Nebraska. Her mother, Mary Jane (New-
Ion) Kellett, was a native of Ohio. Mr. and
Mrs. Standen have four children : Roy,
Georg, Elma and William, all at school. Our
subject has six brothers living: John, in St.
Paul, Minnesota ; Richard, Alliance, Nebraska ;
Horace. Edgmont. North Dakota ; Charles,
Leary, Ohio, Edward, Columbus, Nebraska.
He has lost two brothers. Albert and Alfred.
He has four sisters : Jennie, Hattie, Nellie and
Julia. Mrs. Standen has six brothers : Charles,
Henry, Albert, Samuel, William and Ernest.
She has two sisters. Nellie and Jennie.
ABRAHAM HARRINGTON resides in
the Tongue valley about fourteen miles up
from Miles City and is engaged in the sheep
industry. He has long been in Custer county
and although not a pioneer in raising sheep
still he is to be classed with the pioneers of the
county, for he has dwelt here about twenty
years. He is a native of Laporte county, Indi-
ana, and was born on August 18, 1867. His
father, Henry Harrington, was born in Co-
lumbus, Ohio, in 1 83 1. At the age of fourteen
he caine with his parents from Ohio to Kos-
ciusko county, Indiana, and later removed to
Laporte county. He was among the early set-
tlers of Indiana and died in 1894. He mar-
ried Miss Rozilla Ann Bentley, a native of
Laporte county, Indiana. Her parents were
pathfinders in that section. In his native
county our subject was reared and there re-
ceived his education. When twenty, in 1887,
Mr. Harrington came direct to Custer county
and for the first two years he was engaged
in various employments. In 1889 he en-
tered a grocery store in Miles City and there
remained for fourteen years. Then he deter-
mined to try the sheep business and since then
he has given his attention to this work. He
has been favored with success in the venture
and his place is assuming the characteristic
marks of the sheep rancher in Montana.
In 1890 Mr. Harrington married Miss
]\Iartha Flemming, a native of Arkansas and
the daughter of Hiram and Mary Louisa
(Bramblett) Flemming, both natives of
Arkansas. When Martha was a child of ten
years, the family came on to Kansas and there
the father died five years later. The mother
ABRAHAM HARRINGTON
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
529
still lives in Kansas. Airs. Harrington came
to Alontana in 1890, the year of her marriage.
The children torn to this union are nine, Flos-
sie Helen, Callie May, Sylvia, Panzy, who died
when four, Eva, Evelyn, Eugene, Abraham,
and Frank who died when six months old.
JAMES N. SCOTT, a native of Wood
county, Ohio, now resides on a fine ranch
two and one-half miles north of Roscoe. Car-
bon county. The date of his birth was Febru-
ary 28. 1865. His father, James N. Scott, also
born in the Buckeye State, at Fremont. Sep-
tember, 9, 1831, was reared in that vicinity
and followed the avocation of a farmer. In
1866 he removed to \Vashington county, Iowa,
where he located on a farm and followed at
various periods the trade of a carpenter. Two
years subsequently he removed to Stanton
county, Nebraska, in 1868, where he located
on a farm, remaining two years, going thence
to Hamilton county, same state, where he set-
tled on a farm along the Platte river. Here
he lived seven years, thence removing to
Dawes county, same state, and securing a farm
when the Burlington & Missouri Railroad was
being constructed in the state. On this road
he took a contract and with the work came to
Huntly, jMontana, and the same year located
on the Stillwater ri\-er, near Columbus, Alon-
tana. and where he still li\es.
The mother of our subject, En-illa (Jen-
nings) Scott, was born in Sandusky, Ohio.
She died in Montana in January, 1900.
Our subject and his father remained to-
gether until the former came to his present lo-
cation, in 1894. He then secured a homestead
of 160 acres, which is all under an excellent
system of irrigation and well improved. In
1895, J^I''- Scott was united in marriage to
Orra J. Mosier, born in the vicinity of Des
Moines, Iowa. Her father. Cross O., was a
native of Missouri, removing to Iowa when
34
two years of age. Her mother, Ann (Harvey)
Mosier, was a native of Indiana. Mr. and
Mrs. Scott have seven children : Walter, Wil-
lie, Maud, Blanche, Daisy, Harvey and Harry.
MICHAEL HURLEY is to be numbered
with the progressive and industrious pioneers
of Custer county and his labors have been put
forth here for a quarter of a century with dis-
play of wisdom and sound judgment, so that
he has won the success that is gratifying when
the golden years of life begin to run apace. Mr.
Hurley has a nice ranch about two miles up
the Tongue river from Miles City and he
gives his attention to stock raising and the pro-
duction of the fruits of the field. He was born
in county Limerick, Ireland, where his ances-
tors before bim were born for several genera-
tions, the date of his advent into the world be-
ing June 15, 1838. His father, William Hur-
ley, remained in county Limerick until the
time of his death in the forties. He had mar-
ried Mary Connor, also a native of the same
county. After studying in the public schools
until 1854, and doing between times work in
various capacities, our subject went over to
England in 1854 and there remained for four
years. Then he came to the L^nited States and
in 1858 landed in New York City and went
thence to Hartford, Connecticut, and there fol-
lowed the tailor trade he had previously mas-
tered, until the breaking- out of the war in
1 86 1. Mr. Hurley was among the very first
to offer his services to put down the rebellion
and enlisted in the Fifth Regular United
States Infantry. He served all through the
war, being in the detachment sent to New
Mexico in the Department of California and
other southwestern points, and was among the
troops that opposed Sibley in his campaign in
New Mexico. After the war, he was honor-
ably discharged in Kansas and there remained
until 1874, when he re-enlisted, in the regular
530
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
army at Fort Hayes, taking his place in the
same company and regiment as before. After
a station period at Fort Hayes and Fort Leav-
enworth, he came to Montana with General
Miles in 1877 and served through the Indian
campaign and received his honorable discharge
in May, 1879. Mr. Hurley was actively en-
gaged in many Indian campaigns, both in the
southwestern portions of the United States
and farther north and has always shown cour-
age of the true and patriotic soldier. After be-
ing mustered out he settled on the ranch he
now occupies and gave his attention to rais-
ing stock which has occupied him since, to-
gether with farming. He has achieved good
success and is a well esteemed man in the com-
munity.
In September. 1869, Mr. Hurley married
Ellen Kennedy, a native of Ireland, and to
them have been born the following named chil-
dren: Fannie 'M.. wife of S. F. Randall, in
Chicago; Mary C, wife of Thomas W. Chaf-
fee, in Miles City; Margaret E., wife of Mar-
tyn Hawkins, of Chicago ; William R., in Cus-
ter county; John K., deceased; and Anna M.,
a stenographer for the Northern Pacific at
Glendive.
J. H. LUTZEXHISER, born in Benzie
county, Michigan, March 13, 1878, is one of
the enterprising and prosperous ranchmen re-
siding one and one-half miles north of Roscoe,
Carbon county. His parents were natives of
Ohio. Henry, the father, removed to Michi-
gan with his parents at an early day. In 1897
he came to Montana and located where now
lives the subject of this sketch. The mother,
Lucinda (Jennings) Lutzenhiser, when cjuite
young went to Michigan with her relatives.
Herself and husbanxl are now living with our
subject near Roscoe.
The first preliminary education received by
our subject was in the district schools of
Michigan. Subsequently, while yet a small
lad, he accompanied his parents to Garfield
county, Nebraska, and here he remained about
three years, when he moved again with his
parents to Pickens county, Alabama. Three
years subsequently the family returned to the
old home in Michigan. It was in 1897 that our
subject came to Montana, where he secured a
homestead, and where he is now located. He
has his land under thorough cultivation and
has made many improvements. Our subject
has a full and a half brother; the latter Arthur
E. Janes, the former, William, lx>th enterpris-
ing ranchers in Carbon county. He has two
sisters; Rachael, wife of S. M. Jenkins, and
Anna May. The latter is a teacher in the
Orphan's Home School, at Twin Bridges.
She finished a common school education in
Michigan, which she completed in the Boze-
man Agricultural college.
The paternal forefathers of our subject
came from Germany to Pennsylvania in early
days where they located. They were an old
distinguished American family. His maternal
ancestors came from England and were New
England settlers.
JOHN SUCCETTI. Among the earliest
settlers of the valley of the Yellowstone is
the g-entleman whose name forms the caption
of this article. He is a native of Sunny Italy,
having been born in the north part of that
kingdom, near the Switzerland line, July 24,
1850. His father, Antonia, a native of the
same country, cultivated all kinds of fruit and
manufactured wines. He died in 1893. The
mother, Cathrina (Tromna) Succetti. l>orn in
the same place, died in 1883.
The early education of our subject was
secured in Italy. At the age of 29 he came to
the United States and located first at Eureka,
Nebraska, where he found employment burn-
ing charcoal. In 1879 he came to Butte, Mon-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
531
tana, where lie joined liis brotlier, Baptista,
and togetlier they worked three years. It was
in 1881 that Mr. Snccetti came to his present
location in the Yellowstone Valley, locating
on a homestead where he has since resided.
He and his brother, Baptista, are living and
working together. They have alxjut one-half
section of land, and another ijnarter section
in the immediate vicinity. They were among
the first settlers in the valley. At that period
there was nothing in the country in the .way of
ci\-iIization, but any number of Indians and
antelope. The brothers have a tine, handsome
ranch and are comfortably provided for, the
fruits of their own industry. There are two
other brothers, Angelo and Louis.
JOHN LARSEN, who resides about nine
miles west from Forsyth, is one of the suc-
cessful agriculturists of Montana and has had
a long and varied experience in the various
walks of frontier life, having been in some of
the remote places of the west. His birth oc-
curred in Denmark, March 25, 1845, his par-
ents being. Lars and Kissten (Jendatter) Nel-
son, both natives of the same country as our
subject. They followed farming and remained
in their native place until death. Our sub-
ject was reared and educated in his native land
and learned well the art of the agriculturist
from a thrifty and careful father. In 1867,
young Larsen determined to try the new world
and accordingly made preparations to come to
Chicago, where he landed the same year and
went to work on the first tunnel that w-as driv-
en under the river there. Shortly afterward
he went to work on a farm in the spring of
1868, he went to Michigan where he was oc-
cupied in the sawmills and in the woods until
the spring of 1870. Then be came up the Mis-
souri to Fort Benton and on to Helena, whence
he journeyed to Deer Lodge and -went to
work on a farm. Here and in the mines he
wrought until 1872 when he took up a ranch
near Garrison. In 1874, Mr. Larsen left this
ranch and in the fall landed in the Puget sound
country, making the journey on horseback.
In the spring of 1875 ^^^ started for the mines
of Alaska, the journey being by the Stikine
river to telegraph station or landing. From this
point he went on foot to Dish Lake one hun-
dred miles, hiring Indians to pack his goods.
Across Dish Lake in an improvised boat, and
down Dish river one hundred miles to Mc-
Dermott's lake and there prospected till the
fall, at which time he returned to Fort Wran-
gle. The ne.xt spring he prospected again and
in the fall returned to Victoria, British Co-
lumbia. A year later he went down the sound
further and in 1878 journeyed on to Cali-
fornia. One year later he came back to Port-
land, Oregon, and thence overland to Walla
Walla, where he wintered and in the spring
procured a horse and rode back to the ranch
he had left six years before. Then Mr. Larsen
felt like settling down and did so till 1884,
when he came to his present place, which has
since been his home.
In 1892, Mr. Larsen took a journey to
Denmark and while there married Miss Aba-
lona Larson, a native of that country. Return-
ing soon after with his wife they settled on
the ranch and since then have been occupied
in making it one of the choice places of this
county. They have seven hundred acres of
land, good buildings and other improvements
in comparison and are rated substantial and
well to do citizens of this county. Consider-
ing that Mr. Larsen started without means
this speaks well for his thrift and industry.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Larsen
are John P., Anna, Helena and Catherine.
M.-VRTIN ARTHUN, residing six miles
south of Absarokee, Carbon county, a pros-
perous and enterprising ranchman, was born
in Norway, September 29, 1858. His father,
532
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Nels O., a native of the same place, is at pres-
ent living there on a farm, the name of which
property is Arthun. the title of the family
The mother, Martha (Ostemim) Arthun, a
native of the same place, is still residing there.
Herself and husband have been married sixty-
two years.
Having received a fair education in the
district schools of his vicinity, our subject, at
the age of twenty-nine years, came to the Uni-
ted States, and first went to Pembina county,
North Dakota, where his first employment
was working for wages. Remaining in North
Dakota only until 1888, he removed to the
vicinity of Caledonia, Minnesota, leaving there
April 6, 1899, and coming to Bigtiml^er, Mon-
tana, and thence to Meagher county, same
state, where he found employment with Fred
Miller, a sheep man, and with whom he re-
mained two years. Thence in company with
two brothers, John and Thomas, he engaged
in the sheep business, and purchased three sec-
tions of railroad land in Sweetgrass county.
This property they disposed of in 1901, and in
April of the same year they went on the Mus-
selshell, in Meagher county, locating on the
south fork of that stream, where they con-
tinued the same business. Here they remained
until the summer of 1903, when they located
on Butcher Creek, Carbon county, Montana,
the firm being John Arthun & Brothers. This
partnership was continued until the fall of
1904, when it was dissolved. Since that date
our subject has remained alone in business,
ranching and running sheep.
September 28, 1895, Mr. Arthun was un-
ited in marriage to Elizabeth Aanstad, a na-
tive of Norway, coming to America a short
time previous to her marriage. Her parents
are Eric and Anna (Jorina) Aanstad, both
living in Norway, where they were born. Mr.
and Mrs. Arthun have six children : Martha,
born June i, 1896; Eric, June 16, 1897: Anna,
October 10, 1898; Marktis, April 9, 1902 and
Elmer L., January 7, 1905.
JEROME A. BISHOP resides on Brack-
ett creek, two miles west of Clyde Park and
also in Livingston, maintaining a residence in
both places. The former place is his headquar-
ters for his large sheep industry, in which he
has been eminently successful while the latter
is for. the purpose of educating his children,
and the balance to enjoy some of the comforts
of life. He was born in March 9, 1845, "^^^
Chicago, Illinois. His father, Jerome A. Bis-
hop married Lora Davis, a native of Vermont
and he died when our subject was four years
of age. In 1851, Mrs. Bishop started across
the plains with ox teams for California, but
owing to the hostilities of the Indians, she was
obliged to remain at Salt Lake City and there
she married a second time. After remaining
three or four years in Salt Lake City, the fam-
ily moved to Indiana and our subject when
aged fifteen, started in life for himself, it then
being i860. He arrived in Denver in the fall
of that year and went to work freighting with
ox teams from Salt Lake to Denver, in which
he continued until the fall of 1862. During
that time he freighted also to Fort Union,
New Mexico, for the government and in 1863,
he began ranching below Denver. On the first
day of March, 1864, Mr. Bishop started for
Montana and arrived at Virginia City the last
day of April, 1864. He took up ranching in
the valley where the Big Hole and Beaver
Head come together, now called Twin Bridges,
which place was taken from him by a squaw
man. He moved higher up the river and sel-
ected another place upon which he started a
road ranch. He made good money during the
winter and in the spring sold out and went
to Silverbow where he was employed at twenty
dollars per day, for himself and ox team. In
the fall of 1865, he again returned to ranch-
ing, but as the grasshoppers ate up everything,
he was obliged to take up freighting again.
This continued until 1866 when he went into
the stock business on Beaverhead, where he
continued for sixteen years. Then came a
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
533
move to Bozeman and later he came to Shields
river and embarked in sheep raising bringing
the first band of sheep that ever came on to
the upper river. Since that time he has con-
tinued steadily in the same business and has
purchased more land from time to time until
now he has many hundred acres under fence.
He has made a splendid success in handling
sheep and is rated as one of the wealthy men
of the county.
On December 20. 1865, Mr. Bishop mar-
ried Celia Mize, who is the daughter of Free-
man and Catherine (Adkins) Mize. To this
union nine children have been born, seven of
who are now living, named, with their dates
of birth as follows : Andrew, October 28, 1867 ;
Arthur J., October 29, 1876; Delia, the wife
of Frank Cain, July 10, 1878; Daisy, the wife
of William F. Hanns, July 22, 1881 : James,
November II, 1883; Dolly, the wife of
Charles Bartlett, January 4, 1886; Addie, No-
vember 26, 1890. Mr. Bishop is a pioneer and
has labored hard since the early sixties to build
up Montana. He has passed through many
experiences from the days of the vigilantes to
the present prosperous condition of the great
state of Montana and no little credit is due
him for the lion's share he has accomplished
by his industry and wisdom.
ARTHUR C. ANDERSON, one of the
fortunate landholders and enterprising ranch-
ers of the attractive Stillwater valley residing
four and one-half miles west of Absarokee,
Carbon county, on the Stillwater river, was
born in Johnsville. Montgomery county, Ohio,
October 23, 1874. His father, James, also a
native of the Buckeye State, was a farmer,
born at New Lebanon. February 18, 1827,
dying August 29, 1900. His entire life was
passed in Ohio. The mother, Catherine (Ziler)
Anderson, was bom in Maryland, January
16, 1833. \\'ith her parents she removed to
Ohio, where she was married, and passed her
life. She died June 23, 1892.
Our subject is the youngest of eight chil-
dren. His brother, W. E. is vice-president
of the Columbus State Bank. Lentil he was
nineteen years of age our subject made his
home with his parents, and attended the pub-
lic schools in Ohio. He then married, and a
year later left for the west. He came direct
to Absarokee, where one of his brothers then
held a ranch. Here he secured a "bench"
ranch, but relinquishetl it and purchased a
"squatter's" improvement on an Indian allot-
ment. Through a complication in the title,
Mr. Anderson was engaged in a long and con-
tinued litigation to secure a clear title, and
during this time he worked out by the month,
his wife remaining on the contested ranch.
When he arrived in Montana, he had only
$165, and during the first few years he barely
existed. During that time he, or rather his
wife, made what improvements were possible,
keeping the crop irrigated and harvesting
while he worked elsewhere. Industry has told
powerfully for their present home, for it is a
model of neatness and comfort. He has now
160 acres of the choicest land in the valley,
and under irrigation.
April 15, 1894, Mr. Anderson was united
in marriage to Alva J. Kein, torn in West
Alexander, Ohio, ten days previous to the
birth of her husband. Her father, Frederick
W., is a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
born March 16, 1836. At present he is a
farmer living in Ohio. Her mother, Sophia
M. (Eickhofif)) Kein, was born in Dayton,
Ohio, October 2, 1847, o^ Prussian parentage.
She still lives. Mrs. Anderson has a brother,
Oliver Kein, near Absarokee, and a sister,
Mrs. W. E. Anderson, her husband being a
brother of our subject, residing at Columbus,
Montana. Our subject and his estimable wife
have one boy, Orville Bryan, born November
10, 1897. An offer was made by a couple of
bachelors, friends of our subject, to start him
534
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
in the cattle business if he was named Bryan ;
hence his name. Pohtically Mr. Anderson is
a Democrat, and holds the office of road super-
visor. He never permits party politics to af-
fect his vote in local affairs.
ALBERT TROGER, a stockman residing
twelve miles north of Gardiner on an estate
of four hundred acres of deeded land, was
born April 14, i860, at Ottawa, Illinois, being
the son of Andrew and Anna Marie (Birken-
buel) Troger. The father was born in Ba-
varia, came to America in 1850 and settled in
Illinois where he followed his trade of car-
pentering. The mother was born in Prussia
and came to this country in the early fifties
with her parents, being married about 1857.
Our subject has one brother and three sisters
living. After receiving a business education
in the schools of Illinois, Mr. Troger left home
when twenty years of age and went to Yank-
ton, South Dakota, where he took up river
steamboating. In 1881 he followed construc-
tion work on the Northern Pacific and two
years later engaged in prospecting in Bear
Gulch and on the eastern slope of the Rockies.
During that time he located and became in-
terested in a number of g'ood claims as the
Graham, ^Mountain Chief, Tip Top, Iron Duke,
Traction. Empire State and \'anity Fair. He
followed mining with varying success until
1904 when he quit the business and engaged in
farming and stock business. Where he now
lives, he secured a homestead in 1905 and
has added until he has a fine estate. Mr. Tro-
ger makes a specialty of Angora goats, hav-
ing at this time the largest band owned by any
single individual in the state. He has demon-
strated that in this latitude the goats as they
grow older become much heavier producers
in fleece weight. Last year he shipped in and
has now on his ranch, Lazarus, one of the
most famous bucks in America. He was
champion at the Royal Stock Show in .Mis-
souri and sold for seven hundred dollars. Mr.
Troger takes great interest in the Angora
goat business and is making a splendid success
of it.
At Gardiner in 1894, Mr. Troger and \'ic-
toria Eridlin were married. Mrs. Troger was
born in Germany and came to this country in
1886. They have become the parents of three
children, Alice E., bom September 4. 1896:
Irene V. March 12. 1898, and Henry R. Sep-
tember 25, 1900.
Mr. Troger has always been an active Re-
publican and is often delegate to the county
and state conventions. In 1893 he was elected
justice of the jjeace and in 1900 was clmsen
county commissioner and has held the oftice
ever since.
Mrs. Troger's father was Lambert Bruder.
born in Seebach, Germany, January 9. 1826.
He is a Forest Ranger in his country. His
father," Joseph Bruder, was a very successful
farmer and died in the summer of 189S, aged
ninety-two. Mrs. Troger"s mother was Eliza-
beth (Braun) Bruder and she was born in
Seebach, Germany, November 19, 1830. Mrs.
Troger is the second of two children, her okl-
est sister being Caroline, born June 7. 1857,
and the date of her birth was August 13, i860.
JACOB P. WEAST. of the firm of Weast
Brothers, railroad contractors and general
ranchers, resides eighteen miles northwest of
Red Lodge, Carbon county. The place of his
nativity is WtTodford county, Illinois, where
he was born January 23, 1871.
The father of our subject, John Weast. a
native of the same place, was born April 20,
1846, and was a railroad contractor and pro-
moter. He also laid out the town of Benson,
Illinois, going to Nebraska twenty-six years
ago, where he remained four years. Thence
he went on to Wyoming, where he again en-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
535
gaged in contracting. In October, 1895. he
located on the fine ranch now held by the fam-
ily, where he died February 12, 1898.
Owing to reverses in Nebraska, whither his
family had removed when our subject was a
lad, he did not secure a chance to study until
after he had attained his majority. He then
availed himself of two terms of schooling.
Following this he found employment on rail-
roads, in «hich line he has been engaged in
contracting since he was fifteen years of age.
In company with his brother two years young-
er our subject took a railroad contract of two
miles of construction work, and with a capital
of only $90, but plenty of nerve, turned it
into a profitable investment. Since that period
his work in this line has steadily increased at
different points on the Burlington, and includ-
ing a seven-mile contract on the newly com-
pleted Montana Railroad extending into Lew-
iston.
Two years prior to that event our subject
returned to Nebraska where he built ten miles
of the "Brush" branch of the Burlington, from
Lyons to Guernsey. Mr. W'cast is one of the
promoters of the Rosebud Irrigation system,
incorporated under the firm name of the Rose-
bud Irrigation Company. Work on this en-
terprise was commenced in June, 1892, and at
this date eighteen miles of ditch have been
completed. It is intended to add another 14-
mile ditch which will irrig-ate in all about
15,000 acres. The officers of this company are
Alfred Pillsbury, president, Minneapolis;
George Huff, secretary and treasurer, Brid-
ger, and M. G. Swan, consulting- engineer,
Gebo.
December 2, 1905, our subject commenced
on a twelve-mile contract on the Burlington
system of the Big Horn, Wyoming, and is
aljout to begin another thirty-mile job for the
same firm. Last year he completed a twenty-
two-mile contract on Yellowstone Park rail-
road from Bridger. From the $90 outfit with
which thev began work the firm now has a
$95,000 plant, with the most up-to-date equip-
ment.
The mother of our subject, Mary (Som-
mers) Weast, was born in Woodford county,
Illinois, and was three months older than her
husband, with whom she went to school. She
reared a family of six: Mrs. Annie Fredrick,
wife of \\'. R. Frederick, of Joliet, Montana,
a railroad contractor; our subject; William
P., a partner of subject; John P., Mrs. Mary
Turnicliffe, of Merritt, ]\Iontana; Martin W.,
(Grover), a nickname. Politically Mr. Weast
is a Democrat, and takes an Jictive interest in
party issues, but was compelled to oppose the
re-election of President Cleveland. Two years
since he made a visit to the old place in Illinois,
where he found the log building of his boy-
hood's home. Aside from his contracting en-
terprises Mr. Weast has an excellent ranch of
a section of land, where he rears draft horses.
When the father of our subject left Illinois
for Nebraska he carried with him a capital of
$80,000, all of which he lost during his four
vears of "fighting grasshoppers.'"
ROBERT B. ROWLAND resides sixteen
miles below Gardiner and follows general
farming. He was born March 26, 1839, at
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His 'father, John
Rowland, was born in Chester county, Penn-
svlvania, in 1778 and followed farming. He
was the son of John Rowland, who was a vet-
eran of the Revolutionary War. Our sub-
ject's mother Marinda (Buchanan) Rowland,
was also born in Chester county, Pennsylvania,
and came of Scotch extraction. She was mar-
ried in 1838 and became the mother of three
children, our subject being the eldest and the
onlv one living. Robert B. attended the public
schools until twelve years of age and then com-
menced life's activities for himself. His first
work was on the farm, after which he went to
Harrisburg. Pennsylvania, and in 1862, he en-
536
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
listed in the One Hundred and Twenty-sixtli
Pennsylvania Volunteers, Ijcing the Second Di-
vision, Second Corps and Third Brigade. He
served throughout the war and in 1866 en-
listed in Company A, Sixteenth U. S. Regu-
lars. In 1870, he was ordered from Salt Lake
to Fort Ellis, marching all of the way, being
in Company A, Seventh U. S. Infantry. He
remained at Fort Ellis until his discharge in
1874 and Montana has been his home since.
After leaving the army, he did hunting and
trapping until 1876, then located mining claims
at Cook City. In 1877, he enlisted as a
scout under General Howard and was one of
the active followers of Chief Joseph on his
famous retreat. After Joseph surrendered he
returned to Cook City and from 1877 to 1892
he conducted a pack train and took tourists
through the Park. In 1892 he located his
present place and has Ijeen engaged in the ?tock
business and farming ever since. He has eight
hundred acres under fence and is prosperous.
Mr. Rowland takes an active part in poli-
tics, being a Republican, while in fraternal
affiliations he is an Odd Fellow.
IVER THOMPSON, well and favorably
known as a progressive rancher residing five
miles west of Absarokee, Carbon county, was
born in the central part of Norway, May 10,
1862. His father, Claus, was born and died
in Norway, the latter event occurring March
17, 1905, at the age of sixty-eight years. The
mother, Alata ( Ingbrightsen) Thompson, is
still living in the old country at the age of sev-
enty-seven.
Our subject is the third of six children,
all of whom with the exception of himself
are in Norway. Until he was nine years of age
he attended the public schools in Norway, and
he then began work as a herd boy, still at-
tending school winters until he was fifteen.
Since that date he has continued to take a
man"s part in life. L'ntil he was twenty years
old he followed farming, and then he began
logging. He came to the United States in
1889, arriving in New York and going thence
to Minneaix)lis, arriving there June 4th of the
same year. There he began work in a lumber
yard during the summer months, and in winter
he resorted to the woods. The following
spring he came to Livingston, Montana, leav-
ing soon for the Yellowstone Park, remain-
ing there one summer. In the fall he removed
to Castle, then a "boom"' mining camp. Three
years subsequently he returned to Minneapo-
lis, remaining eighteen months, still working
in lumber yards and the woods. In the spring
of 1896 he came back to Livingston, and
passed the summer in the Park, cutting bridge
material for the government. Then he re-
turned to Castle.
During the time he spent in Castle he
worked a year in a saw mill, but became finan-
cially embarrassed in the panic, and lost every
cent of his hard-earned capital, and then he re-
turned to Castle. He worked in the mills dur-
ing the winter, and then went to the Mussel-
shell valley, where he secured employment on
a sheep ranch for a season.
July 23, 1897, Mr. Thompson was married
to Olivia Wester, also native of Norway, com-
ing to the L'nited States in 1896. Her parents
are still in Norway. She had a brother
drowned at Stanwood, Washington, July 4,
1905. His name was Jolefif. Tlie rest of the
family are in Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Thomp-
son have three children. Alma, Hilda and Cora,
all born in Montana.
Following his marriage Mr. Thompson de-
cided to found a home. The same fall he pur-
chased se\-enty head of cattle and ranged them
in the valley. The following spring he pur-
chased a farm, on Cottonwood Creek which
he held eighteen months, disposing of the same
in 1901, and then coming to his present loca-
tion, purchasing a "squatter's right." There
was nothing then save a cabin and raw land.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
537
Here he has made one of the best homes in
Carbon county. He has So acres now under
irrigation, and is raising alfalfa and stock. He
has 50 head of fine cattle and proposes to en-
gage in the sheep business and dairying.
Politically Mr. Thompson is a Republican,
and takes active interest in the party cam-
paigns, although by no means a partisan office-
seeker. Himself and wife belong to the Lu-
theran church.
LOUIS H. SHAFER resides three miles
north of Fridley and follows general farming,
having a fine ranch of about two hundred and
sixty acres. He was born in Lawrence county.
Ohio, December 22, 1837, the son of Philip
J. and Mary L. (Stajerman) Shafer, who
were married in Cincinnati. The father was
born in Hamburg, Germany in 181 1, came to
America about 1830, settling in Cincinnati
when it was but a village, having only fourteen
brick buildings in the entire place. Being a
butcher, he opened a shop and continued there
in business. The mother was born in New
Bremen in 1820. They were the parents of
twelve children, seven boys and five girls, three
of whom besides our subject are living. Fred
\V. in Cincinnati : Louisa Martin in Jackson.
Ohio, and Christena Smedley in Huntington
county. West Virginia. After dimpleting a
common school education. Louis H. finished at
the Bryant & Stratton College in Cincinnati
and in 1864 he started out for himself. He
soon came west and in September. 1867, took
a position in the <|uartermaster's department
at Fort Leavenworth, where he remained un-
til March, 1868. Then he tcxik another trip,
visited the Mosier ri\-er and various places in
Idaho. He then went to White Pine. Xevada.
In July. 1873, he left there for Montana, ar-
riving at Bozeman in August. The following
winter was spent at Bear Gulch and in July,
1874. he came to the vicinity of Emigrant.
Since that time he has been mining, stock rais-
ing and ranching in various places. On April
I, 1897, he secured his present property. It
is a fine bottom ranch, well watered and very
valuable. He gave his attention to stock rais-
ing and farming until recently, having now
sold most of his stock.
On December 11, 1882, Mr. Shafer mar-
ried Mrs. Mary Swan, who was born in Indiana
on August 23, 1838, the daughter of Benja-
min and Margaret (Trimble) Jones. The fa-
ther was a native of Georgia.
Mr. Shafer is a Republican in politics and
has frequently been at the county conventions.
JAMES E. REA. From the earliest days
the business of handling and raising stock of
various kinds has occupied a most prominent
position in the economy of human industry
and from the days when Abel's flocks furn-
ished their first quota till the present time it
has always held rank among the most substan-
tial and honorable of human callings. The
wonderful advancements that have been made
in many lines of this work by bringing to a
more nearly perfect state the various domestic
animals are worthy the study and investiga-
tions of all who are interested in advancement.
The boundless west has furnished most ex-
cellent opportunities in many lines for stock
raising and Montana is by no means least in
the advantages she has held out to the wise
and progressive stockman. Many of the most
substantial citizens of this state are numbered
with the stock breeders and the gentleman
whose name is at the head of this page ranks
among the leaders in this important industr\^
at this time. Having also been one who has
spent the major portion of his life in Montana
he is entitled to a place in her history with
those who have made the state.
On June 27, 1879, in Ontario, Canada,
James E, Rea was born to William and Helen
538
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
(Davidson) Rea, natives of Scotland and Og-
densburg, New York, respectively, and of
Scotch ancestrage. The father had held the
position of shepherd on the estate of Lord
Polwarth in Scotland and there remained un-
til nineteen when he migrated to Ontario, Can-
ada, and engaged in farming and sheep rais-
ing. In 1872 he moved west to Fargo, now in
North Dakota, being about the earliest settler
there, and followed farming. Ten years later
he settled near Miles City and took up sheep-
raising in connection with the farm at Fargo.
The winter of 1886-7 reduced his flocks
from six thousand to one thousand five hun-
dred and then he began to Iniy sheep and feed
for the Chicago markets. In company with his
sons, the firm being known as Rea & Sons, he
continued in this business till his death in
i8g8. He started in America without capital
and despite the reverses he met he became one
of the wealthy men of Montana. His wife
preceded him some years in death and they
both lie buried on the old home farm near
Fargo, which his sons still retain.
James E. was educated primarily in the
first schools of Fargo and in 1899 entered the
University of Minnesota where he was gradu-
ated in due time with the degree of LL. B.
After this he spent some time in the law office
of Childs, Egerton & Wickwise and then
returned to the sheep business. All the time
he has followed this business he has been in
partnership with his three brothers. William,
John and David, the former of whom is now
in Billings. John died in 1905. Until 1903
they were extensively engaged in buying and
feeding sheep, many of their feeding stables
being near Chicago, and they were rated one
of the very largest firms in this business in
the entire country. At the date last mentioned
the brothers purchased the Cold Springs
Ranch, situated just one hiile north of For-
syth, then owned by the Gould Brothers.
It was one of the oldest and best known ranch-
es in the state and consisted of twelve thou-
sand acres of land. Since purchasing this they
ha\-e added much more land and have aljout
six hundred acres under the ditch, with a large
proportion in alfalfa. It is one of the most
complete and well ordered sheep ranches in
the west and is a land mark as well as a pride
to this portion of the state.
In 1904, Mr. Rea married Miss Pansy
O'Brien, the daughter of Patrick and Fannie
(Higgins) O'Brien. ]\Ir. O'Brien is assistant
postmaster in St. Paul, Minnesota and has
been in the office for thirty-five years. Mrs.
Rea is a nati^-e of St. Paul and was born in
1880. One child, George A., born in St Paul
is the fruit of this marriage. Mr. Rea is a
member of the M. W. A. and is one of the
the prominent young men of this part of the
state, being president of the Rosebud county
fair commissioners and secretary of the Rea
Brothers Sheep Company.
It is of interest to note that in the early
days when the Indians were on the war path,
the elder Mr. Rea was faced with the problem
of leaving the country or fighting it out. With
a few others whose courage was ecjual to the
occasion he remained, even in the time of Cus-
ter's defeat and never deserted his farm. The
Cold Springs place is one of the historic spots
of this part of ?>fontana and there still re-
mains on it a block house that was built in
early days to enable the residents to success-
fully cope with the Indians. It is marked with
bullet holes and shows signs of the fights that
formerly raged here. The place was taken up
by a man named Murphy and he erected the
block house, which later became a stage sta-
tion, and in 1880 was a government station,
being on the telegraph line to Fort Buford.
The Cold Springs Ranch is named from
the many springs on the land, while in the large
spring at the mouth of the tunnel that leads
up to the block house flows the finest water
in all Rosebud county.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
539
WILLIAM J. NIX is one of the well
known men of Eorsyth and he has spent
twenty _\-ears in the state. At present he is
deputy game warden at Forsyth and is also
engag-ed in the commission business handling
hides and wool. He is a man well informed in
the issues and questions of the day and holds
a firm belief in the Democratic platform and
is well acquainted with the political economy
of the state. On August i, 1904, he was ap-
pointed to the position he still occupies and is
an efificient officer. While Mr. Nix is in no
sense of the word a politician in the usual ap-
plication of that word, still he always takes
a keen interest in the campaign as a loyal and
patriotic citizen and is a strong worker for his
friends and for the principles he stands for
in the political world. He has frequently been
put forward for various positions of honor
but he has never yet allowed his name to be
placed on the ticket, although his friends are
often urging him to do so.
William J. Nix was born in Osborn, New
York, August 26, 1865. His father, Thomas
Nix, was Ijorn in Ireland and came to New
York when a lad of thirteen. He ser\-ed
through the Ci\il War antl carries marks of a
se\-ere wound he received in the service of
his country. In 1867 he came west to Ben-
ton county, Minnesota, and settled on a farm
where he still resides. He had married Miss
Julia Hogan, a native of Ireland, who came
to the L'uited States when a young girl. She
died in 1892. Our subject was a small child
when he came to Minnesota with his parents
and there he grew to manhood and in the
schools of Benton count_\' he was educated.
When he had reached his majority, he came
west and soon entered the employ of the North-
ern Pacific at Glendive. He rose steadily un-
til in 1899 he occupied the position of road
master, which position he continued to fill un-
til 1903.
In 1899, Mr. Nix married Miss Maud E.
Rozell, the daughter of Joshua Rozell. She
came from North Dakota to Montana. Mr.
Nix is one of the priMiiinent men of our county
and has taken a .great interest in the advruice-
nient of affairs in all lines. He keenly appre-
ciates the necessity of strict adherence to the
game laws, and sees that they are enforced in
his territory. The importance of preserving
the game has been more patent to the people
at large and it is hoped this very important
branch of legislation will be carefully
looked after in the davs to come.
GEORGE HERBERT. One of the earl-
iest pioneers of the Yellowstone Valley is the
subject of this sketch, now residing one mile
southwest of Laurel. Yellowstone county. He
is a native of the Keystone State, having l)een
liorn July 3, 1833, in Franklin county.
His father, A. K. Herbert, was a native of
Germany, going to Pennsylvania at an early
day where he remained until his death. The
mother, Sarah Herbert, was also a natixe of
Germany.
The public schools of Pennsylvania af-
forded an education to our subject, and at the
age of seventeen he went to Kentucky, and
subsequently on to Illinois. Following the close
of the Civil War he went to Missouri, and in
1867 he went to Utah, but in the fall of the
same vear came to \'irginia City, ^lontana,
(Alder Gulch). He then worked his way to-
ward the Gallatin valley. He was among the
first to enter Yellowstone Park in 1869. When
he reported what he had seen his story was
met with derision by many of the old timers.
It was in 1881 that he located on his present
property. Since coming here he has been en-
gaged in the stock business.
In 1880 Mr. Herbert married Nancy Ellen
Seright, a native of Illinois, who had come to
Montana with her parents in early days. Her
father, Joseph Seright, was born in Indiana,
February 7, 1827, and bis people were pioneers
540
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
of Decatur county, Indiana. Her mother, Mar-
tha A. (Uttinger), was a native of Decatur
county, born in 1831.
Six children have blessed tlie union of Mr.
and Mrs. Herbert : Emma, wife of ^Vilham
Chaffin; George Herbert, at home with his
father; Arthur, at home; Mattie, wife of Louis
Webster; Joseph H. and Henry.
HENRY C. THOMPSON, who is train-
master for the government at Fort Keogh, is
one of the well known men of this portion of
Montana and is a man of wide and varied ex-
perience in many hues, especially with the
army in the west. He was born in eastern
Tennessee, on December 27, 1847, the son of
Vincent and Lydda (Bolton) Thompson, na-
tives of eastern Tennessee, and Virginia re-
spectively. The father followed farming until
the war broke out and then joinetl the L'nion
army. Tenth Tennessee Cavalry, and was
killed while fighting bushwhackers shortly
afterwards. His widow was of German de-
scent and came from Virginia to Tennessee
with her parents when young. She died in
Tennessee, in the winter of 1 880-1. Henry
C. was reared in the mountain portion of Ten-
nessee and received his education from the
public schools during the first fourteen years
of his life. Then the war broke out and as he
and his father were on the Union side, they
were the objects of hatred by those who sup-
ported the confederacy. Being drafted by the
confederates, they had to escape and did so,
getting to the Union army. The father, as
stated, at once joined the army and was killed.
Young Thompson, being but fourteen, and be-
ing too young to send to the front was de-
tached to scout through the counti-y and con-
vey food and messages to men who were being
hunted by the confederates. In this dangerous
work he engaged until he enlisted in Company
C, Eighth Tennessee Federal Cavalry. When
the war was over he went home and remained
until 1869 when he enlisted in the Fifth Reg-
ular Infantry, under General Miles and served
continuously for ten years. He was with Gen-
eral Miles in all his important Indian cam-
paigiis in Indian Territory in 1874, and the
Panhandle of Texas, and on July 12, 1876.
he started with Miles for the Yellowstone on
another Indian campaign, and was engaged
against the Cheyennes, Sioux and Nez Perces.
Thus he has participated in all the important
struggles with the Indians on the plains for
that period of active Indian warfare from sev-
enty to eighty, and has passed over much of
the country. He has always distinguished
himself by faithfulness, courage and bravery,
and won the esteem and confidence of his com-
manders. On August 29, 1879, Mr. Thomp-
son received his honorable discharge and then
went to work for the government as scout,
guide, packer, and so forth, and has remained
with the military ever since, being now train-
master, as stated before.
In 1893 Mr. Thompson was employed by
the government as trainmaster in the army un-
der General Shafter and went to Cuba, sei-ving
all through that campaign, and returning un-
der General Bates. Mr. Thompson has served
frequently as interpreter and came out of the
regular army as first sergeant. Nearly all his
life has been spent in and about the army and
he is a military man in the true sense of the
word.
Mr. Thompson has two children :
Thomas T., who died while attending the
state university at Lincoln, Nebraska; and
Robert, who is now employed at Fort Keogh.
OLE EGGEN, born in Norway, May 5,
1866, now resides on a fine farm five miles
south of Absarokee, Carbon county, Montana.
His father, Samuel, born on the same farm as
our subject, was an agriculturist and remained
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
541
in Norwa)' until his death in 1902. The
muther, Bertha, died when our subject was a
child.
In the public schools of Norway our sub-
ject was educated. Here he worked on the
farni until he was twenty-two years of age,
when he emigrated to the United States, and
came at first to Meagher county, Montana,
where he worked for wages. He made his
advent into Carbon county in 1899, and there
he purchased the ranch where he now lives.
He has a fine quarter section of land, all under
an excellent system of irrigation, and which
property he has vastly improved. He has
buildings as good as any in the county.
In 1900 he was married to Serena .Olson,
born in the same place in Norway as our sub-
ject. In 1897 she came w'ith her people to the
United States, and they settled near White
Sulphur Springs, Montana. Her father,
Gustad, died in Norway, near where he was
born ; her mother was Mary Kavanaugh. She
has four young children : Charlie, Oscar,
Bertha and Mina.
PETER KIRSCHER has one of the fine
estates in Park county. The same consists of
eight hundred and forty acres in one body,
located fifteen miles north from Livingston
and admirably fitted both for general farm-
ing and stock raising. In addition to this,
Mr. Kirscher owns a half section in another
portion of the state, besides considerable other
property. His farm is well improved with
fine buildings and skillfully laid out, and is a
valuable and pleasant property. He was born
on August 8, 1843, in Erie county, Pennsyl-
vania, his parents being Peter and Caroline
(Harman) Kirscher. The former was bom
in Alsace, France, and came to America with
his parents when fourteen, followed farming
and stock raising and in 1853 moved to the vi-
cinity of Des Moines, Iowa, where he remained
until his death in 1898. The mother was born
in Baden on the Rhine, came to this country
when fourteen with her parents and settled
near Erie, Pennsylvania. She died in 1896.
Our subject came west in the spring of 1864,
landing on xMder Gulch September loth. The
following winter he was carried with the
stampede to Last Chance Gulch where Helena
now stands. He soon began to believe that he
had no luck in mining; so, with a partner, he
bought a whip saw and cut some of the lum-
ber used in the first buildings in Helena. The
next winter he tried his hand again at min-
ing but soon turned aside and bought a yoke
of oxen and crossed over to Diamond City
where he engaged in hauling timbers for the
mines. In the spring of 1866, he formed a
partnership with William Linhardy and took
up ranching in the Missouri valley forty miles
east of Helena. Improving this occupied
him for four years then he sold out to his
partner and bought a ten mule outfit and be-
gan freighting from Corinne, Utah, to Helena,
Montana. He would make a round trip in
thirty days, and he worked steadily at this un-
til 1872, when he and his brother went to
farming again in the Missouri valley. In
1878 he sold out to his brother and bought
a half section of land nearby which he still
owns. It was in the fall of 1883 that Mr.
Kirscher took his desert claim, three hundred
and sixty acres of his present estate. Later
he bought one hundred and sixty acres from
the railroad and since then he has purchased
another half section, whicli gives him the
estate mentioned at the beginning of this ar-
ticle. In 1889, he brought his family over
here and since that time this has been the
home place. Mr. Kirscher is an energetic, ac-
tive man, has made a fine showing on his
farm and is one of the well-to-do men of the
county.
On September 20, 1873, Mr. Kirscher
married Christiana Dinger, the daug-hter of
George and Miria Dinger. Four children
54-^
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
liave come to gladden tlie home of ]Mr. and
]\Irs. Kirscher : ^Irs. Josepliine Killoin, born
July lo, 1874: Mrs. Ida Bliler. born October
15. 1875: Ralph M., torn October 6. 1879 and
Alvin, born January 15, 1882.
Mr. Kirscher, his wife and family are all
members of the Catholic church. In matters
that pertain to the advancement of the educa-
tional aftairs and the welfare of the state and
so forth, Mr. Kirscher is keenly interested and
he takes an active part in political afTairs, be-
ing allied with the Democratic party.
WILLIAM C. JONES, a general farmer
and business man of the Yellowstone valley,
residing ten miles west of Billings, was born
in Jasper county, Iowa, June 22, 1844. His
father, Joseph Jones, was born in a block
house in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, during an
Indian outbreak. He was a veteran of the
Civil War, enlisting at Brownsville, Nebraska,
in 1862, in Company E. Second Nebraska
Volunteers, serving a little over a year. He
was one of the earliest settlers of Iowa, being
compelled to go sixty miles for store supplies.
The mother, Nancy (Calhoun) Jones, was a
native of Indiana.
It was but a limited schooling that our sub-
ject received in the state of Iowa. His mother
died when he was quite young. On arriving
at man's estate he began farming in Iowa. In
1863 he went to Kansas where he still fol-
lowed farming, going later to Nebraska,
where he followed agricultural pursuits fOr a
number of years. Thence he removed to Wy-
oming, remaining there about three years. To
his present location he came in 1894, purchas-
ing 165 acres, all of which he now has under
ditch. Altogether he has a fine and handsome
ranch. He served in the Civil War with his
father.
In 1864 he was married to Mariah L.
Clements, born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At
the age of four years she was taken to Iowa
by her parents who settled near where her
husband lived. Her father, Isaac B. Clements
was a native of Ohio, a pioneer of Wisconsin,
and well versed in the Indian language. Her
mother, Margaret (Kyburts) Clements, was
a native of Germany.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones have seven children :
Estella, wife of Henry Hendrickson; Esther,
wife of Robert Munyen ; Emma, wife of W.
H. Hiber; Isaac; Daniel; Burdie (dead);
Candace, wife of Calvin I. Williams.
CHARLES E. HIBER, a well and favor-
ably known rancher in the Yellowstone valley,
four and one-half miles east from Laurel, was
born in New Ulm, Minnesota, February 4,
1872. His father, August Hiber, was a native
of Germany. At the age of thirty years he came
to the United States and first settled in Chi-
cago in the butcher business, his trade. Sub-
sequently he went to Minnesota where he
secured a homestead. In 1877 he went to Fre-
mont county, Iowa, locating on a farm, where
he remained until his death. The mother of
our subject, Jane (Foster) Hiber, was a na-
tive of Canada, of English descent and at an
early day came to Minnesota with her parents.
The immediate subject of this sketch,
Charles E. Hiber, was removed to Iowa while
still a lad, and there he secured his education.
Following his arrival to manhood, he, in 1892,
removed to Wyoming, and there rode the
range for two years. In 1894 he returned
east to Iowa and was engaged in agricultural
pursuits in that state for three years. He
came to the Yellowstone valley in 1897, where
he has since resided. He owns one quarter '
section of excellent land, does diversified farm-
ing and is one of the prosperous agricultural-
ists of the valley.
In 1898, Mr. Hiber was united in marriage
with Jennie Consolver, a native of Ohio. Her
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
543
father, John Consolver, resides witli our sub-
ject. Four children have been born to ]\Ir.
Hiber and wife : Harold, who died in in-
fancy: Ernest, Dorothv and Belle.
MATTHIAS BARLEY had an introduc-
tion to the state of Montana that was not cal-
culated to inspire confidence in the people or
place, as will be seen later. He came here in
1882, nearly a quarter of a century since, hav-
ing- but five dollars in money, unable to speak-
any Eng-lish, and with a young wiffe to care
for. Soon after landing here he was beaten
cait of the five dollars and so, without friends
or money and no way of communicating- with
those about him, he was face to face with a
proposition that was gloomy enough. He was
not to be thrown down that way, however,
and soon he had secured work of some kind
and later took a homestead where he now re-
sides. fi\e miles east from Rosebud, on the
north bank of the Yellowstone. Owing to his
industry and careful handling of matters he
soon began to prosper and added other land
by purchase until now he owns a nice body of
real estate one half section of which is under
the ditch. In addition to general farming,
Mr. Barley raises and handles considerable
stock. He is one of the well-to-do agricultur-
ists of the county and has a splendid property
well improved.
Turning to the earlier periods of Mr. Bar-
ley's life, we note the fact that his birthplace
was in far away Austria, the local place being
near Krainburg, Carnivla, and the date, Janu-
ary 22, 1855. His father, Antone Barley, was
born in the house where our subject first saw
the light and there he passed from the earthly
scenes. He was a farmer and followed it all
his days. He married Maria Zager. who was
1)1 Tn in a small village three miles distant from
the Barley homestead. The Barley family had
dwelt in that immediate vicinity for many
generations. Our subject was reared in the
manner common to the youth of his country
and gained a good education from the com-
mon schools. When of proper age he entered
the Austrian army and there served for three
years. In 1881, he came to the United States
and soon was in Minneapolis, wliere he
wrought in the sawmills for one year. Then
he married Miss Gertrude Yanko, the date be-
ing January 30, 1882, and the place of the
nuptials was Minneapolis. Mrs. Barley was
born in the same locality as her husband, as
were also her parents, Joseph and Mary (Jem-
nich) Yanko. Mr. Yanko was a soldier for
twelve years. Mrs. Barley had come to St.
Cloud, Minnesota, in 1879, to dwell with an
uncle. There she learned German and later
went St. Paul where she acquired a knowledge
of the English. Soon after his marriage Mr.
Barley made the trip we have mentioned, and
since then he has resided in this section. The
children born to this couple are : Katie, Mat-
thias, Joseph, John, Frank, Gertie, Fanny and
Martin.
WILLIAM E. KNO\\LES is insepara-
bly connected with the success that the famous
Chico Hot Springs have won throughout the
state of Montana. \'ery few people in the
state of Montana have not heard much of the
wonderful curative properties of these springs,
and thousands of the best citizens of the state
have personally experienced the invigoration
that comes from the proper use of their waters.
Professor F. W. Clark, chief chemist of the
U. S. Geological Stu'vey. has given an ex-
haustive analysis and finds them rich with the
carbonates, sulphites, chlorides and so forth
that are well known curati\e agents. In the
spring of 1899, INIr. Knowles secured posses-
sion of the springs and constructed the first
plunge bath and from that time forward the
attendance at the springs had constantly in-
544
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
creased and the successful cufes brought about
are numbered by the hundreds. Every year
Air. Knowles increases the capacity of the
hotels and baths and each succeeding year
finds everything overflowing with enthusiastic
guests. One word so universally prevalent
on the lips of every one indicates better than a
volume could the splendid standing of this
famous resort in the minds of all. A stranger
passing among the guests when the time has
come for them to depart would invariably
hear, "I am having such a good time and feel
so much at honie here, I iiate to leave." Com-
bined with the excellent waters the fine sur-
roundings and the first class accommodations
are the hearty good welcome granted to every
one by Mr. Knowles and the sweet and kindly
care ever lavished by his wife, and altogether
the Chico Hot Springs furnish all lovers of
rest and recuperation, an ideal spot.
\Villiam E. Knowles was born June 28,
1 85 1, in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, his
parents being Henry and Eliza (Radbourn)
Knowles, natives of England and bom Janu-
ary 18, 1810, and September 21, 1813, respec-
tively. Their marriage occurred in Philadel-
phia. In 1856 they moved to Illinois, our sub-
ject being five years old and in that state he
received his education from the public school.
After his father's death he remained at home
until 1876, then came west and grew up with
the country. In the fall of 1880 he landed in
the Yellowstone valley and w^as engaged in
various places until securing possession of the
springs above mentioned.
On October 13, 1891, Mr. Knowles mar-
ried Percie Matheson, who was born on July
26, 1 861, at Woodstock, Ontario. She had fin-
ished her education at the St. Thomas Col-
legiate Institute and had been engaged in
teaching school in Huron county, Michigan,
until she came to Chico in 1888, taking charge
of the Chico schools until her marriage. Her
parents were John S. and Anna (McPherson)
Matheson, natives of Canada. Their mar-
riage occurred in 1848. To Mr. and Mrs.
Knowles one child has been born, Radbourne
Campbell, January 13, 1898.
Mrs. Knowles is a member of the Pres-
byterian church. Mr. Knowles is a Republi-
can in politics and although never desiring of-
fice, is very active in this realm, being a mem-
ber of the Republican Central Committee. He
is a member of the Masons and also of the
Elks.
LUDWIG C. LEHFELDT, one of the
most extensive stock raisers in the Yellowstone
valley, resides at Billings. He is a German by
nativity, born April 3, 1865. His father. Ru-
dolph Lehfeldt, came to the United States in
1870, locating in Crawford county, Iowa, and
coming to Montana in 1885, in company with-
his sons. Here he engaged in stock raising
until 1890, when he returned to Iowa. Lud-
wig and his brother continued the business
until iSgO.when the partnership was dissolved.
At present our subject owns or controls about
38,000 acres of land, 1,000 acres of which is
under cultivation and partly irrigated. He
grows timothy, alfalfa and breeds horses, cat-
tle and sheep. This grazing and agricultural
land lies in Yellowstone and Fergus counties.
December 23, 1891, at Billings, our sub-
ject was united in marriage to Julia Staffek,
born in New York City. Her father, Frank,
was a native of Bohemia; her mother, Bar-
bara, of the same country, now lives with our
subject. Her father died in New York. She
and her mother came to Montana in 1885 to
join her brother, John. Mr. Lehfeldt has a
full brother, Herman, and a half brother in
Herman's employ. He has, two sisters, Olga,
wife of John Schroder, and Alvina, wife of
Rudolph Molt, a stock raiser, living in Bil-
lings. The wife of our subject has one brother
and three sisters : Tvlrs. Annie Kostalak, of
Great Falls, Barbara, and ]\Irs. Jennie McFar-
LUDWIG C. LEHFELDT
HERMANN LEHFELDT
MRS. EUGENE P. WRIGHT
EUGENE P. WRIGHT
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
545
land. He is a member of tlie Eagles and I. O.
O. F. Politically he is in sympathy with the
principles of the Republican party.
Mr. Lehfeldt sold for $100,000.00 his
ranches, but is still handling stock.
HERMANN LEHFELDT, who is one of
the most extensive stock raisers and general
ranchmen in the valley of the Yellowstone, is
at present living at Billings, Yellowstone coun-
ty. He was born, March 17, 1873, at Denison,
Iowa. His parents were Rudolph and Mar\^
(Witt) Lehfeldt, both natives of Germany.
Thirty-seven years ago the father, Rudolph,
emigrated to the United States and located on
a farm in Iowa. In 1885 he came to the Yel-
lowstone Valley, but returned to Iowa in 1892.
He is well-to-do, and at present is retired, liv-
ing in Denison. The mother of our subject
passed from earth while he was a babe.
Following his early schoolboy days in Iowa
our subject came to the Yellowstone \'alley
at the age of twelve years, where for a short
period he continued his studies. Arriving at
man's estate he engaged in the stock business
in company with his brother, Ludwig. In the
Lake Basin they ran bunches of cattle and
sheep, their range being in the country north
of Billings. At the termination of five years
the brothers divided the interests of the busi-
ness and Mr. Lehfeldt has since "been for him-
self."
December 11, 1895, he was married to
Ottilie Martha Norhenberg, born in Germany
and coming to the United States when four-
teen years of age. She is the daughter of John
and Amelia Norhenberg, both Germans. To
To our subject and his wife have been born four
children, Hidwig, Martha. Victor and Ottilie.
EUGENE P. WRIGHT was born in John-
son county, Iowa, October 6, 1857, the son of
Samuel M. and Elizabeth (Humbargar)
35
Wright, both natives of Ohio. The father was
born in Adams county, November 19, 1828,
and moved to Indiana with his parents while a
small lad. They settled near Frankfort, but
removed from Indiana to Illinois in the latter
part of the 40's. About 1854 they went to
Johnson county, Iowa, where the father en-
gaged in agricultural pursuits, a business
which he made his life work. He was of
Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his parents were
early pioneers of the Buckeye State. He died
j\Iay I, 1 901, age seventy-two.
The mother of our subject was born near
Mansfield, Ohio, September 16, 1830, going
with her parents to Illinois where she was mar-
ried. She was of German descent, her father
having been born on the Rhine.
Our subject accompanied his parents to
Ottawa county, Kansas, when one year of age.
This was in the fall, and he passed the first
winter (1858-59) in Fort Buchanan, at the
mouth of Solomon river. His mother was the
first white woman in that country. Here our
subject grew to manhood, and was educated
in the district schools. He became a farmer
and stock raiser. In 1886" he removed to
Logan county, Kansas, and in 1888 he went to
Arapahoe county, Colorado, and thence in 1889
to Albany county, Wyoming. The fall of
1890 found him on the Musselshell, and
April 27, 1891, he came to his present location,
where he has a fine and eligibly situated ranch
of 100 acres, all under a splendid system of ir-
rigation.
In 1878 our subject was united in marriage
to Margaret Lynch, born in Bedford county,
Tennessee, April 19, 1849. When a child she
was taken to Illinois by her parents. Her par-
ents Hon. William Westley and Sarah (Mar-
tin) Lynch, were natives of South Carolina.
The father was of English and Irish ancestry.
He was a member of the state legislature.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the parents of
five children, namely; Gilbert S., torn June 12,
1880, and now engaged as a driver in the Na-
546
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETC;HES.
tional park; Henry C. Marcli 5. 1882, on a
ranch near Dillon, this state; Clark, March 16,
1884, a passenger brakeman on the Northern
Pacific and married to Miss Helen Kelly of
Bozeman, the daughter of Senator Kelly of
Sweet Grass county; an infant that died with-
out naming, born February 5, 1886; and Min-
nie E., born December 13, 1887.
Mr. Wright is a stanch Democrat and can
give a reason for his political faith. He is
one of the organizers of and is noAV a stock
holder and director in the Yellowstone & Can-
yon Creek Ditch Company.
GEORGE W. PIERCE, a progressive
and enterprising ranchman, is the subject
whose name forms the caption of this arti-
cle. At present he resides three miles north
of the town of Roscoe, Carbon county. A
locality seven miles from Fall River, Massa-
chusetts, is the place of his nativity, where
he was born March 28. 1858. His father,
Wheaton, was born in 1819, and was a veteran
of the Civil War. He served patriotically in
the Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteers, and
was killed in the battle of Cold Harbor, Vir-
ginia, June 6, 1864. He left a family of four
children, of which our subject is the sole sur-
vivor.
The mother of George W. Pierce, Han-
nah (Follett) Pierce, was also a native of
Massachusetts, born in 1840. She died in the
Bay state in Xovember, 1900.
In the excellent public schools near Fall
River our subject received his early education.
Until the age of 14 he continued to reside with
his Grandfather Pierce. He then began mak-
ing his own way in the world. The paternal
ancestors of our subject may be traced back
to the landing of the Mayflower. Having
worked industriously on a farm until 1876
our subject went to Des ^loines, Iowa, where in
company with an uncle he drove with a yoke
of cattle t(_i north of Grand Island, in Greeley
count}-. Xeliraska. Here he remained one
winter and thence went to Howard county,
where he was employed on a ranch for four
years. At that jjeriod the country was in
quite a pioneer state of development, and there
was an abundance of Indians and buffalo. In
the spring of 1881 in company with four oth-
ers he pushed on to Fort Niobrara, where they
were employed in building the fort. During
the fall of 1 88 1 he went to the Loup river
(Howard county), and there drove the mail
(luring the most severe winter ever experi-
enced in the state ('81 -'82). He remembers
clearly seeing dead cattle piled up along the
Kalamas river ,so thickly that it was possible
to walk a distance of a half mile on carcasses.
This was the hardest winter he ever experi-
enced, the weather being so cold that he did
not dare tu leave his sleigh to carry the mail
into the postotfice.
The following spring Mr. Pierce returned
to Fort Niobrara where he passed a few
months, going thence to Ord, Nebraska, where
he was married June 9, 1882. The following
spring he left his wife with her parents, and
went on to White River, Nebraska. Here he
passed the succeeding summer and returned
to Ord, where his wife and boy baby were
awaiting him. In the spring of 1884 he re-
turned to the ranch on the Ox Bow. one hun-
dred and twenty-five miles from a railroad,
where he passed the summer and returned to
Ord, where he wintered. In the spring of
1885, accompanied by his family, he removed
to White Ri\er, and here he pre-empted
land, being among the first settlers. Here
he passed four years, but grasshoppers and hot
winds drove him thence, and in the summer
of 1890 he went to Crawford, Nebraska,
where he conducted a boarding house and
street sprinkler. The sprinkler he disposed
of in the fall, and then managed a hack line
to Fort Robinson, hauling soldiers. In this
enterprise he continued fourteen months, and
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
547
became the sole proprietor of seven hack Hnes,
ami could collect accounts at the fort.
In the construction of the Burlington rail-
road he was employed in 1892, and also did
some freighting. Following this one summer
he freighted and trapped during the hard
times of 1893, and in the fall of 1894 he found
himself in Big Horn, Wyoming, where he
passed the winter. In the spring of 1895 he
rented a ranch on Tongue river, Wyoming,
fifteen miles northeast of Sheridan, and passed
two years on it, thence mox'ing to his present
place. This was the year following its open-
ing for settlement. Of his 160 acres he pur-
chased }20. He had disposed of his stock in
Wyoming, intending to remove to Idaho. Here
he started with a few horses and $2 in cash.
It was uphill business, working eighteen hours
a day, but indomitable energy counted, and at
present Mr. Pierce has a fine band of cattle and
is cjuite prosperous in every way. He is
breeding to Durham stock.
The wife of our subject was Anna Scott,
a nati\-e of Ohio. Her parents came to Mon-
tana in 1895. Her mother is dead; her father
at present resides with J. N. Scott, a next-
door neighbor. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have
three children: Leonard W., married and liv-
ing at Columbus, ^brntana; Frank and Hazel.
A little girl li,il)\-, a twin to Hazel, was called
hnme by death when ten months old.
Fraternally our subject is a charter mem-
ber of Morris Homestead, No. 1027, as is Mrs.
Pierce. Politically he is an ardent Republi-
can, and active in party affairs. Locally
however, he votes for the best man. He has
served as a delegate to every Republican con-
\ention since locating in the county.
In 1891, when there occurred the Indian
iiutbreak in the Pine Ridge agency, Mr. Pierce
served through the entire campaign, and dur-
ing his cowboy life he has had many a skirm-
ish with the redskins, and carries a scar as an
unpleasant memento of Indian markmanship.
PHILIP BOTTLER enjoys the pleasant
distinction of having located the first ranch
within the present confines of Park county.
A continuous residence here since entitles him
to be classed among the leading pioneers of
the state of Montana and on account of his
labors and successes here cannot but prove
very interesting to every lover of Montana.
His present place lies three miles south of
Chico and consists of two thousand acres of
valuable land supplied with the water needed
for irrigation and stock purposes. It is an
ideal stock ranch and Mr. Bottler knows how
to produce the best results.
In Summit county, Ohio, on December
25, 1840, Philip Bottler was born, the son
of Ernest and Catherine (Sharr) Bottler, na-
tives of Germany and emigrants to the Cnited
States in 1838. After they had spent a little
while in New York, they moved on to Ohio
with their three children, who had been born
in the old country. Our subject was reared
and educated in Ohio and Indiana and in i860
left home for a tour in the south. He was in
Louisiana when the war broke out and im-
mediately returned to his home in Iowa. Here
he enlisted in the Ninth Iowa and served three
months and five days, receix'ing an honorable
discharge because of a wound inflicted the
7th of March, 1862. In April 1865, Mr.
Bottler turned to the west and crossed the
plains to the famous Gallatin valley. He took
up a ranch and followed farming there for
four years, then sold out and with his brother
Fred, crossed the range into the Yellowstone
valley and located the first ranch in Park
county. For nine years these hardy pioneers
followed the cattle business and then dissolved
partnership. ]\Ir. Bottler crossed the river
from the old place and settled where we now
find him. He at once began the sheep busi-
ness and from that time until the present has
been one continual line of success with him
in this enterprise. In 1891, he purchased a
548
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
flock of two Inindrecl and sixty-four Angora
goats but he soon tired of them and sold tliem.
In 1903, he bought out the government herd
of Persian fat sheep. The pelts of the lambs of
these animals are what the famous Persian
capes and coats are manufactured from. Mr.
Bottler owns the largest flock of these ani-
mals in America and is very successful with
them. He handles about twenty-five hundred
head of sheep, half of which at least are thor-
oughbred and grade Persians, being very valu-
able. In the sheep industry, Mr. Bottler is a
thorough success as well as in farming, this
being one line of enterprise he has followed
for many years. However, he is a well in-
formed man, up-to-date in all questions and
takes a keen interest in the development and
upbuilding of the country.
In November, 1888. ]\Ir. Bottler married
Ida Melburn, a native of Michigan. On the
4th of April, 1902, occurred the death of
Mrs. Bottler and she left besides her husband,
four children, Philip G., born August 18, 1889,
Ernest A., ;\Iay 3. 1893; Ruth F., February
17, 1894, and Ester H., November 4, 1897.
Mr. Bottler is an Adventist and takes much
delight in church work. He is a progressive,
up-to-date man and one of the well to do citi-
zens of this portion of Montana.
JOHN MARSHALL STAFFORD re-
sides at Ashland, where he is engaged in
ranching and stock raising, being one of the
men who came into Montana over the cattle
trail from Texas, and who has conser\'ed the
interest of the state by building up and im-
proving as he has had opportunity since his
advent here. He is one of the pioneers of Cus-
ter county and has resided here for over a
quarter of a century and is thus entitled to
be classed with the pathfinders of Montana.
The birth of our subject occurred in Marshall-
town, Iowa, on January 19, 1863. and his par-
ents, Robert and Margaret (Marshall) Staf-
ford, were born in Indiana and Illinois, re-
spectively. When a young man the father
came west to Iowa and there followed draying
for a time, and in 1870 removed to Kansas,
where he engaged in farming and followed the
same steadily until his death, in 1877. The
mother is still living in Derby. From a short
start in the schools in Marshalltown. our sub-
ject continued his studies in the public schools
of Kansas and as early as fifteen went out
into the world for himself. He first found
himself in the gi-eat mecca of the west, then
Leadville, and after spending some time in
the mines, he was attracted by the alluring
occupation of prospecting and later was en-
gaged in freighting, in which capacity he \'is-
ited Canyon, New ^lexico, Alamosa, Lake
City, Durango, and many other places. Also
he spent some time in work on the various
railroads then building in the Centennial State.
After this, we find Mr. Stafiford engageil in
riding the range and in 1881, he came on
north over the trail with cattle and since then
he has cast his lot with 2\Iontana. From the
foregoing it is evident that Mr. Stafford
is a man of energy and aggressiveness and has
made the most of the days of frontier life.
As soon as he came to Montana he decided that
he would give his attention to stock raising
and so began to prepare for that business. He
located a ranch got a band of cattle and has
continued in the occupation with reasonable
success since.
In 1888 occurred the marriage of Mr.
Stafford and Miss Emma Snyder, a native
of Illinois. Her parents, Levi and Catherine
(Penticof¥) Snyder, were natives of Pennsyl-
vania, came west to Illinois when young and
later settled in Nebraska, where ]Mr. Snyder
died, but where his widow still lives.
ALBERT JOHNSON, born in Trondh-
jem, Norway, July 23, 1871, is at present a
i leading and enterprising ranchman and stock-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
549
raiser in the Yellowstone valley, residing two
miles west of Absarokee, Montana. His fa-
ther, John, a farmer, lived and died in Nor-
way. His decease was in 1901, at the age
of sixty-two years. His mother, Johanna
(Haxstad), died in 1879, aged forty.
Our subject is the second of five children,
the youngest of whom died when five years
of age. Two sisters still live in Norway. He
has one brother, John, living near Fishtail,
Carbon county.
Mr. Johnson was reared and educated in
Norway, leaving school at the ag'e of fourteen.
He has made his own way since he was eight
years old. At the age of nineteen he faced the
west, coming to Ashland, Wisconsin, where he
worked in the iron mines fifteen months. He
the came to Meagher county, Montana, and
for seven years was in the employ of the
Grandy Brothers. At the termination of that
period, in 1887, he removed to his present
place, where he purchased a squatter's right of
160 acres. He had then laid up about $1,800,
but when he was fairly settled most of this was
gone. Here he has resided since. He reared
stock and now figures himself worth $10,000.
He makes a specialty of Hereford stock and
has about 160 head of graded stock, besides
horses. He has led a very industrious life, but
has sufifered no particu-!ar set-backs, and con-
siders himself in the best portion of Montana.
June 15, 1898, our subject was united in
marriage to Irene Erickson, a nati\-e of Nor-
way, who came to the state alone. On a farm
in Norway her father still lives. Her mother
is dead. She has three children : Ingwald J.,
born October 19, 1899: Isabel J., April 23,
1902. and Grace L., July ly. 1904. Politically
he is a Repuljlican. He is a member of the
Lutheran church.
M. S. BALLINGER, one of the pro-
minent men among the early settlers of the
Yellowstone valley, is now residing in Living-
stone, having retired from his farm which is
a fine estate of one thousand acres lying ten
miles west of town. He was born in the
country thirty miles south from Lexington,
Kentucky, on July 20, 1821, his father being
Henry Ballinger, a native of Virginia. Henry
Ballinger came to Kentucky in 1790 with his
father, Achilees Ballinger, also a native of
\'irginia and when he became of age, pur-
chased a farm close to his father's and married
Lucy Jefifries. She was born in Kentucky,
while her father was a native of Pennsylvania.
Henry Ballinger died in 1870 after a long ill-
ness of pneumonia. His father had died in
1842. Our subject received his education from
private schools and remained with his father
on the old homestead until 1839, when all
journeyed to Illinois. They went thence to
Missouri and in 1880 moved to Montana lo-
cating upon the upper Yellowstone river, ten
miles above Livingston. He gave his atten-
tion to farming and stock raising until 1904,
when he leased his farm and moved into Liv-
ingston. During all of these years, Mr. Ball-
j inger labored industriously and was rewarded
I with splendid success and is consequently one
I of the well to do men of the country today.
I On July 13, 1852, Mr. Ballinger married
Jane E. Hardcastle, daughter of Edward and
Eliza (Reed) Hardcastle. The father was
born on the eastern shore of Maryland. Later
moved to Baltimore and learned the cabinet
maker's trade. In 1822 he went to Carrollton,
Illinois. His wife's father was Isaac Reed,
a tanner and farmer, native of West Virginia.
Mrs. Ballinger was born at Carrollton, Illinois,
February 12, 1832. Our subject and his wife
i have eight children, six of whom are living,
Burnett; Julia, married to Judge Frank Henry,
of Liv,^igston ; Joseph E. is married and is
now in business in Tacoma; Eliza, the wife
of E. H. Talcott, a banker in Livingston;
Lula B. the wife of W. S. Davidson, a banker
in Bozeman; Florence N. teaches in the Ag-
I ricultural College at Bozeman, this state.
550
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Ballinger are active
members of the Christian church.
Mr. Ballinger gave considerable study to
political questions at the time Abraham Lin-
coln was first nominated and finally voted for
that celebrity. Since then, he has not been
active in politics but has always remained a
Republican.
Mr. Ballinger's son taught the first dis-
trict school in Park county, his daughter, Bur-
nett, was the first county superintendent of
Park county. The family is very prominently
identified and a long residence of more than
a quarter of a century entitles them to repre-
sentation among the earliest pioneers of this
valley, while their labors and integrity have
given them a standing of the very best.
wife of Ole C. Olson, living in Meagher
county; Clara, wife of Albert Johnson, li\ing
in Livingston, Montana, and Nanie, at home.
NELS A. NELSON, deceased. The sub-
ject of this biographical memoir was torn in
Norway. He was by trade a stonemason, and
when a young man came to the United States
and settled on a farm in Polk county, Minne-
sota. He remained there until 1884, when
he moved on to Montana, and here he located
on the Musselshell ri\-er, in Meagher county,
where he engaged in the stock business and
ranching, successfully, until his death in 1897.
He married a native daughter of Nor-
way. Antone J. Nelson, the oldest of the chil-
dren, was born in Polk county, Minnesota,
June 18, 1880. He came to Meagher county
with his parents when he was five years of
age. Here he was reared and educated in the
public schools. Following the death of his
father he became the responsible head of the
family. He came with his mother, brothers
and one sister to Carbon county in 1891, and
they located on the Rosebud river, two miles
from Roscoe, the nearest postofifice. He pur-
chased the improvements and took this place
as a homestead. The brothers are ,
O., Willie and George. His sisters are Inga,
GEORGE W. REED, Sr., a prosperous
Yellowstone valley, stockman, now retired, re-
sides at Billings, Yellowstone county. He
was born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 10,
1829, the son of John S. and Emily (Allen)
Reed. The father was, also, a native of Bos-
ton, removing to Dover, New Hampshire,
when subject was ten years of age. He re-
mained in that state until his death which oc-
curred soon after his arrival. He was a shoe-
maker by trade.
The mother was a native of New Bruns-
wick, Maine, and following the death of her
husband to her was left the care of the children
of whom there were eleven.
It was hanl, laborious lines for all of them,
including the subject of our sketch, and con-
sequently he had but little opportunity to ac-
quire a very liberal education. In his sixteenth
year he left home and enlisted in a rifle regi-
ment for service in the Mexican War, under
Colonel Loren. His enlistment was for a per-
iod of five years, and he was compelled to serve
out his time long after the close of the struggle.
Following the declaration of peace his regi-
ment was ordered across the plains to
California. During the first summer they
passed over into Oregon and built the bar-
racks at Fort Vancouver. The rifle regiment
was disbanded and he was transferred to the
dragoons, General Phil Kearny command-
ing. The dragoons made a pretty extensive
tour of California, visiting nearly all the prin-
cipal points. Our subject also assisted in build-
ing Fort Kearney, Fort Laramie and Fort
Hall. After being mustered out of the serv-
ice he returned to Fort Vancouver where he
located a donation claim, but did not remain
long enough to perfect the title. For a period
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
551
he followed mining and was for two years at
Yreka. This was in 1855, and from there he
went to Arkansas Dam, on Trinity ri\-er, where
he mined two years more. In 1859 he crossed
the monntains to Humboldt county, and en-
gaged in farming. Here he remained twenty-
three years, and engaged in raising sheep,
cattle, hogs, etc., and this to cjuite a profitable
degree. Here were his children reared and
educated. Owing to ill health he removed
from this locality, May 26, 1880, and came
overland by teams to within three miles of
where Billings now stands. This trip occupied
three months and fourteen days. Here he
bought a squatter's right and began ranching
remaining there thirteen years. At the open-
ing of the Crow resen'ation Mr. Reed with
his son located on Five-mile creek, another
ranch on which he remained until 1902, when
he came to Billings. Since coming to Montana
subject has been engaged in the sheep and
cattle business the greater portion of the time.
In 1848 he was married to Miss Emily
Porter, a native of Knox county, Ohio. With
her parents she crossed the plains to the Wil-
lamette valley, Oregon, in 1845, and it was
in this vicinity that she was reared and mar-
ried. The ceremony occurred at Oregon City.
Mrs. Reed was called from earth March 10,
1895. Her parents were among the earliest
pioneers in Oregon. Seven children were born
to Mr. and Mrs. Reed, viz. : Alfonso, Mary
E., George W., Charles A., John S., Lelia
and Emily.
Three years of the life of Mr. Reed were
passed scouting during the perilous times of
the Modoc war. When the Otney family were
crossing the Yuma desert, en route across the
plains, they were captured by Indians. The
parents were killed and the children taken
prisoners, including two girls and a boy. Our
subject was a member of one of the two com-
panies of soldiers dispatched after these hos-
tiles. On the desert they underwent terrible
hardships; their supplies gave out. In one
skirmish with the redskins they lost five men,
but finally rescued oue of the girls. The other
children, the savages claimed, had died. The
rescued girl was tatooed, and quite an inter-
esting narrative of her adventures has since
been published.
JULIUS SCHAUDEL resid'.;s about three
and one-half miles south of Ashland, in Rose-
bud county, and is engaged in stock-raising.
He operates in partnership with his brother,
Robert and they handle horses and cattle. Mr.
Schaudel has had a long and varied experience
in the west and especially in military opera-
tions, having been in some of the hard cam-
paigns against the Indians, as well as the Span-
ish American war.
Julius Schaudel was born in St. Louis,
Missouri, on July 28, 1865, his parents, Mat-
thews and Catherine Schaudel, being natives
of Germany. The father came to America in
1833 and settled on -a farm in Ohio. Later
a move was made to Illinois and there he was
occupied in farming until his death. The mo-
ther came to the United States when a small
girl. Our subject was educated in the common
schools of Illinois and when of proper age
learned the boilermaker's trade, which he fol-
lowed until 1886. The following year he en-
listed in the regular army. Twenty-second
Regiment, and was at first stationed at Fort
Keogh. For three and one-half years that was
his headquarters and then his command was
removed to Colorado. He participated in the
campaign against the Sioux Indians and was
one of Lieutenant Casey's scouts. Also he did
much scout duty in company with the Chey-
enne Indian scouts and was of great service
to his command in this capacity. After five
years of service in the regular army, he en-
listed for three years in Rugsbys' rough riders.
When the Spanish American war broke out,
Mr. Schaudel at once offered his services and
55^
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
was enrolled in Company I, Third Regular
Regiment, and was promoted to the position
of sergeant. In all his military career, Mr.
Schaudel was a man of courage and made
a splendid record as a soldier and scout. After
his honorable discharge he went to Lame
Deer, Montana, and took a ranch. Later the
government purchased the rights of all the
settlers and he sold out and came to his pres-
ent place and secured another ranch. Since
then he has continued in the work of improv-
ings his farm and raising stock and has pros-
perered in his labors.
In 1892, Mr. Schaudel married Miss Tillie
Pripeno, and to them four children have been
born, named as follows : Robert, Edna, Lillie,
and Nellie.
R. B. TEESDALE is one of the agricul-
turists of Carbon county who has made a good
success here and today owns a quarter section
of fine irrigated land about one mile north
from Bridger, where the family home now is.
His land is all under the ditch and is well im-
proved and one of the very productive places
of the Clarke's Fork valley.
R. B. Teesdale was bom in Wayne county,
Iowa, on February 6, 1866, the son of Ben-
jamin and i\Iary (Hicks) Teesdale. The fa-
ther was a native of England and 1836 was the
year of his birth. He came to Michigan with
his parents when a small lad and later moved
to Iowa. He followed painting until later in
life when he did farming. From Iowa he went
to South Dakota and there remained until his
death. His wife was born in Iowa and died in
South Dakota. Our subject was educated in
the common schools of Iowa and South Da-
kota, having gone to the latter place with his
parents. Then he embarked in farming and,
also, gave attention to stock raising, until the
western fever attacked him and he made a
trip with team to the Palouse country, Wash-
ington. After one winter there he visited the
Grande Ronde valley in Oregon and southern
Idaho. Two years were consumed in this tour-
ing and then he settled in Carbon county, se-
curing in 1897 the place where he now resides.
Since then Mr. Teesdale has given his atten-
tion to the improvement of his farm with
happy results and his is one of the good cSt
tates of the valley.
In 1 89 1, Mr. Teesdale married IMiss Lib-
bie Nelson, a native of Minnesota. The wed-
ding occurred in South Dakota. ]\Irs. Tees-
dale's father, Peter Nelson, was torn in Nor-
way, followed carpentering and farming and
died in Carton county, in 1903. He had mar-
ried Miss Mary Nelson, also a native of Nor-
way and she is still living in Carbon county.
Mr. and Mrs. Teesdale have one chiUl,
Robert, and he was torn in Meade county,
South Dakota, in 1892. Politically. Mr. Tees-
dale is a Republican and manifests a good in-
terest in this realm.
OL.AUS NILSON, deceased. A l)iogra-
phical memoir of the subject whose name
forms the caption of the article discloses the
fact that he was born in Lennas, Sweden, De-
cember II, 1844. He was the son of Nels
Nilson. native of Sweden. His father was a
farmer and throughout his life remained in
Sweden.
In the public schools of Sweden our sul>
ject received a good education, and subse-
quently he learned the trade of a carpenter.
But at the age of twenty-four, in 1868, he
came to the new world, landing in New York
where he remained but a brief period. Thence
he went to St. Louis where he worked at his
trade, as well as in a number of other leading
cities in the United States. Finally he drifted
on to Billings, Montana. This was about twen-
ty-four years ago. Here he contracted for the
erection of a number of the buildings in this
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
553
city. In 1891 he returned to his nati\e coun-
try for a brief sojourn, returning to Bill-
ings the following year. Mr. Nilson was quite
enthusiastic in the praise of this attractive city.
About nineteen years ago he purchased a good
ranch five miles west of the city, and this prop-
erty is still owned by his widow.
During his life Mr. Nilson was an indus-
trious, thrifty citizen and accumulated con-
siderable property. April 20, 1905, he passed
from earth, leaving many mourning friends
who had learned to appreciate his true worth.
In 1892 he was married to Josephine An-
derson, a native of Valon, Sweden. She was
born April 6, 1867, and grew to womanhood
and was educated in Valon. She came to Bill-
ings in 1892. She is the daughter of Andrew
Olson, a farmer of Sweden. Her mother was
Brittastina (Davidson) Olson, a native of
Sweden. Six children survive the death of
thtir father, David V., Paul O., Henry A.,
Olaus, George W. and Annie J.
JOHN WASTPETER, who resides
twelve miles south from Lee, is one of the
prosperous stockmen in Rosebud county and
has had a long experience, both in the hard
side of the stock business and now in that
which is more gratifying from a financial
standpoint. He was born in W'estfalen, Ger-
many, September 4. 1863. being the son of
Henry and Mary (Lemer) Wastpeter, natives
also of Germany and still residing on the old
farm in Germany. The father served in the
wars (if his country and is n<iw enjoying a
good ripe age amid friends and with his chil-
dren. Besides our subject three other children
were born to this couple, Henry, Mary and
Catherine, all three living in Germany. Our
subject was educated and reared in his native
country and when twenty-one came to the
United States to seek a place for himself. He
landed in Nebraska and soon went to work
for wages, and in 1886 came on west
to Miles City and there went to work
for wages. In 1891 he had sufficient saved to
warrant his starting for himself and so he pur-
chased a ranch on Little Pumpkin creek and
engaged in the cattle business. Later he sold
his cattle and bought sheep. He changed just
in time to come into the panic of 1893 with a
band of sheep and before those hard times were
ended, he had been forced to sell all that he
had and apply it on his debts. This left him,
after he had paid over all he had, still one
thousand dollars in debt. Mr. Wastpeter had
no other property and he could easily have
avoided paying the balance of his debts, but
he was not that kind of a man, and as soon as
he had sold all, he went to work the very next
day herding sheep and received his wages reg-
ularly to apply on his indebtedness. He con-
tinued thus until he had paid every penny he
owed in full, and also till he had saved enough
additional capital to start him in business
again. On June 3, 1905, Mr. Wastpeter bought
a quarter section of land under the ditch on the
Rosebud, about forty-five miles from the town
of Rosebud and again began business for him-
self. In the spring of 1906, he rented the well
known Baranger ranch on the Tongue river,
one of the choicest ranches on this river and
here he is now engaged in sheep raising. He
has leased the place for five years and has a
band of two thousand sheep. In addition he
owns horses and mules besides other property
and is prospering in his labors. He enjoys
the confidence and esteem of the people and
is a man respected by all.
HON. JOHN BLEWETT, member of
the state legislature, resides two and three-
fourths miles southeast from Fromberg on a
choice estate of three hundred and five acres
of well improved and irrigated land. His is
one of the excellent estates of the vallev and it
554
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
bears the marks of wise iniprcn-ements. Good
buildings are in evidence, an air of thrift is
patent to all. and tlie place is a credit to the
• county. Mr. Blewett raises diversified crops,
has an orchard of ten acres and is just now
entering on the sugar beet industry, having
become convinced that the beets will be a
money-maker for this section.
John Blewett was born in St. Austell par-
ish, Cornwall county, England, on December
7, 1858. His father, Edward B. Blewett, was
born in England, on May 12. 1832 and was
a miner and local preacher. He died of min-
er's consumption April. 1861. He had
married Miss Hariet Blight, who was born
in England, on April 18, 1831. Her death oc-
curred in England, in 1902. After completing
his education in the common schools, our sub-
ject began. May 5, 1875, to work in the mines
of North Wales. He continued steadily at that
until September. 1878. wlien he returned to
Cornwall and in 1879 came to Luzerne county,
Pennsylvania, and engaged in coal mining. In
the fall of the year of his arrival he left Penn-
sylvania and went to Georgetown, Colorado,
did mining and at the beginning of 1880 we
find him in Summit county. Colorado, and for
seven years following that he jirospected. In
18S2, with two associates, Mr. Blewett located
four claims that were rich in si her and lead.
The partners became wrought up over the
find, quarreled, and one killed the other. The
criminal was sentenced to ninety-nine years
and one day in prison at Canyon City and is
serving his time yet. Mr. Blewett realized
from the property and in 1887 he came outo
Butte. After spending some time working in
the mines, he was severely attacked with the
prospector's fever and securing a team of
horses, he started out for new fields. He fin-
ally decided to stop at an old deserted camp,
known as Copperopolis. in Meagher county. It
had been located in 1867. He purchased claims
and prospected from 1889 to 1901. when he
sold a portion of his holdings to the late Mar-
cus Daly of Anaconda. Then Mr. Blewett
went from coast to coast and also back to
England searching a place to make a home.
Finally he came to his present place and built
the home where he now resides. In addition
to the enterprises mentioned, Mr. Blewett pays
considerable attention to stock raising and has
two stallions, one an American Draft and the
other an English Shire, both thoroughbreds
and fine animals.
The marriage of Mr. Blewett and Clara
(Jones) Blewett occurred at Butte, in 1888.
Mrs. Blewett, was a widow and her father,
J. G. Jones, was born in New York state and
followed farming. He came to Ohio in early
days and there married. After that he drove
on to Iowa and there died October 8, 1901.
His wife in maiden life was Miss Anabell
Groves, a native of Pennsylvania, whence she
came with her parents, when a small girl, to
Ohio. She died in 1896. Mrs. Blewett was
born in Stark county, Ohio, October 28, 1859,
and came with her parents to Iowa when four
years old. There she was educated and came
to Montana with some acquaintances with
horse teams when seventeen. It was in 1879
they reached the Gallatin valley and for seven
years she resided there, taking two trips each
during that time.
Our subject and his wife have the following
named children : Sam. working in the Kendell
mines ; Elmer, attending the Mechanical school
of Engineering of the Bozeman College : Grace
and Laura, both at school in Oskaloosa. Iowa ;
Edward B., who died at the age of five and one
half years. The first two named are the issue
of a fnrmer marriage of Mrs. Blewett. Mrs.
Blewett is a IMethodist. but Mr. Blewett does
not belong: to anv denomination.
REV. JOHN G. CLARK is the pastor of
the Methodist church in Bridger, Montana,
and has his residence one mile east from From-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
555
berg. He was born in Cbeshire, England, on
November 9, 1852, tbe son of John and Emma
(Henshaw) Clark, both natives of England,
the father having been born in 183 1. The
father was edncated in the schools of his native
place and came to Philadelphia in 1852, and
while viewing a large fire soon after arriving.
he caught a severe cold that resulted in his
deatli. He had come with his wife and some
of her relatives to introduce the silk spinning
business in this country. Our subject was
reared in Philadelphia, graduated from its
high school, engaged in business there, after
which he went to Newfield, New Jersey, and
spent six years in preparation for the ministry,
receiving his ordination in 1890. He built the
Methodist Episcopal church there and the next
year after that he served the Richland cir-
cuit in New Jersey, and finished the church at
Richland. He then accepted a position on tbe
missionary staft' of the Methodist church in
Utah under tlie direction of Dr. T. C.
(ilifi^. Four years of hard labor were
spent in that capacity and then Mr. Clark
came to the Red Lodge. He served also the
White Sulphur and Virginia City churches
and the accepted bis present position. Dur-
ing these years of labor in the ministry, Mr.
Clark has also taken interest in the study of
fruit culture and recently has been enabled to
carry out his ideas. He owns a fruit ranch
of forty acres which is one of the model fruit
producers of the county. In fact, Mr. Clark
is one of the pioneers in the culture of fruit
in Carbon county and is deserving of much
credit for the demonstration that the county
will produce good fruit. He sold last year
over five hundred dollars worth of fruit off
his young trees, which are just beginning to
bear.
At Philadelphia, in 1884. Mr. Clark mar-
ried Miss Frances I. Wilcox, a native of New-
field, New Jersey. She was well educated in the
public schools and has been a devout and worthy
assistant to Mr. Clark in his life's work. Her
father, Re\-. Chauncy Wilcox, was a Method-
ist minister during his life and was a highly
educated man. He died in 1885. He had mar-
ried Miss Sarah I. Sanderson, a native of
Canada, and of English extraction. To our
subject and his wife one child was born, Fran-
ces.
By a former marriage in early life three
children were born to Mr. Clark, namely, Eli-
zabeth, William, and Nettie, the latter being
now the wife of Robert L. Banta of this
countv.
JOHN T. AMES, who follows farming
and stock raising resides about one mile north-
east from Bridger where he has an estate
of four hundred acres of irrigated land. The
place is well improved and is a good dividend
payer. Mr. Ames raises diversified crops and
pays considerable attention to breeding sheep
and cattle, handling, also, some horses. In
connection with his business he manifests wis-
dom and skill and is obtaining splendid results
both from the farm and from the stock .
John T. Ames was born in Otoe county,
Nebraska, March 3, 1874, His father. Ran-
som Ames, was born in Lake county, Illinois,
and followed farnu'ng all his days. He mar-
ried Miss Louisa Balfour, who was born in
Germany and came t(.) the United States with
her parents when a small child, bein.g three
or four years of age at that time. Our sub-
ject received a good common school education
in his native state and then took a course in
the business college in Stanberry, Missouri.
Then he returned to Nebraska and after farm-
ing there for some time came on in 1896. to
Billings, Montana. For several years he
worked on the ranches and also at carpenter-
ing, a trade he had mastered earlier in life,
and about 1899 he came to the section of the
country where he now resides. One year was
spent in working on a ranch and then he rented
556
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the place. Later he purchased and, as stated
above, he now possesses four liundred acres
of fine soil, all under the ditch.
In 1905, Air. Ames married ?kliss Mary
Ellis, the wedding occurring at Red Lodge.
The wife's parents are John and Mary (Roan)
Ellis, residents of Carbon county, and Mr.
Ellis is engaged in farming. In political mat-
ters, Mr. Ames is a Republican although not
partisan.
SOLOMON C. TOLIVER. The subject
of this sketch is a prominent rancher residing
ten miles northeast of Billings, Yellowstone
county. He was born in Independence, Vir-
ginia, March 19, 1864. His father, Jacob Toli-
ver, was a native of North Carolina, near the
Virginia line, having land on both sides of the
line, and consequently in two states. The
school house of his district was in Virginia,
as was, also, the postoffice. He followed the
avocation of a farmer, and remained there un-
til 1887, which year occurred his demise.
The mother of our subject is Matilda
(Higgins) Toliver, a native of Virginia, her
birthplace being quite near the North Carolina
line. At the present writing she is residing
in North Carolina.
The earlier education of our subject. Sol-
omon C. Toliver, was received in \'irginia.
In 1884 he went to North Platte, Nebraska,
and in that state he was in the employment of
the famous scout and popular showman, "Buf-
falo Bill," or William F. Cody, at that period
a resident of North Platte. It was in 1885
that he came to the Yellowstone valley and en-
gaged in the employment of William Deal
for the period of one year. Subsequently he
worked for Thomas McGirl for the period of
seven years. He then purchased a ranch of 265
acres upon which he is now comfortably lo-
cated.
In 1889 Mr. Toliver was married to Sarah
L. McGirl, a native of Missouri. Her father
was James McGirl, a native of Ireland ; her
mother, Frances (Dobson) McGirl, was a na-
ti\e of Dobson, North Carolina. Two children
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Toliver, viz. :
a daughter, that died in infancy and Earl R.,
now aged ten.
JEREMIAH F. CRIMMINS was born
at Troy, New York, ]\Iarch 2"], 1841, the son
of ^Michael Crimmins, a native of Cork county,
Ireland. The mother in maiden life was Jo-
hanna O'Brien, a native of Cork county, Ire-
land, and in the family were thirteen children,
only three of whom survive. Besides our sub-
ject are Richard, at Drummond, Montana, and
Mary Keliher in Troy, New York. Our sub-
ject went to Rome in that state when nineteen
and learned the blacksmith's trade. He re-
mained in Rome three years, mastering every
part of that intricate trade and then traveled.
In 1873, we find him in Florence, New York,
and the same year he married Miss Alice Con-
niff of that city, her parents being Michael
and Mary Conniff. For three years Mr. Crim-
mins and his wife remained in Florence and
two children were born to them there, William
R. and Elizabeth. In 1876 they removed to
Deadwood, South Dakota, and the ne.xt year
went to Fort Custer, Montana, where he worked
at his trade. In 1881, Mr. Crimmins moved to
Junction City, Montana, and remained there
until the fall of 1890. Mr. Crimmins has been
engaged in various things besides blacksmith-
ing, as stock-raising, merchandising and
so forth, while from 1894 to 1898 he
was postmaster in Forsyth. He has
traveled very much and been in almost
every state of the union. Also we find him in
various places in Montana and once he was in
Alaska. In 1903 he opened a shop again in
Forsyth and is still conducting a Iilacksmith
business here.
On December 22. 1905. a daughter was
born to Mr. and ]Mrs. Crimmins. Alice M.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
557
and their son, ^^'illiam R., died at Forsyth
on January 22, 1905. Their daughter, EHza-
beth, was married to Ehner E. Powell in 1895.
He is a railroad conductor and they reside at
Los Angeles, California.
Mr. Crimmins is a Republican and he and
his wife are members of the Catholic church.
ANDY BILLMAN knows Montana by
personal experience since the very early sixties
when Alder Gulch saw its palmiest days, and
during all the succeeding years he has resided
here, being now one of the substantial and
highly esteemed men of the Yellowstone Val-
ley. He lives about two miles west of Living-
ston on a quarter section of land which he
homesteaded nearly a quarter of a century ago.
Sixty acres of this are under the ditch and the
place is a valuable one. Mr. Billman was born
in Fostoria, Ohio, on January 24, 1838. the
son of Andrew and Elizabeth E. (Gunther)
Billman, the former born in Pennsylvania Jan-
uary 28, 1800, and the latter in the same state
on January i, 1805. The father followed
farming and pump-making. The children were
ten in number, six boys and four girls, our
subject being the fourth one. He received
his education from the primitive schools and
in the fall of 1853 started in life for himself,
working principally on the farms. Three years
later he left Ohio for Iowa and after spend-
ing three years in that state, he started in the
fall of 1859 for Pike's Peak. They were
forced to spend the entire winter on the plains,
reaching the foot of the mountains in April,
i860. For three years subsequent to that Mr.
Billman was prospecting and placer mining
in various portions of Colorado, then he se-
cureil an outfit and drove through Montana
via Fort Bridger and Soda Springs, Idaho.
That winter was spent digging gold in Alder
Gulch, and in the spring of 1865 he came over
to the Last Chance where Helena now stands.
He prospected during the summer and in the
spring of 1866 joined a party going into the
Gallatin valley. He prospected in various por-
tions of the Yellowstone valley around Emi-
grant Gulch and since that time he has made
his home in this valley. For several years he
spent his entire time in prospecting, trapping
and hunting, but in 1876 made a trip into the
Black Hills, Dakota. He secured some rich
claims but owing to the impossibility of get-
ting water on them and having no dumping
facilities, he gave them up and returned to
the Yellowstone valley. In 1877, Mr. Billman
began raising stock and more or less he has
followed this ever since. He took a squatter's
right on Fleshman creek in 1881 and later
sold that and moved on the island about two
miles above Livingston. It was in 1883 that
he took his present place as a homestead and
a portion of that year was spent in traveling
by team from his home to Puget Sound and
return. Since the. time of settling here, Mr.
Billman has continually labored for the ad-
vancement of the country and has done stock
raising and farming, wherein he has been
blessed with good success.
Mr. Billman married Mrs. Sarah E.
Wright, the -Addow of Captain Joseph Wright,
who edited the first paper published at Boze-
man, and the wedding occurred in 1884. Mrs.
Billman was born in Galena, Illinois, on March
9, 1850, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah
(Robinson) White, natives of Ireland. The
mother was born April 3, 1823, came to Amer-
ica in 1825 and is now residing at Bozeman
hearty and able to care for her house-
hold duties. To Mr. and Mrs. Billman two
children have been born, Bessie, now the wife
of H. L. Woods, and Delia, still at home with
her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Billman are members of the
Methodist church, and politically he is a Re-
publican. Mr. Billman has had many thrill-
ing and trying experiences on the frontier. He
has in his possession a steel arrowhead which
558
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
was shot into his right side. He also has a
leaden ball in his right shoulder. This was re-
cei\-ed from an engagement in the Judith Basin
in 1874. It was amusing and yet very for-
tunate for Mr. Billman that when he was
wounded he had no hair on his head, for the
Indians being utterly unable to scalp him. let
him live. Mr. and Mrs. Billman are typical
westerners and hospitable to a fault, genial,
kind and broad minded as the people of the
frontier become. They have hosts of friends
throughout the country and they are highly
esteemed people.
JOSEPH T. SIMPKIXS, born in Salem
county, New Jersey, August 12, 1870, now a
leading ranchman in Carbon county, resides
one mile east of Tony, on Volney Creek. His
father, Alfred F., was born in New Jersey,
is a veteran of the Civil \\'ar, and is still liv-
ing on a farm in New Jersey. The mother,
Amanda (Dolbow) Simpkins, is a native of
the same state, where she at present resides.
The public schools afiforded our subject
a good business education, and in 1893 he
came to what is now Carbon county, ^Montana,
where he took up the homestead claim upon
which he now lives. This was in 1897, and he
has since remained here.
The same year he was united in marriage
to Carolina Gambett, a native of Missouri,
born in Putnam county, where she was reared
and educated. She was three months crossing
the plains by team, and in 1878 she settled in
the Gallatin valley, and was there married to
a Mr. Lay. The wife's father, George Gam-
bett, was a native of England, coming when
a young man to Missouri. He was a soldier
of the Civil War, during the progress of which
he died. The mother, Christina A. (Young),
was a native of Indiana. She went to Mis-
souri with her parents while a child.
SA?\IUEL J. HOPPLE, who is well and
favorably known throughout the Yellowstone
\'alley, is most eligibly located on a tine ranch
eight miles west of Billings. He was born in
•Perry county, Pennsylvania, May 4, 1838, the
son of David and Sarah (■\Ioule) Hopple,
both natives of the Keystone state. The fa-
ther was of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry ; the
mother of German origin. David Hopple re-
mained a Pennsylvania farmer up to the time
of his death.
It was in the public schools of Perry coun-
t\- that our subject received an e.xcellent busi-
ness education, and in 1859 he came to Chi-
cago, even at that early day a promising city,
and for the period of two years he farmed in
that \-icinity. He then secured employment
on a railroad as a brakeman, the Illinois Cen-
tral, and for eighteen years he never lost a
day's pay. Subsequently he removed to Den-
ver, Colorado, where he was employed on the
Denver & Rio Grande road. He had been su-
perintendent of the city railway previous to
his experience with the Denver & Rio Grande.
In 1880 our subject came to Glendive, Mon-
tana, with Superintendent Ainsley, of the
Northern Pacific road, and was conductor of
a passenger train two years. He ran the first
passenger train through to Billings, Li\'ing-
ston, Bozeman and Helena, and the first train
across the summit of the Rocky mountains.
This was previous to the completion of the
tunnel. It was in 1882 that he located the
ranch upon which he is now living. But since
then he has been in the government ser\'ice
three and one-half years as mail carrier.
June 13, 1880, he was married to Miss
Reno Feyler, a native of the Pine Tree state.
At an early day she came to Montana with rel-
atives. She is the daughter ofRufus and Eme-
line Feyler. Mr. and Mrs. Hopple are the par-
ents of four children : Harry S., with his fa-
ther on the ranch; Mable E., at home. Myr-
tle and Bert F.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
559
JOHN ERASER, wlio resides on a gard-
ening farm of fi\-e acres one mile west from
Livingston, is one of the oldest settlers in
this part of the country. He was 1x)rn in Wil-
liamston. on Deceml^er 9, 1833, the son of
John ami Jeanie (Eraser) Eraser, nati\-es of
Invernesshire, Scotland, of the same name but
no lilood relation. The father was a black-
smith and came to Canada in 1832. Having
operated a shop eighteen months at Williams-
ton, he sold out and took a farm of two hun-
dred acres in Kenyan township, where he re-
mained until his death in 1875, aged then
eighty-three. The mother died the next year,
aged eighty-seven. . Our subject has three
brothers and six sisters, all of whom are dead
except the youngest brother, who resides on
the old homestead in Canada. As our sub-
ject was taken on to the frontier by his fa-
ther and there assisted in opening a farm, he
had little opportunity to gain an education.
In 1868, he left the old homestead and lo-
cated a farm of one hundred acres near Lan-
caster and there remained until 1874, when
he came to Montana by way of Utah, having
as a companion, Hugh McMillan, his cousin.
They hired passage from Utah to Bozeman
and shortly after arrival, our subject entered
the employ of the government and assisted to
remo\e a sawmill from the upper agency to a
point on the Yellowstone river sixteen miles
west from Columbus. It is of interest that
they built the boat, upon which they moved the
machinery, where Livingston now stands.
After completing the stockades, cabin and sta-
ble of logs, they were located by the Sioux
Indians. This was about the latter -end of
June, 1875, '^"'^1 *'or '^ y^'"' '^"'^^ more there was
one steady fight and eveiything had to be
done under cover of rifles. During this time
they lost three men, James Hilderbrant, one
whose name is lost and a Mexican. On one
raid the Indians stole forty-four horses and
left only three in the post. This attack was
made early in the morning and continued un-
til lour in the afternoon, when a cannon that
was in the stockade, was brought to bear upon
them and a bursting shell scattered them.
Later their opinion of the affair was heard
through the friendly Crows and was that the
whites had a gun that would shoot today and
kill tomorrow. After spending two years in
the wilds, Mr. Eraser returned to Bozeman,
then the center of civilization of this part of
the state and did carpentering for several par-
ties and Major Pease. Being unable to get
his pay, he took lumber, which he constructed
into a raft and floated down the Yellowstone
to where the old town of Miles City stood. He
erected some buildings and a corrall and sold
the balance, having the honor of bringing the
first lumber into that city. Eort Ellis was
moved that year to within three miles of Miles
City and settlers with their families began to
come in. Our subject took a homestead ad-
joining the town where he remained until the
fall of 1899, when he remo\'ed to Livingston.
In the fall of 1883 Mr. Eraser brought his
family out as the country was then compar-
atively safe from Indians, the road having
come in.
Mr. Eraser married Miss Ann AIcMillan,
the daughter of John and Creste McMillan,
natives of Canada and descendants from
Scotch ancestors. Mrs. Eraser was born on
June 15, 1841, in Canada and there was reared
and educated. To our subject and his wife
seven children have been born : James, Jan-
uary 12, 1861; Elora, April 9, 1862; Hugh,
October 12, 1864; John, Eebruary i. 1865;
Archie. July 21. 1868; John A., Eebruary 21,
1870: and Dan, November 3, 1872.
Mr. and Mrs. Eraser are both stanch mem-
bers of the old Scotch Presbyterian church.
In politics INIr. Eraser is a well informed
Republican and takes an active part.
Their home place is all under ditch and
produces a nice dividend annually. Our sub-
ject's only daughter married Dan McPher-
son, a Canadian, and died September 22, 1899.
56o
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
leaving three children : Florence, Hattie J.
and Alexander.
J. W. HUTTON, a native of the Buckeye
State, born in Jefferson county, June 2, 1836,
is at present eligibly located on a fine ranch
one-half mile south of Tony, Carbon county.
His father, John M., was born in Westmore-
land county, Pennsylvanit, but removed to Ohio
with his parents when he was a small lad.
Of that section of the state his family were
pioneers. By trade he was a shoemaker, but
usually had considerable farming property.
He went to LaSalle county, Illinois, in 1856,
where he remained until his death in 1872.
He was throughout his life a distinguished
political leader, first a Whig and later a Re-
publican. At one period he was one of the
commissioners of LaSalle county. Originally
his family came from Germany and were
among the early settlers of Pennsylvania. The
mother of our subject, Mary E. (Beckett)
Hutton, born in Westmoreland county, in the
Keystone State, removed to Ohio with her
parents at an early day, dying in 1880. Her
people were of German origin and pioneers
of Pennsylvania.
The elementary schooling of our subject
was received in Morgan county, Ohio. He
went .to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, in 1854, and
here he was engaged in the lumber business,
contracting for logs. Many hardships were
endured by the lumbermen of Wisconsin in
those days. From this point Mr. Hutton re-
moved to LaSalle county, Illinois, where he
followed farming until 1872, thence going to
Polk county, Iowa, where he followed the bus-
iness of contracting and building. He had
erected a large number of mills and houses, be-
fore going to Iowa, in Wisconsin.
It was in 1885 that Mr. Hutton came to
Custer county. Montana, and here he located
a ranch on the Rosebud river, where he re-
mained until 1 90 1, coming thence to his pres-
ent location. He purchased 160 acres of land
which he has greatly improved and has it un-
der irrigation.
Mr. Hutton was married in 1857 to Irene
Cooley, a native of Ohio. While still a young
girl she came with her people to LaCrosse,
Wisconsin, where she was married. Her fa-
ther, Elan Cooley, was a native of New York.
Her mother's name was Ruth Backer. Our
subject has two brothers living; L. K., in
Omaha, Nebraska, and James C, residing at
Springfield, South Dakota. Another brother,
William B., was claimed by death. He has
two sisters, Mrs. A. E. Snedaker and Mrs.
Mary E. Pickens.
Politically our subject is a stanch Repub-
lican, and always takes an active and lead-
ing part in the various campaigns of that
party. At one period he was assessor of Cal-
houn county, Iowa. Fraternally he is a mem-
ber of the I. O. O. F. He and, his three broth-
ers enlisted in the army during the Civil War,
but owing to the fact that the three went at
once it left the home unprovided for and our
subject was forced to return home, while his
brothers served through their terms.
MARCE SORENSON, one of the for-
tunate ranchers who have located in the Yel-
lowstone valley, resides ten miles west of
Billings. He is a Dane by nativity, having
been torn at Jyland, Denmark, August 25,
1855, the son of Marce and Anna M. (Olson)
Sorenson, Ijoth natives of Denmark. The fa-
ther was a weaver by trade.
The elementary portion of our subject's
education was received in Denmark, but in
1870, accompanied by a small sister, he came
to the United States. They arrived at Ogden,
Utah, at that period the terminus of the Union
Pacific railway, and here they were met l>y
Mr. S. R. Miller, who had come to receive the
J. W. HUTTON
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
561
young emigrants from Jefferson Island, Mon-
tana. With Mr. Miller our subject remained
two years at Jefferson Island and then faced
the world on his own account and for the first
time began to do for himself. He worked for
day wages at first, saved money, purchased
calves when he could spare the funds and
eventually secured a fine bunch of cattle. Un-
til 1884 he remained in the counties of Jef-
ferson and Madison, thence going to southern
Iowa where he purchased a farm. It was in
this enterprise that he lost all his hard earned
savings and was obliged to again face the
world practically without a penny.
In June, 1895, he returned to Montana and
resumed working for wages. In the Yellow-
stone Valley, he purchased a ranch in 1896,
where he is at present located.
Mr. Sorenson has been twice married. In
1884 he was united to Miss Lizzie Gaulter,
a native of Utah. She died in 1891. In 1894
he was united in marriage to Emma Jensen,
a native of Denmark. Our subject is the father
of four children, Louis M., Harry, Lester and
Christina A. He is prosperous and surrounded
by the comforts of a good home in the midst
of a most eligible ranch.
SAMUEL INDRELAND, one of the
progressive and influential general farmers
and business men of the Yellowstone country,
was born in Wass, Norway, September i,
1869. At present he lives on a handsome
ranch three miles northeast of Tony, on Vol-
ney Creek. His father, Elling. a native of the
same place as his son, was a farmer, and re-
mained in Norway until his death in 1895.
The mother, Sigrid (Crow) Inderland, was a
native of Norway, in which country she re-
mained until she died in 1896.
The youth of our subject was passed in
Norway, here he was educated in the public
schools. At the age of eighteen he came to
36
the United States, at first to Minnesota, and
here for a period he worked in the wood for
wages. Later he drifted on to North Dakota,
and engaged in farming. It was in 1890 that
be came to Meagher county, jNIontana, and
here he, also, worked for wages. To Carbon
county he came in 1895, taking up a home-
stead claim upon which he is now comfortably
located.
In 1897 our subject was married to Lizzie
Olson, born at Salor, Norway, where she was
reared and educated. At the age of sixteen
she came to the United States with her par-
ents, settling in Minnesota. Her father, Ole
Olson, a native of Norway, died in Dakota.
Her mother was Anne (Jackson) Olson. She
has two children : Elmer Oscar and Selma
Arthur.
EMIL HANNING is to be numbered
among the stockmen of Custer county who
are making a splendid success of their lalx)rs,
and who are making wealth of the country
to increase and are among the most substantial
class of people who inhabit our state. He is
the owner of a ranch at Brandenburg, on the
Tongue river, although at the present time he
is living with Mr. Seupke, his brother-in-law,
near Stacey.
Emil Hanning was born in Minnesota, in
1866, the son of H. F. Hanning, a native of
Germany, born in 1829. He came to the
Lfnited States, we are not told the date, and
finally located in Minnesota, where he was
numbered with the agriculturists of that state.
On June 8, 1880, he landed with his family
in Miles City, Montana, and soon was engaged
in the sheep industry, which continued to oc-
cupy him until his death in 1893. The
mother of our subject, Doreta (Alenzsing)
Haiming, was born in Germany, and died in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1872. Our sub-
ject was with his father when he landed in
562
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Miles City and has since spent his hfe in this
state. He has been engaged most of the time
in the stock business and now is handhng
cattle.
Mr. Hanning is still one of the jolly bach-
elors of the county, and is not affiliated with
any fraternal order.
I. W. WALTERS, born in Dare county,
Missouri, March, 1868, is now a prosperous
ranchman living on a fine farm eighteen miles
northwest of Red Lodge, Montana. His fa-
ther, William, was a native of Tennessee, and
when a young man removed to Missouri,
where he died when our subject was a small
lad. The mother, Martha (White), died be-
fore her husband when subject was quite
young.
Accompanied by his stepmother and her
husband he crossed the plains in 1876 with a
horse team, and was reared in the Gallatin
valley. On attaining manhood he w-orked for
wages. He came to his present location in
1896, where he secured his present homestead,
and which he has materially improved.
In 1900 our subject was married to Eliza
McLean, born in Scott county, Kansas, in
May, 1884. Since she was two years or age
she has traveled consideralily with her parents,
having visited nearly all the western states.
Her father. Hector, was born in Bowling
Green, Kentucky, and was reared in Texas.
He has been a great traveler during the past
twenty-five years, and is now living quietly
on a ranch near our subject. Her mother,
Fremont (Combs) McLean, was born in Scott
county, Kansas, September, 1866. Mr. and
Mrs. Walters have one child, Eva May
Walters.
WILLIAM SEUPKE, one of the intel-
ligent and industrious men who have made
and are making Custer county one of the
wealthy divisions of Montana, is now engaged
in stock raising and ranching, having his home
place near Stacey, on the Little Pumpkin. He
was Ijorn in Germany in 1848, the son of C.
F. and Henrietta (Olland) Seupke, lx)th na-
tives of Germany. The father was born in
1808, followed merchandising in his native
land until 1866, when he came to Wisconsin
and did farming. Later he removed to Young
America, Minnesota, and resumed a mercantile
career until his death in 1876. The mother
was born in Hamburg, and on the twenty-first
day of November, . 1868, while out taking a
sleigh ride, she was struck by a train and
killed. Our subject received the initial por-
tion of his education in the public schools of
Germany, then came with his parents to Wis-
consin. Later we see him in Michigan occu-
pied with the fishing industry, after which he
returned to Wisconsin. The next three years
were spent in fishing and hunting in Wiscon-
sin, North Dakota and Minnesota. Having
satisfied his desires as a nimrod, he returned
to Minneapolis and was occupied there three
years, when he married Miss Regina Hanning,
a native of Minnesota. Her father, H. F.
Hanning, was born in Germany in 1829, came
to the United States, then located in Minne-
sota and followed farming there until 1880,
when he migrated to Montana, landing in this
state on June 8. He embarked in the sheep
business which he followed until his death in
1893. Mr. Hanning married Miss Doreta
Menzsing, a native of Germany and whose
death occurred in Minneapolis in 1872.
Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Seupke
removed to Young America and engaged in
the mercantile business. Later we see him in
Plato, Minnesota, and for eleven years he was
occupied in buying wheat. It was 1893 that
he came on to Montana and engaged in ranch-
ing and raising stock and these enterprises
have been followed steadily by him since.
To Mr. and Mrs. Seupke the following
children have been born : Annie, the wife of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
563
\Vilber \Vasmut, deceased; Emma, the wife
of \V. J. Glenn, dwelling- on Pumpkin creek;
Lillie, the wife of Bert ■ Weaver, living in
]\Iiles City; Alma, at home; and Willie and
Hattie, twins, also at home.
JACOB M. HARTLEY, born in Cedar
county, Missouri, at present resides on a hand-
some ranch twelve miles northwest of Red
Lodge, Carbon county, and where he is exten-
sively engaged in the rearing of stock. His
father, John E. Hartley, was a native of Ten-
nessee, and went to Missouri when a young
man, and there he married. He came to Mon-
tana in 1865 and thus became one of the
earliest of pioneers of this state. He located
on a piece of land about twelve miles above
Deer Lodge. In 1872 his wife died, and with
the remainder of his family, all but the subject
of this sketch, and the oldest son, he returned
to Missouri, where he remained until his death,
June 13, 1898. While in Montana he was an
extensive stock dealer and capitalist, and at
Stockton, Missouri, he engaged in banking,
and served two terms as sheriff of Cedar coun-
ty. The mother of our subject, Sarah (Sher-
rill) Hartley, was born in Tennessee, coming
to Missouri with her parents when a child.
When quite a small lad Jacob. M. Hartley
came to Montana, secured a good education in
the public schools in Deer Lodge Valley.
When his father left for Missouri our subject
and an older brother were left to manage the
Montana ranch, which they did successfully
until it was sold in 1878, and our subject re-
turned to Missouri, but came back in the
spring of 1879 bringing a band of mules and
horses. While at Deer Lodge he purchased
the ground where now stands Anaconda. This
was in the early 80' s. For two years he farmed
this property, and then disposed of it to the
Anaconda Company for $5,000.00. Since then
he has been in the Yellowstone Vallev. In
1898 he located in Carton county, where he
is successfully engaged in cattle business. He
has three brothers: W. L., at Emporia,
Kansas, a capitalist; James H., stock raising
in Missouri, and R. L., who assumed charge
of his father's banking business when the
latter died. Our subject has three sisters:
Minnie L., Sarah D., and Eugenia, and one
half sister, Leona.
LAWRENCE T. SWAN is one of Mon-
tana's army of substantial agriculturalists and
has spent the major portion of his life within
the boundaries of the farfamed state of mines,
stock, and mammoth ranches. Stark county,
Ohio, is his native place and his birth oc-
curred on July 25, 1868. Enos Swan, the fa-
ther of our subject, was also born in Ohio and
has the distinction of being a veteran of the
Civil War. In 1870, which was a very early
day for what is now Montana, the elder Swan
drove overland with teams bringing his fam-
ily to the Gallatin, valley and began the good
work of assisting to make a state. He labored
here for ten years and then remo\'ed to Port-
land, Oregon, where he entered the real estate
business and is one of the successful dealers in
that city at the present time. He married
Mary Jones, a native of Indiana, and she is
now residing with her husband in Portland.
Our subject recei\ed his early education at
Chico, whither he came when young with his
parents. When he had reached manhood's
estate he was employed by Story & Lee, and
for eight years he was connected with that
firm and then he located a ranch on Trail creek
and began tilling the soil. He prospered in
his chosen work and finally, in 1901, he pur-
chased the property where he now resides,
about ten miles south of Livingston, which has
been the family home since.
In 188S Mr. Swan married Miss Edna
McLaughlin, who was born in Minnesota and
564
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
came to IMontana with her parents in tlie early
eighties. Her father, Horace McLaughlin,
a native of Maine, married Miss Marguerite
Benjamin, a native of Providence, Rhode Isl-
and, and together they came to the west.
To Mr. and Mrs. Swan have been born
three children, Leonard, Donald and Albert.
WILLIAM ITZIN, one of the fortunate
ranchmen of Yellowstone valley, residing
seven miles west of Red Lodge, Carbon coun-
ty, was born at Racine, Wisconsin, June 19,
1859. His father, Fred Itzin, was a native of
Germany, coming to the United States in 1848
and locating at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He
had served thirteen years in the German army,
and was by trade a carpenter. He soon went
to Burlington, Wisconsin, remaining there un-
til 1859, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri,
where he died Februar)- 3, i860. He was
aboard a boat, at the time, and as the craft
stopped at the laniUng he dropped dead of
heart failure. The mother. Eva Itzin, also a
German by birth, came to Wisconsin with her
husband, dying at Burlington.
In the common schools of Wisconsin our
subject received a good business education,
and on arriving at man's estate he engaged in
the lumber industry, in northern Wisconsin.
He was also employed on Mississippi river
steamboats. In 1884 he enlisted in Company
I, Fifteenth Regular Infantry, and went to
Fort Pembina, North Dakota, remaining there
until he was mustered out in March, 1889. He
then farmed for a period in North Dakota,
coming to Gallatin county, Montana, in 1893.
To his present location he came in 1895, where
he has since resided.
In 1886 he was united in marriage to
Annie Wagner, born near Winnipeg, Mani-
toba. Here she was reared and educated, com-
ing to St. Vincent, Minnesota, with her peo-
ple in 1877, and where she was married. Her
parents were Michael and Betsy (Swain)
Wagner, the former a native of Germany ; the
latter of "Manitoba. She has three children:
Letha, Mary and Fred.
JOHN A. MORGAN. The subject of
this sketch is one well deserving the estimation
in which he is held by the people of the ever
famous Yellowstone valley. A prosperous
farmer, residing five and one-half miles west
of Billings, he was born in St. Lawrence coun-
ty. New York, February 21, 1863. He is the
son of Orin Morg"an, also a native of St.
Lawrence county. He was all his life en-
gaged in farming in the Empire state. His
father, the paternal grandfather of our sub-
ject. Forest Morgan, also followed the avo-
cation of an agriculturist. Originally this
family came from \\'ales, but lor several gen-
erations have been in the United States.
The mother of our subject, Lucretia R.
(Whiteing) Morgan, who is still living, is
a native of St. Lawrence county, New York,
where she resides. The members of her family
originally came to this country from England.
In the public schools of St. Lawrence
county our subject received his education, al-
ternatel}' working and studying until he ar-
rived at the age of twenty-two years. He then
remo\-ed to Morris, Minnesota, remaining with
relatives of his family one year. Thence he
came to Montana, and his first employment
was with a cowboy outfit, for the period of
one year. Shortly after attaining the age of
twenty-four he came to Billings, and here he
was in the employment of W. O. Parker for
two years, subsequently being taken into part-
nership with his employer in the sheep busi-
ness. Since that period he has followed this
avocation the greater portion of the time.
It was in 1891 that he was united in mar-
riage to Miss Mary Lamey, who was born in
Minnesota. When a small child she was
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
565
brought to Montana by her father, Daniel
Lamey, a native of the state of New York.
Subsequently he removed to Minnesota and
later to Montana, where he became one of the
earliest settlers of the Yellowstone valley. The
mother of the wife of our subject, Sarah Mc-
Cormick Morgan, was a native of Ontario,
Canada. To them have been born two chil-
dren, Dora L. and Sarah O. Fraternally our
subject is a member of the A. O. U. W., the
Highlanders and the Mountaineers.
JOHN M. DARROCH resides about fif-
teen miles south from Livingston, where he
owns twelve hundred acres of land and gives
attention to stock raising, handling horses,
cattle and sheep. He has prospered in his
labors and has continued here for fourteen
years and is one of the men whose life is
filled with labors and business, and whose ef-
forts have redounded to much success.
JohnM. Darroch was born in Parke county,
Indiana, October 25, 1855. being the son of
John and Caroline (Pett) Darroch, natives
of South Carolina. The father was brought
by his parents when a small child to Indiana,
they being among the first settlers in that state.
He was well educated and admitted to the bar
to practice law ; but after a short time in the
profession he found his tastes led him to agri-
cultural pursuits and so he went to farming
and raising stock. He was one of the com-
mittee of three who handled the swamp land
of Indiana and set it aside for school purposes
which proved so useful in after years. He was
a prominent and wealthy man and did much
for the advancement of his state. His an-
cestors came from Scotland to South Caro-
lina in early colonial days. The mother of our
subject was also brought to Indiana when
young and her father was one of the promi-
nent men of the state as well as one of the
early pioneers. Our subject's parents went
from Parke to Newton county, in Indiana, and
in the latter county he received a good com-
mon school education. Arriving at manhood's
estate he went to farming and stock raising,
and in 1875 came on west to southern Colo-
rado. Here he engaged in stock raising, hand-
ling cattle, and in 1879 returned to Indiana,
whence, in 1892. he came to Montana and
purchased land where he now resides. To this
he has been adding by purchase until he now
owns the nice estate of twelve hundred acres
mentioned before.
Mr. Darroch has four children. Louise,
John Isaac, ]\Iinnie F., and Taylor M.
\V. A. ENOCHS, a prosperous farmer in
the handsome Yellowstone valley, resides
se\'en miles west of Billings. By birth he is a
Missourian, the place of his nativity being
Gentry county, where he was born July 31,
1869.
The parents of our subject are E. F. and
Lucinda (McGuire) Enochs, the father a na-
tive of Ohio; the mother of Missouri. Both
are living. E. F. Enochs removed with his
parents to Missouri when twelve years of age.
He is a veteran of the Civil War, and resides
at present on the "old farm."
In the public schools of Missouri our sub-
ject, \V. A. Enochs, received a fair business
education and, on attaining his majority, he
went to Colorado where he worked one year,
subsequently returning to Missouri. He came
to Yellowstone county in 1893, purchased land
of excellent quality and upon which he now
resides.
It was in i8go that he was united in mar-
riage to Miss Eliza A. Moore, a native of
Missouri. She is the daughter of Charles D.
and Sarah (Romisha) Moore, the father a
native of Nova Scotia. Their union has been
blessed with four children. Merle, Clara, Mar-
garet and Helen.
566
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ALEXANDER HUNDLEY is one of the
pioneers of Montana and now resides seven
miles southwest from Joliet. He was born in
Hawkins county, Tennessee, May 2j, 1838,
being the son of Joseph and Mary Frances
(Phelps) Hundley, the former born in Haw-
kins county, Tennessee, and the latter in Vir-
ginia, in 181 3 and 1818, respectively. Our
subject's father removed to Iowa in 1847 and
there remained until 1858, when he located
in Vernon county, Missouri. After 1865 he
went to Barry county, Missouri, and there was
engaged in farming and stock raising until
his death. Our subject's mother came to
Montana with her son in 1883 and died here
in 1888. Jordan and Betsey (Brown) Hund-
ley, the grandparents of Alexander Hundley,
came from Irish ancestry. The Browns emi-
grated from the north of Ireland to the New
World in colonial days and several members of
the family were active in the Revolution. Also
our subject had one uncle, John Phelps, who
served with distinction in the Mexican war.
Jordan Hundley was born in North Carolina
and died at the advanced age of one hundred
and seven, being then in Hawkins county,
Tennessee, where he was the first white settler.
The wife of this venerable pioneer was living
when ninety-seven years of age and at that time
was active in her household duties. At what
age she died is unknown to our subject, the
records having been lost. Our subject's grand-
parents on his mother's side of the house were
James and Nancy (Smith) Phelps. The
former was born in Scotland and came to the
United States in early days settling first in
Virginia whence he migrated to Tennessee. -
His first wife was born in Virginia and came
with her parents when a small child to Ten-
nessee, then went to Missouri and finally re-
turned to Tennessee, where she died.
Alexander Hundley's school days were
spent in Iowa whence he went with his parents
to Missouri. In i860 he started in business
for himself and the next year, June 8, 1861,
he enlisted in Company F, Second Missouri
Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Clinton Hun-
ter. He was in tiie fight at Dugg's Springs,
Wilson's Creek and Prairie Grove, besides sev-
eral other engagements and skirmishes. At
Wilson's creek a bullet burned his face, another
his shoulder and finally one ploughed up his
scalp. He was twice taken prisoner, once was
exchanged and the other time escaped. In
1863 he was taken home owing to serious ill-
ness, the results of which were painfully felt
many years later in his life. In 1865, May 14,
he joined an emigrant train bound for ]\Ion-
tana and was engaged in handling the loose
stock on the route. The start was made from
Atchison, Kansas, and all arrived in safety
at Bear Gulch in due time. There and in Lin-
coln gulch he mined until July, 1871, at which
time he went to Madison valley and some two
years later removed from that place to Gal-
latin valley. Owing to failure of his health
from the hardships of the war, he spent three
years after this in hunting and trapping on the
Yellowstone. In 1875 he assisted to erect the
buildings of the Crow agency and then entered
upon a career of stock raising, which more or
less he has followed since. In the panic of
1893, he suffered heavy loss, but was enabled
to get on his feet again and since then he has
prospered well. In 1896 Mr. Hundley located
on his present ranch and it is a place of value,
being well irrigated and in a high state of
cultivation.
In 1875 ^^i"- Hundley married and he has
one daughter, Abbie, now the wife of Jacob
Lande. They dwell in Carbon county and are
the parents of the following named children :
Dewey, George and Jordan. Mr. Hundley
is a man who receives and is entitled to the re-
spect and confidence of his fellows and is
esteemed a man of worth.
JOHN A. LOVELY owns a fine farm
about eight miles south of Livingston where
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
567
lie makes his home, while, also, he owns a sec-
tion on the Shields river. His home [ilace
consists of two hundred and eighty acres of
fertile agricultural land and is well improved
with buildings, fences, and so forth. He de-
votes his attention to stock raising and general
farming and is one of the prosperous men of
Park county.
John A. Lovely was born in McDonough
county, Illinois, on May 14, 1854. George W.
Lo\-ely, his father, was born in Marysville,
Kentucky and came to Illinois with his par-
ents when a siuall boy. When he grew up he
settled on a farm in Illinois and later went to
Kansas, then Missouri and in 1882 came to
Montana where he resided till his death. The
family came from England in Lord Balti-
more's colony and then members of it came on
west to Kentucky, being among the first set-
tlers in that state. George W. Lovely mar-
ried Miss Flora Cox, a native of Indiana, who
came with her parents to Illinois in early days.
Her mother was a McCormick, of Irish ex-
traction and our subject has a letter of recom-
mendation written by a priest for his great-
grandfather at the time that gentleman em-
barked for America. Our subject came to
Nemaha county, Kansas, with his parents in
1 861 and in 1870 went thence to Newton
county, Missouri. In the spring of 1877 he
came to Franklin, the end of the railroad then,
and thence staged to Bozeman, and from there
made his way to where Gardiner now stands.
Here he visited an old friend for a month and
then returned to Bozeman and worked for
wages and later taught school on the Yellow-
stone and in the Gallatin valley for several
years. In the spring of 1878 he located on the
ranch where he now resides and since that time
he has given his attention to stock raising and
farming.
In 1887 Mr. Lovely married Miss Mar-
garet Davis, who was born in Bozeman. She
was among the first pupils to graduate from
the Bozeman high school and then completed
her education in a private school. She taught
school in Park county the first year after it
was organized as a county. Her father, J.
J. Davis, was born in Albany, New York, and
came with ox teams to Montana in 1864,
bringing his family with him. He was an at-
torney by profession and was the first lawyer
in Bozeman. Later he became a member of
the first legislature of the territory and after
this practiced in Bozeman and often held the
office of justice of the peace. The territory
he represented in the legislature was a large
portion of the state and is now divided into
many counties. He came from a Welsh fam-
ily the first of whom in this country was R.
E. Lee in the Revolution. He married Mar-
garet Davis, who died when Mrs. Lovely was
a small child. Mr. and Mrs. Lovely have one
child, Justin D., a junior student in the Park
countv high school.
FERDINAND LEIMBACH, who dwells
three miles southwest from Joliet, where he
has a fine farm of one quarter section, is a
native of Germany and was born on March
8, 1 84 1. His father, George Leimbach, was
removed to Moris, Minnesota, remaining with
five country at the age of ninety-three years.
He had followed farming all his days. He
married Miss Marie Odensas, who was born
in Germany in 1790, and is now deceased.
From the common schools of his native coun-
try our subject received his educational train-
ing and when of the proper age was apprent-
iced to learn the brewing- business. He fol-
lowed that in Germany until 1859 when he
migrated to the United States, settling first in
New York where two years were spent. Then
he went to Philadelphia and for twenty-one
years was engaged in the brewing business
there. In 1882, he determined to try the west
and chose Butte as the objective point of his
journeys. In that thriving city he was en-
568
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
gaged in hotel keeping and also operated a
bar. For twenty-two years he continued in
those occupations and tlien secured the place
where he now has his home. The land is all
under the ditch and very valuable. Mr.
Leimbach has improved the place in good
shape and raises much stock, cattle and horses.
He takes a great interest in his farm and keeps
a very neat and well tilled place.
In the year 1865, while in Philadelphia,
Mr. Leimbach married Miss Eliza Merker,
and together they have traveled the pilgrim
way since. They are the parents of four chil-
dren, namely: Augusta, born in 1872; Fred,
born in 1874; Ernest, born in 1876; and Eliza,
born in 1882. The boys own Philadelphia as
their native place and Eliza was born in Har-
risburg, Pennsylvania. The children have all
started well in life for themselves and Fred
is living with his father. He has never seen
fit as yet to seek a companion in life, but re-
mains under the parental roof. He has a
quarter section of choice land adjoining his
father's farm and it is said that it is the best
kept farm in the valley. This speaks well of
the thrift and energy of Mr. Leimbach.
Mr. Leimbach and his family are adherents
of the Lutheran church. While he takes the
interest becoming the well informed citi-
zen in politics still he is nut a politician.
OLAF W. MATTSON lives on a ranch
about four miles up the Yellowstone river
from Livingston and here he devotes his at-
tention to farming, while he raises some stock
and handles a lime kiln. He has prospered
in his labors and is one of the well-to-do men
of the county. His birth occurred in Sweden,
July 28, 1841. His parents, Johanah and
Mary (Elison) Mattson, were both natives of
Sweden and followed farming. The children
of the family consisted of six boys and two
girls. Two besides our subject dwell in this
county : Andrew at Moline, Illinois, and Alag-
nus, on Mill creek in the Yellowstone valley.
.\fter securing his education in his native
country Mr. Mattson continued to assist on
the farm and also learned the stone mason's
trade. Finally, in 1864, he decided to come
to America and soon we see him in Michigan
where he was employed for a year. Then he
came on to Illinois and secured employment
in a machine shop, where he remained for five
years. Then he went to St. Joseph and worked
at the mason trade until 1882 when he came
on to Montana and purchased the ranch where
he now resides. Soon after settling here he
opened a lime kiln and found good market
for the product even as far as Miles City. He
floated it down the river on flat boats con-
structed at his farm. His attention and time
have been occupied thus with the lime busi-
ness and farming to the present.
On July 19, 1886, Mr. Mattson married
Aliss Mary Elison who was born in Sweden,
May 5, 1857, She came to America in 1885.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Mattson: Olive E., November 2, 1887: Lilly,
December 8, 1894; Ruth, October 28, 1898;
and Esther, December 16, 1900. Mr. and
Mrs. Mattson are members of the Congrega-
tional church and are people of good standing.
Politically Mr. Mattson is allied with the Re-
publicans and in all movements for the ad-
\ancement of the county and state he is keenly
interested.
RICHARD L. McDonald, a brother of
Malcolm McDonald, a sketch of whom ap-
pears elsewhere in this work, resides on an ex-
cellent ranch adjoining his brother's, twelve
miles up the Rosebud river from Fishtail, in
Carbon county. He was born in Randolph
county, Indiana, November 27, 1856. Sketches
of his parents will be found in full in the arti-
cle devoted to his brother, Malcolm. He re-
ceived a common school education in the high
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
569
and graded scliools of Perrysville, Indiana.
When twenty-one years of age Mr. McDonald
went to the Black Hills, where he engaged in
the sawmill business for about two years. He
came to Montana in 1880 and did sub-contract-
ing- on the Northern Pacific railroad until it
was completed. Coming to Billings when it
was a town of tents he resided there about
four years, freighting most of the time to what
is now Lewiston and down into Wyoming.
In 1886 he located a ranch on Fidler creek,
which he named, where he now resides. He
supposed he was locating on public land, but
owing to an erroneous survey he was within
the limits of the Crow reservation. He as well
as all the other settlers were greatly harrassed
by the Indian jxjlice and the hangers on at the
agency. Mainly by his efiforts, assisted by
Fred H. Foster and the Hon. O. F. God-
dard, both of Billings, a special agent. Captain
Duncan, from Washington, D. C, was sent
out to adjust the matters between the settlers
and the Indian department, which resulted sat-
isfactorily to the settlers, at least, as every set-
tler secured the ranch on which he was located.
Mr. McDonald has always taken an active
part in politics, being in national matters a
Republican, but ignoring party lines in local
politics. He was one of the seven delegates
to the Carbon county convention in 1895.
Mr. McDonald is engaged in ranching and
cattle raising. In 1897 while in Chicago with
cattle he made the acquaintance of Miss Eve-
lyn Haskin, a teacher in the public schools of
that city and they were married the next year.
Miss Haskin was born in Lake county, Indi-
ana, in 1867. She is a graduate of the Indi-
ana State Normal School at Terre Haute. Her
father, R. A. Haskin, was a veteran of the
Civil War and a brother of Col. D. C. Has-
kin of New York, the originator of the first
tunnel under the Hudson river, between Jer-
sey City and New York. They are descend-
ants of veterans of the Revolution.
Mr. and Mrs. McDonald have four chil-
dren, Charles, Marjorie, Dorothy and Joseph
Worth.
CHARLES M. SIMPSON is one of the
veteran stockmen of the great stock state of
Montana. His place of business is in the vi-
cinity of Beebe, where he owns a good ranch
and has all the improvements that are needed
in conducting a stock business. He is a man
well accjuainted with the business from per-
sonal experience and has traveled the country
from Montana to Texas several times, besides
having been long riding the range in this
state.
Charles M. Simpson was born in Boston,
Massachusetts, on December 10, 1867. His
father, Willard E. Simpson, was born in
Maine, and came to Boston when quite young,
engaging in the mercantile business. In 1875,
he retired from that business and went to
Texas where he took up farming until his
death. He had married Miss Hannah J. Mow-
er, a native of Maine and still living in Texas.
Our subject got the first year of his school-
ing in Boston, and then went with his par-
ents to Texas, where he was privileged to
study further in the common schools. He con-
tinued thus until eighteen when he commenced
riding the range, having, also, been engaged
thus at intervals before that time. He was
engaged in various portions of the Lone Star
state and in 1887-8 he made two trips with
stock from Texas to Montana. In 1888, he
decided to remain in Montana, and was soon
in the employ of the Hereford Cattle Com-
pany, where he continued for a decade, con-
stantly employed with stock. Finally, in 1898,
Mr. Simpson decided to start in business for
himself, so sought out his present ranch and
began raising horses and cattle. At the pres-
ent time he has some fine bands of these ani-
mals and is prospered in his labors. Owing to
his long experience in the business, Mr. Simp-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
son is one of the very skillful stockmen of the
county and he shows the same in his conduct
of his business.
In November, 1898, Mr. Simpson married
Miss Maggie S. Shy, who was born in I\Iis-
souri, and came to Montana in 1891 with her
parents. Her father, Walter C. Shy, is en-
gaged in ranching on the Little Pumpkin.
He married Jannie Elliot, a native of Mis-
souri and now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs.
Simpson one child has been born, ]\Iilton C,
in Miles City, in December, 1899.
SAMUEL J. TUTTLE, one of the most
successful ranchers of the Yellowstone valley,
resides on a fine farm nine miles west of
Red Lodge, Montana. He was born in lug-
ham county, Michigan. His father, Frederick
A. was born in Bunker Hill township, Mich-
igan. In 1864 he enlisted in Fifth Mich. Light
Art. serving until the close of war. Following
his term of service he learned the trade of a
harnessmaker, and went to Colorado in 1880,
locating at Leadville. Remaining here one
year, he went to the foothills above Denver,
and there he farmed about three years on a
ranch near Denver. In 1892 he came to the
place where he now resides, and secured a
homestead, remaining on the same until his
death, in 1901, he being fifty-four years old.
The 'mother, Mary L. (Moore) Tuttle, was
born in Washtenaw county, Michigan, where
she was reared, married and came west with
her husband. Originally the Moore family
came from New York state.
In the public schools of Colorado and Mon-
tana our subject received his education. He
was a boy of fourteen years of age when he
came with his parents to Montana. Follow-
ing the death of his father he assumed charge
of the home ranch, and at present lives with
his mother and an unmarried sister. He has
two sisters: Mattie M., wife of A. A. Ellis;
Jennie A., at home with her mother and
brother. It was during a financial panic that
the family of our subject came to Montana,
and for a few years it was exceedingly difti-
cult to make a living. However, they are now
in excellent circumstances and surrounded
with all the comforts of life.
BENJAMIN STRICKLAND resides in
Paradise valley, Park county, and is numbered
with the leading and substantial stock raisers
and farmers of this section of Montana. He
handles about five hundred head of cattle each
winter, mostly Shorthorns, and has a domain of
two thousand five hundred acres well improved
and tilled in a manner that produces annually
handsome di\'idends.
The birth of ]\Ir. Strickland occurred in
Broome county. New York, April 5, 1832, his
parents being David and Betsey (Wheeler)
Strickland, natives of Saint Lawrence county.
New York and Connecticut, respectively. Ben-
jamin was one of seven sons and five daughters
and in 1855 the family all came west to Iowa,
where the father passed the remainder of his
life on a farm. Mrs. Strickland's father,
Joshua Wheeler, was a seafaring man for
many years.
Benjamin Strickland received his educa-
tion in his native state and remained with his
parents until 1852, in which year he came on
west to Portage, Wisconsin, and there engaged
in lumbering for five years. Then he jour-
neyed to his father's home in Iowa and there
remained until 1861, in September of which
vear he enlisted at Albert Lea, Minnesota, in
Company H, First Minnesota Rangers,
mounted, and served under Colonel Pender.
They at once started in pursuit of the Indians
and the entire time of Mr. Strickland's service
was in the Indian warfare and he saw much of
it. However, he never received from the
weapons of the savages but slight wounds. On.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
one occasion his horse was shot from under
him and he was permanently injured, ..for
which he is now receiving from the govern-
ment a small pension. From Fort Ridgeley
they began the tour of two years, always in
hot pursuit of the savages in one place or an-
other, the engagements being numerous and
many of them hotly contested. Finally, un-
der General Sibley, the troops drove the In-
dians across the Missouri and Mr. Strickland
returned with his command to Fort Snelling,
Minnesota. Later on he acted as one of the
escort of the governor of Minnesota who ef-
fected a treaty with Red Cloud and Hole-In-
the-Day, the Indian chieftains. Receiving his
honorable discharge at Fort Snelling in Sep-
tember, 1863, Mr. Strickland returned to his
father's home and there remained until the
following April, when in company with a train
of three hundred, he started west to Emigrant
Gulch, Montana. Arriving in August 27,
1864, without molestation from the Indians,
he at once went to mining and after one year
spent in the gulch, devoted five years more to
that absorbing work in various camps in the
northwest.
It was 1874 when Mr. Strickland located
on his present place taking a quarter section
as a homestead. Since those days he has been
prospered exceedingly and is counted one of
the most successful men of the county and
one of the representative men of the state. Mr.
Strickland is a Jeffer.sonian Democrat and al-
ways manifests a keen interest in the campaigns
and the upbuilding of the state and county.
He has acted as school trustee, but never
reaches for public office. He is affiliated with
the Masons, being a Knight Templar.
On May 16, 1868, Mr. Strickland mar-
ried Miss Nancy J. Daley, a native of Iowa,
whither her father, Ebenezer Daley, came
from to Virginia. Seven children have
born to this marriage : Katherine, Frank, Mil-
lie, Ebenezer and Samuel ; besides Mary and
John, who are deceased.
A. J. ^lORRISON. The subject of this
biographical tribute is one well deserving
o'f the prominent name he bears of one of
Montana's earliest pioneers and a mighty nim-
rod of his day. Probably there is no man in
the state with a better record as a hunter
and trapper than he, and his war record is
sans rcprochc, and most meritorious. At pres-
ent our subject is a prosperous rancher, resid-
ing four and one-half miles east of Billings.
He was born in Steuben county. New York,
September 22, 1833.
His parents were Thomas and Hannah
(Sullivan) Morrison, the father a native of
County Down, Ireland, the mother of the
Empire State. It was in 181 1 that Thomas
Morrison came from Ireland to the United
States. Here he serv^ed patriotically all
through the struggle of 181 2 under Generals
Scott and Brown. Following the close of this
war he located on a farm in the state of New
York. His trade was that of a mechanic at
which he worked industriously the greater por-
tion of his time. In 1854 he remo\-ed to Dane
county, Wisconsin, at that period "way out,
west," where he continued at his trade until
1858, when he took the road as a seller of cer-
tain patent rights. He died in Minnesota. The
mother of our subject followed the fortunes
of her husband, accompanying him on his
num.erous journeys and dying in the same
state, Minnesota.
With his parents our subject removed to
Wisconsin. At that period he was quite a
small boy. His elementary' education was se-
cured in the public schools of that state. ^Vith
his parents he went to Minnesota. In 1866
he crossed the plains with mule trains, ar-
riving in Deer Lodge county, where for three
years he was engaged in mimng. He then
followed the business of trapping and hunting
in which he achieved a wide celebrity along
the Missouri river. He assisted in the erec-
tion of the first house in Judith Basin. For
sixteen years he followed the precarious, yet
572
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
remunerative avocation of a hunter and trap-
per. Thousands of wolves liave fallen before
his unerring rifle. Seven hundred and sev-
enty-five of these "varmints" he slew in the
winter of 1870-71. He has killed a great
many bufifalo, elk, deer, antelope and bear.
As a proficient scout, he has been engaged in
the service of the government on numerous
occasions, involving great peril and hardship.
In 1862 Mr. Morrison enlisted in D Company,
Thirteenth Wisconsin Infantry, under Colonel
Maloney. Subsequently his regiment was
commanded by Colonel Lyons, under
General Thomas. For twelve weary
months he languished as a prisoner in
Andersonville. During the Nez Perce war, in
1878, our subject served as a scout, and spe-
cial courier carrying dispatches. At the time
the Xez Perce Indians crossed the Missouri
river, about one hundred and fifty miles below
Fort Benton (at Cow Island), Major Elgis,
of Fort Benton, raised a company of about
forty men, comprising mainly wood-choppers,
hunters, etc. To this sturdy band our subject
belonged. Accompanied by a half breed Nez
Perce Indian he was sent on a scouting expe-
dition for the purpose of locating the camp of
the hostile Indians. \\'ithin fifteen hours they
rofle one hundred and twenty-fi\-e miles. On
the way they conversed with two of the enemy
and this company had a battle with the recal-
citrant redskins the following day near Cow-
Island. They suffered the loss of one man. To
many tribes of Indians in Montana, Idaho and
Washington our subject is well known, as in
early days he traded with them extensively.
Twenty years ago Mr. Morrison located
in the Yellowstone Valley, although he had
many times visited the vicinity previous to
this. Here he at present has a fine ranch sur-
rounded by all conveniences for successful and
profitable farming. Throughout their event-
ful lives our subject and his father have been
pioneers in the western empire. While resid-
ing in Minnesota they were compelled to jour-
ney one hundred and fifty miles to mill. Many
a sharp skirmish has our subject had with
hostile Indians, and during his eventful life he
has slain 104 bear.
HENRY C. HENDRICKSON, one of the
prosperous farmers of the attractive Yellow-
stone valley, residing ten miles southwest of
Billings, on the Yellowstone, was born near
Springfield, Illinois, December 25, 1859, the
son of Henry C. and Mahala (Elder) Hend-
rickson. Both were natives of Marion county,
Ohio. At the age of seventeen the father came
to Illinois and located on a farm. After his
son left home he sold his farm and engaged
in the grocery business at Fancy Prairie. Illi-
nois. His father, Harvey, was born in Penn-
sylvania, and was a veteran of the Revolution-
ary War, and an early settler of that portion
of Ohio. The family are of German ancestry.
With her parents the mother came to Illi-
nois when a child and was here reared, and
is here still living. Her father, George Elder,
came from Ohio to Illinois at a very early day,
and there he secured a homestead in Menard
county. He was of English ancestn,-.
In Illinois our subject was reared and edu-
cated, and on attaining manhood he engaged
in agricultural pursuits. In 1881 he removed
from Illinois to Nebraska and there farmed
for a while. It was in 1896 that he came to
his present location, purchasing eighty acres
of bottom land, which is now under irrigation.
In 1889 he was married to Castella Jones,
born near Marysville, Kansas. She accompan-
ied her parents to Nebraska when a child
where she married. Her father, William C.
Jones, was a native of Pennsylvania: her mo-
ther, Maria (Clemmens) Jones, was born in
Wisconsin.
Mr. and Mrs. Hendrickson have six chil-
dren : Bertha, Bessie, Maud, William, Ralph
and Teddie, besides two that died in infancy.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
573
With tlie exception of tlie youngest two they
are all at school. Our subject has two broth-
ers and two sisters : Mary, wife of Thomas
McDonald; Addie, wife of William J. Snod-
grass; Charles and Harvey.
MALCOLM M. McDONALD, who is
one of the well and favorably known citizens
of Carbon county, residing on a handsome
ranch twelve miles south of Fishtail, on the
Rosebud, was born in Troy, Ohio, August 26,
1852. His father, Joseph L., a native of Dela-
ware, born in 1826, was a cooper by trade, but
greatly preferred the avocation of a farmer.
During the Civil War he enlisted in the army,
the first time in the Sixty-ninth Ohio Volun-
teers, and the second in the One Hundred and
Eighty-second Indiana Volunteers. He w-as
first sergeant in the Sixty-ninth and a lieuten-
ant in the latter regiment. He was with Gen-
eral Grant in all the latter's battles during the
\'icksburg campaign, and at Champion Hill
was shot in the calf of the leg. Following his
discharge he moved back to Ohio, where he re-
enlisted and participated in the battle at Nash-
ville. Following the close of the war he en-
gaged in farming in which he continued until
his death, in 1869. The mother of our subject,
Sarah (Worth) McDonald, was a native of
Indiana, and was married at Troy, Ohio, in
1 85 1. She died in 1867.
When lour years of age our subject re-
moved with his parents to Indiana. He had
but little chance in the public schools in his
vicinity, but he made the best of his advan-
tages. When only thirteen years old he went
to Covington, Indiana, and here he worked in
the coal mines. When he had arrived at the
age of eighteen he came west, and when twen-
ty-four, went to Fort Sully, Dakota, where
he secured a government contract for wood.
Subsequently he removed to Standing Rock,
Dakota, and here he engaged in the same busi-
ness. Men were scarce, and the go\ernment
to secure their services actually "shanghaied"
men. Our subject with others was placed on
an island where it was thought they could not
escape, but the treatment was so severe, that in
company with another man, he swam the Mis-
souri ri\er in October and escaped to Bis-
marck, Dakota. He was caught in a severe
blizzard and was compelled to sleep one night
in the snow. In 1887 he assisted in blocking
out the first mail route between Bismarck and
Whitewood, in the Black Hills.
Our subject then went up the Yellowstone
river to Miles City, where he engaged in cut-
ting wood which he sold to steamboats. Fol-
lowing this he hunted buffalo, deer and poi-
soned wolves and made one trip carrying dis-
patches for General Miles. From 1877 to 1881
he followed hunting, and engaged in some
rather exciting episodes with hostile Indians.
Two of his partners were killed by them. The
redskins stole every horse except the one upon
which he rode. One of his partners was crip-
pled and crawled down the river before he
died, having first notified our subject of his
peril. The Indians attempted to ambuscade
Mr. McDonald, and take his life, but were
driven away by a man coming down the river.
In the spring of 1881 a brother of our subject,
Richard, joined him at Miles City, Montana,
and they secured a contract on construction
work on the Northern Pacific railroad, west
of Miles City. This consumed the greater por-
tion of one year. They then engaged in pros-
pecting near Stillwater river, or where Nye
noW' stands. In company with William Hamil-
ton, Joseph Anderson and James Hubble, he
made the first location at Nye in 1883. They
still own their original location which they be-
lie\e to be rich in copper and some silver, and
lead. He again, for a period followed hunt-
ing, and in 1886 settled near his present lo-
cation, and engaged in various pursuits, in-
cluding mining and stock raising. He and his
brother Richard were instrumental in opening
574
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the ceded portion of the Crow reservation, and
he has in his possession letters that he received
from President Arthur in regard to the enter-
prise. Previous to the opening a petition was
circulated praying the government to lease the
reservation land. Had this prevailed it would
have resulted in shutting out all small owners,
To President Arthur our subject wrote, ex-
plaining the facts in the case. His letter was
turned over to Secretary of the Interior Tel-
ler, who favored the leasing of the lands. A
man was sent from Washington to investi-
gate conditions, and it was then decided to
open the reservation. For this great credit
is due ]\Ir. McDonald.
At Billings. Montana, in November. 1891,
our subject was united in marriage to Mary
J. Clark, born in Lake county, Indiana, No-
vember 30, 1855. Having received an excel-
lent education in Indiana, she has proved a
worthy helpmeet to her husband, and their
home life is a most happy one, and always
hospitable to guests. Her father Joseph A.,
was a native of Ontario county. New York,
and was a cabinet maker and farmer. In 1837,
he removed to Indiana, where he followed
farming until his death in 1859. Her mother,
Harriet (Story) Clark, was also a native of On-
tario county. Mrs. McDonald had three broth-
ers in the Civil War, one of whom died in the
service. The other two reside in Indiana.
The maternal grandfather of our subject,
Daniel Worth, was a member of the Indiana
legislature in the twenties. He was converted
and ordained as a minister of the gospel. He
went to North Carolina where he sold a book
entitled "Helper's Impending Crisis," and
for this he was indicted and placed under bonds
of $5,000. He later fled from the state, but
subsequently paid his bondsmen. Had he not
escaped the North Carolinians would undoubt-
edly have hanged him.
At present our subject has 160 acres of ex-
cellent land, and fine brands of cattle and
horses. The land is under good irrigation.
JA:\IES KENNEDY has resided within
the borders of Montana for nearly a third of
a century and this long residence, together with
the added fact that he has always been a hard
laborer for the building up of the country and
the establishment of those institutions which
are the pride of the American people, the school
and free representative government, entitle
him to be placed in the front rank of pioneers
of the great state of Montana. His present
residence is some four miles east from Rose-
bud, on the north side of the Yellowstone river.
Here in 1877 Mr. Kennedy staked out a home-
stead from the wilds and here he has bestowed
his labors with wisdom and thrift since as the
premises show; for he has been prospered in
the things of this world well, owing to his
wise management of affairs that have l>een
placed in his hands. It was slow work I'n the
later seventies when without much of the con-
veniences supplied with civilization, he went
to work and began the development and im-
provement of the homestead he had selected.
The country was wild, neighbors were far
apart, necessaries were high in price and pro-
duce was low in price. Still, Mr. Kennedy was
made of the stuff that does not faint at an ob-
stacle and he soon had won the smiles of Dame
Fortune. From time to time lie purchaseil land
adjoining until now he owns twelve hundred
acres of choice land all under the ditch and
very valuable. Such is the accomplishment of
this industrious resident of JNIontana and the
fruits of his toil and wisdom are proof of the
worth of the proprietor.
James Kennedy was born in Syracuse,
New York, October 24, 1850, being the son of
Michael Kennedy, a native of Ireland. Ten
years previous to the birth of this son the fa-
ther had come from Ireland and settled in
Syracuse where he entered the employ of the
salt works company. In due time he had risen
to the position of manager of the works. But
in 1852, he resigned this place and went west,
being imbued with the real spirit of explora-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
575
tion so instilled in the very air of this country.
He selected a piece of land in Clayton county,
Iowa, and there settled to general farming. He
remained in that place until 1901 when he
made a trip to IMontana to visit his son. Here
he died soon after arriving being aged eighty-
four. The mother of our subject had died
when he was a small child and before he could
remember her. James grew up and was edu-
cated in Iowa and in 1875, he started out on a
journey of investigation which lasted two
years. At the end of that time he had ar-
rived in Montana and had viewed the country
sufficiently so he was satisfied to settle near
where he now resides and shortly after he se-
lected the homestead mentioned above, and
which was the nucleus of his now mammoth
estate.
In 1884, Mr. Kennedy married Miss Mary
A. Horisky, a native of Connecticut. She
came with her parents to Iowa and later to
Nebraska. The children to this marriage are
eleven, six of whom are living. Margaret.
Richard, Harry, Walter, William and Joseph.
Blessed with a fine large family, favored
with the prosperity so sought after by the hu-
man race everywhere, and surrounded with
many friends and cheered by the success he
has gained, Mr. Kennedy is privileged to en-
joy the good things of this life and may find
leisure to give the mind the hours of medita-
tion and thought on the greater things of life,
while he stands one of the successful and sub-
stantial citizens of Montana.
BENJAMIN F. MYERS, who resides
twelve miles north of Livingston, was torn
June 28. 1846, in Andrew county, Missouri.
Mention of his brother, Alfred ?klyers. occurs
in another portion of this volume and to that
the reader is referred for further reference to
Mr. Myers' parents. The early life of our
subject was spent much as that of the ordinary'
youth in Missouri, where he remained with
his parents until 1870, being then twenty-four
years of age. In that year he started to Texas
and drove a herd of cattle through to Mon-
tana, via Bannack, wintering en route at Fort
Rocks on the Arkansas. He arrived in Jef-
ferson county. Alontana, the last of October,
in 1871, and handled his cattle there the first
year. Then he drove to the Sun ri\-er. In
1873. he sold out to A. S. Clark and moved
back to Boulder, remaining there three years
during which time he followed the dairy bus-
iness and also carried mail from Harrison to
Boulder. In 1876 Mr. Myers entered into
partnership with his brother and again took
up the cattle business running their stock in
the Shields river valley. For fourteen years
they continued successfully in this line of bus-
iness then it being 1890, our subject sold his
interests to his brother and returned to Mis-
souri. In 1892 he came again to Montana
and the next year bought his present location
on Shields river, since which time he has given
his attention to general farming and handling
horses and cattle. He has met with good suc-
cess and is one of the well known and substan-
tial men of the valley.
On January 4, 1882, Mr. Myers married
Clara Laney, the daughter of David H. and
Martha (Waugh) Laney. Four children have
been born to them : Ben A., January 2^,
1883: Clara May. June 10. 1886; Rubina R.,
November 20, 1887, and Hazel. September
17. 1893-
I\Ir. Myers is a good strong Democrat and
thoroughly able to give a good and substan-
tial reason for his political views. He fratern-
izes with the iMasons and Elks and is rated
one of the substantial men of Park county.
GEORGE D. LATHOM, born in Daviess
county, Missouri, and now residing six miles
southwest of Columbus, Montana, on the Still-
^76
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
water river, is a successful and enterprising-
ranchman. His father, Thomas J., was a na
tive of Indiana, but he passed the greater por-
tion of his hfe in Missouri. He was a veteran
of both the Mexican and Civil Wars, and
fought under General Price for the Confed-
eracy. At the close of the war he settled
on a farm in Missouri, remaining there until
his death. The mother, Rebecca (Edward)
Lathom, was a nati\e of Kentucky, dying in
1863, aged 35 years.
Following the death of his mother our sub-
ject lived with near relatives and when he
was eight years of age his father remarried,
and our subject remained with him until fif-
teen years old, when he faced the world for
himself. He went to Iowa as a horse jockey,
following this profession two years. In 1882,
in company with his brother, he purchased a
band of cattle in Iowa, and shipped them to
Pierre, South Dakota, and thence drove them
to Wyoming. From this bunch was developed
the "Forked Lightning Cow Outfit," one of the
most extensive in Wyoming. Having dis-
posed of his interest in this enterprise he rode
the range until 1884, when he came to Mon-
tana, continuing in the same business five
years, two years of which time with the five
bar outfit. His excursions over the state had
taken him from Frenchtown to Dakota. He
rented land in 1889 near Livingston, Montana,
and here he resided until 1894, when he came
to his present place and purchased a squat-
ter's right, and thus laid the foundation of a
comfortable home. Indeed our subject owns
a fine ranch, mainly under good system of
irrigation, and here he successfully cultivates
a variety of crops and fruits adapted to that
climate. Since his arrival in this section he
has engaged extensively in the cattle industry.
November 28, 1889, he was married to
Mamie Denny, born in Jefferson, Indiana. She
came to Montana with her parents when a
young girl. Her father, Lemuel, is now in
the mercantile business in Columbus. Islon-
tana. Her mother, Martha (Oslx)rne). re-
sides with her husband in the same city. They
are a fine old couple and are widely and fav-
orably known as "Grandpa and Grandma
Denny." Mr. and Mrs. Lathom have five
children: Ray A., born January 30, 1891 ;
Myrtle 0"D., April 20, 1892; Mattie E., No-
\ember 18, 1898; Thomas E., December 25,
1900, and Lemuel, October 27, 1905. Po-
litically our subject is distinctively independ-
ent, and has never taken an active part in par-
tisan politics, but in educational affairs he man-
ifests a deep interest. He was prominent in
the organization of the district school in his
vicinity, and has served efficiently as clerk and
director.
CHARLES D. LAXTIS resides at Gar-
land, his wife being postmistress there since
1900, and he is occupied in ranching and stock
raising-. In addition to those enterprises he is
conducting a road house and stage station and
his place is favorably known far and near. Mr.
Lantis is a pioneer in the true sense of the word
and has had a large experience in various por-
tions of the west and in different lines. He is
especially well acquainted with the stock busi-
ness and is having abundant success in this
line.
Charles D. Lantis was born in Taberock,
Nebraska, August 10, 1865, being the son of
Daniel W. and Asubra O. (Stephens) Lantis.
the former born in Mackinaw, Illinois, on May
23, 1833, and the latter in Tazewell county.
Illinois, in October, 1835. Their marriage oc-
curred in Illinois and ^Mrs. Lantis accompa-
nied her husband on all his journeys except
into Arkansas and Idaho. Daniel W. Lantis
was reared on a farm and in 1864 v^ent from
Illinois to Nebraska. He followed milling and
the millwright trade in Nebraska, being em-
ployed in the Blacklaw mills. He returned to
Mackinaw, Illinois, in 1866 and in 1870 he
MRS. CHARLES D. LANTIS AND DAUGHTER
CHARLES D. LANTIS
MR. AND MRS. MAURICE POWERS
JOSEPH EICHHORN
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
577
went to Llalio and took up mining, returning
to Illinois in 1880, he remained five years and
in 1885 went to Arkansas, where he spent one
year. Returning to Illinois he removed hi?
family to !\Ianville, \\')'oming, in 1887. and in
1895 he came thence to Custer county and set-
tled down to stock raising. When he came
here he was well ad\anced 1 age and was
without means but he is no\/ one of the well
to do men of the county and has gained it
all in raising stock. The family comes from
Pennsylvania Dutch stock.
Our subject remained in Illinois until he
was sixteen, receiving there his education.
Then he went to Dakota and was soon engagetl
in the thrilling life of the cowboy, which he
has followed more or less since. He was four
years engaged thus at first, and saw much of
Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and
then traveled back to Illinois, and journeyed
much through Arkansas and Missouri. It was
1890 when Air. Lantis came to Custer county
as a cowboy from Wyoming with the Converse
Cattle Company. He rode the range till 1896
when he put a saw mill on Liscombe creek and
continued in the operation of it for two years.
During the time he had ridden the
range he had gained stock for himself
and in 1900 he came to his present
place and gathered his stock around him and
went to work to make a permanent home. He
has been engaged at it since with the other oc-
cupations mentioned before.
In 1885 Mr. Lantis married Miss Mary E.
Copp and she has accompanied him in his
journeys since. She was born in Eureka, Illi-
nois, on January 29, 1868, where she was
reared and educated. Her father, Jacob B.
Copp, was born in Pennsylvania, is a veteran
of the Civil War and still lives at Eureka. Illi-
nois. He married Miss America Reeves, born
in Kentucky, March 2, 1840. Mrs. Lantis has
one brother, Jacob B., living at Eureka, and
one sister, Katie A., wife of Joseph Smith of
Chicago. Mr. Lantis has the following named
37
brothers and sisters: Cash B., who followed
riding the range and is now a barl>er at Wi-
baux, Montana; Robert A., living with pa-
rents; Ida, wife of Albert Brininstool living at
Mackinaw, Illinois ; and Lizzie, wife of Curtis
Spangle of Manville, Wyoming.
Mr. and Mrs. Lantis have one child. Lil-
lie E., born at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas,
January 30, 1887. She was but one year old
when the family came on to Wyoming and
when four she owned a horse, and has practic-
ally grown up in the saddle. Doubtless there
are few ladies in the west who are more expert
than she in horsemanship and she takes her
place among distinguished equestriennes.
When but six years of age she took her place
on the relief herding with her father and when
it is necessary she is able to rope and tie as vi-
cious an animal as roams the range. In 1900
she was holding a herd of wild horses on the
head of Foster creek in a very broken and
rough country and a severe hail storm stam-
peded them. With great skill and bravery she
rode with them for five miles until she suc-
ceeded in getting control of them again, and
all without the loss of a single animal.
Miss Lantis owns a nice band of cattle in her
own right and is one of the highly esteemed peo-
ple of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Lantis are well
known people and are among the progressive
residents who are always found on the side
of improvement and up building of the country.
JOSEPH EICHHORN, a native son of
Philadelphia, now residing just outside o[
Miles City, is one of the substantial men who
have assisted materially in making Custer
county one of the prosperous places of the
great state of Montana, as he has wrought
here for years and with a thrift and
wisdom that have brought a worthy reward,
as he has today a lovely home, beautifvlly set
in a wealth of shade and fruit trees and made
■■>?&
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
attractive by the gardener's skill, while an air
of pleasant contentment abides with the prem-
ises that adds the home charm and makes the
dwelling place of Mr. Eichhorn one of the
pleasant places of Custer county. Added to
this is the kind hospitality that is so freely
dispensed, for Mr. and Mrs. Eichhorn, while
great lovers of home, are, too, openhearted
and share their good things with others and
many a soul have they lightened by their kind-
ness and, indeed, it is this very home love,
this spirit of home building, and love for one
another, that combined make the loyal and
stanch citizens, for the strength of any land
is the combined strength, not of its wealth and
military alone, but of its true homes. With
pride, therefore, as loyal Americans, we point
to this pleasant, cheerful and good home and
the builders of it, as a portion of the real
wealth and worth of Custer county.
Joseph Eichhorn was born on July 9, 1848.
His father, Adam Eichhorn. born at Rhine
Falls, Germany, came to the United States in
1847 ^"d engaged in the grocery business in
Philadelphia, where he remained for seven
years. Then he sold his business and rented
a farm that belonged to the John C. Calhoun
estate and took up market gardening. In
1864 he removed to the vicinity of Iowa City,
Iowa, and there settled on a farm which he
cultivated till his death, in 1890. He had
married Miss Anna Marie Baldauffen, a na-
tive of Germany, who came to America with
her husband and died on the farm near Iowa
City in 1869. Our subject spent his boyhood
days on the farm and had little opportunity
to gain an education, however, he made the
■very best of what means were at his hand. In
1869, Mr. Eichhorn went west and from Al-
buquerque, New Mexico, he was engaged in
driving a herd of cattle through to Arizona,
stopping at Prescott. He spent a year after
that on the range and then went to northwest-
ern Iowa where he took contracts of breaking
the prairie sod. Finally he settled on a farm
in Pottawattamie county and there he remained
until 1881, in which year he came to Montana,
setting out from Bismark on the first freight
train over the road, Northern Pacific to Glen-
dive, thence overland and by boat to Miles
City. He settled on a homestead two miles
east from town and engaged in stock raising
until the hard winter of 1885-6. He removed
to his present location in the winter of 1891.
Since that time, Mr. Eichhorn has given his
entire attention to market gardening and fruit
raising and he has won a splendid success. His
place consists of thirty acres of fine soil and
his care and wise planning have made it a pict-
ure throughout. He raises all kinds of fruit
indigenous to this latitude and supplies the
local markets.
In 1878, ]\Ir. Eichhorn married Miss
Emma Campbell, the daughter of Robert E.
and Elizabeth (Thompson) Campbell. The
father was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
in 1827, was there reared and educated and
learned the blacksmith business. Some time
after his marriage he removed to Iowa and
settled in Cedar county and conducted a shop
until 1 88 1, when he came west and followed
his trade in Miles City until his death in 1902.
His wife was born in Salem. Ohio, accom-
panied her husband on all of his journeys and
is now living in Miles City aged seventy-one
years. Mrs. Eichhorn was born eleven miles
out from Iowa City, received a splendid high
school education and also studied at the state
normal in Iowa City, and taught several years
before her marriage. The children born to
Mr. and Mrs. Eichhorn are Arthur C, and
Alda Terese. The former was born near
Council Bluffs, Iowa, November 19, 1880,
and after receiving his English education in
the high school of Miles City went to Val-
paraiso, Indiana, and graduated from the law
department of the Northern Indiana College,
and at present is manager of the sales depart-
ment of the National Packing Company's
plant at Hutchinson, Kansas. He also pract-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
579
iced law in Hammond. Indiana, for a time.
After his graduation he spent some months
at home and is a very bright and promising
young man, and holds at this time a very re-
sponsible position. Alda T. was born in ]\Ion-
tana in 1886, and after graduating from the
Custer county high school was attending the
Stanford university, California, at the time
of the recent earthquake disaster, but is at
present at home. Miss Eichhorn is a very
bright and charming young lady and has many
friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Eichhorn have labored hard
to provide their pleasant home and give their
children a fine education and they are amply re-
warded in seeing the progress made and the
keenness with which their children have taken
advantage of the opportunities offered. They
have a wide circle of acquaintances and num-
ber many friends throughout Custer county
and elsewhere.
MAURICE POWERS. The subject of
this biographical sketch was born in the Em-
pire State,- Westchester county, November 13,
1857, and now resides on a profitable and well
conducted ranch about seven miles northwest
of Red Lodge, Carbon county. He is the son
of David Powers, born in Cork, Ireland, com-
ing to New York when quite a young man.
By trade he was a stone mason. During the
Civil War he served for fifteen months in the
l-'ederal army. He died in New York, in
1882. The mother of our subject, Catherine
(Connors) Powers, was born in the north of
Ireland, County Monaghan, and came to New
York when a girl of seventeen. She died in
1870. on New Year's eve, in her forty-ninth
}ear.
In the public schools of New York our sub-
ject received a good business education, and
on attaining manhood he married, February
iTi, 1881, and April 3d, of the same year, he
came, with his wife, to Murry county, Minne-
sota. It was in 1883 that he came to Billings,
Montana, where he found employment. In
1884 he went to Laurel, and in 1886 came
to his present location and secured a home-
stead where he has since resided. His wife,
whose maiden name was Annie Gillen, was
born in Ireland, coming to New York when
a girl. Her father, was Patrick Gillen; her
mother Catherine (Lesley) Gillen. They
have ten children : James \\'., David H.,
Patrick J., Cathleen M.. John E., Thomas G.,
Annie M., Maurice, Charles and Francis.
WILLIAM STRONG. As will be seen
by the following detailed account of his life,
Air. Strong has been a genuine pathfinder for
years and is as well, if not better acquainted,
by actual personal experience, with this coun-
try in early times, and, in fact the entire plain
region, than any man we could pick out in
Custer county. One of the earliest settlers
here, he has been identified in all that has had
for its object the building up and advance-
ment of the county and the country in gen-
eral, being a leading figure all the time, and a
man whose keen foresight and sound wisdom
ha\e always manifested themselves for the
general welfare in an exemplary manner. To
have passed a career as has Mr. Strong, is to
have experienced the" richest of the western
life, that most unique of all phases of exist-
ence in this or any other country, with all of
its stirring danger, arduousness, wild freedom
and boundless enjoyment to the true frontiers-
man and brave American. It is with pleasure,
therefore, that we outline the salient points of
his life and are well aware that it will be read
with great interest by all.
William Strong was born in Devonshire,
England, January 20, 1845, t^^ son of Am-
brose and Mary (Hole) Strong, natives of
the same place as this son, and in fact for gen-
58o
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
erations back the Strong family liad been born
in Devonshire, and were a leading and sub-
stantial people. The father followed farming
in his nati\-e place until his death. From the
public schools, William received a good edu-
cation and he remained at home until he had
reached his majority. He was stirred by an
adventurous spirit to see the unexplored west
and in May, 1866, he landed in New York,
whence he went directly to Lawrence county,
Indiana, and began work on a farm, and later
he was employed in operating a ferry boat on
the Wabash. On January i, 1868, Mr. Strong
enlisted in the regular army and was sent first
to Carlisle for training, after which he came to
Fort McPherson, Nebraska, and was assigned
to Company I, Second Cavalry, and he soon
joined the company at Fort Russell, Dakota.
His first duty was escorting from Fort Rus-
sell to Fort Laramie, and during this time he
had the privilege of escorting General Sheri-
dan, who was out to make a treaty with Red-
Cloud. In the fall of 1868, his company was
.sent to Fort McPherson. When Mr. Strong
first joined the company, Cheyenne, Wyom-
ing, had just been located, and being the ter-
minus of the Union Pacific railroad, it was
exceedingly rough. This element had to be
held in check by the soldiers and Company I
was detailed to do the work. In the winter
that followed, the Sioux broke out and killed
some settlers on Blue river, Nebraska, and our
subject was in the detachment sent to quell-
them. Some severe fighting was had and two
soldiers were killed. Ha\-ing put down this
outbreak, his company was sent in the spring
of 1869 to protect settlers in the vicinity of
Columbus, Nebraska, and the next winter was
spent in Omaha. In the spring of 1870, we see
them on escort duty again at Medicine Bow.
The Indians were desperately opposed to the
railroad going through the country and it be-
came necessary to guard laborers and section
men. Following this, the entire company was
detailed as scouts and this work was sometimes
quite exciting. The next winter the company
spent at Fort Sanders, and in 1873 this com-
pany was escort to the expedition that laid out
the National Park. The expedition came by
rail to Fort Bridger, then by wagon to Camp
Brown, and thence to the park by pack ani-
mals. This was a trip never to be forgotten
and to have been one of the party to lay out
that famous park is an event worthy of com-
ment. Many and varied were the experiences
undergone and in the fall, the work having
been done, the company was sent to Fort San-
ders for the winter. In the spring of 1874,
they were sent to Fort Laramie and were de-
tailed to send the miners out of the Black Hills.
After this he returned to Fort Russell, then
went to Fort Steele, and in 1876 his company
was with General Crook on his Indian expedi-
tion. The military life of Mr. Strong con-
tinued until 1880, when he was honorably dis-
charged at Fort Keogh, the day being October
5. 'Sir. Strong decided to go at once to farm-
ing and stock raising and settled on Tongiie
river. He at once opened the ranch which he
still owns there and for many years he gave
his attention to handling and raising stock.
He was successful, and some years since de-
cided to retire from the arduousness of the
ranch and so erected a fine residence in Miles
City, where he is at the present time. Mr.
Strong still owns his stock and other property,
being also interested in the Jim Crow Sheep
Company.
At Fort Laramie, in 1876, ]\Ir. Strong
married Mrs. Elizabeth Felhower. a widow
lady, who was Miss Whyat in maiden life.
She was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and hatl
one son, George W. Dearing, by a former
marriage. Under the firm name of Strong &
Dearing our subject and his wife's son are do-
ing a fine ranching and stock business. This
firm has been in active operations since 1887.
They have a fine irrigated ranch that produces
annually three hundred tons of alfalfa hay,
which is all consumed by their own stock.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
581
Their brand, an arrangement of two SS, is
one of the very oldest in the county, since it
dates back to 1882.
On April 6, 1906, Mrs. Strong was taken
from her family and home by death. She was
an estimable woman and had many warm
friends.
Mr. Strong has one daughter, Ella May,
who is at home with her father. Fraternally,
our subject is affiliated with the Knights Temp-
lar, and in political matters he always mani-
fests a warm interest. Mr. Strong is a man of
substantial character, has justly earned the
title of builder of this county and country,
having been associated with all the early set-
tlers in the good work of improving and open-
ing the country. He stands well at this time
and is esteemed by all and is one of the lead-
ing" men of Custer county.
JACOB T. LANDE, born near Bugur,
Norway, July 29, i860, now resides on an ex-
cellent ranch, four miles south of Absarokee,
Carbon county. His father, Torbjorn, was a
native of the same place. When a young man
he went to sea, in which profession he con-
tinued until he was an old man, when he re-
tired to his home. The mother. Bertha (Ja-
cobs) Lande, is still living in the old home.
She was born in Norway.
On completing his education in Norway
our subject went to sea, and this he followed
until he was twenty-two years of age. He then
located in Polk county, Iowa, working for
wages, and in 1887 came to the state of Wash-
ington, working at Tekoa and other places.
He came to the Gallatin valley in 1888, and
here he leased a ranch. He came to his pres-
ent location in April, 1893, ^"^1 took up a
homestead. It is all under irrigation and he
has excellent buildings. Since coming here
he has engaged mainly in the cattle business.
In 1894 our subject was married to Abbie
Handley, born near Columbus, Montana. Her
father, Alexander, was an early pioneer of the
territory, and an Indian fighter of renown.
She has four children, Henry D., George A.,
Andrew L. and Thomas.
MRS. MARY S. McCUNE resides three
miles down the Yellowstone from Sphinx,
Montana, where she does a general ranch busi-
ness. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July
4, 1842, the daughter of Michael and Mary
(Mulic) Stucer, natives of Germany and emi-
grants to America in the early part of the nine-
teenth century. Early in life her father fol-
lowed moulding and his later life was spent
in farming. When sixteen years of age, Mrs.
McCune married George Pfohl, a native of
France. He emigrated to America when four-
teen years of age. In 1865 Mr. and Mrs.
Pfohl came to Montana and settled in Vir-
ginia City. Shortly afterward they moved to
Bivins Gulch where they remained for fifteen
years, Mr. Pfohl working in the placer mines.
In 1877, they moved to the Yellowstone and
rented a ranch. The next year they secured
the place where Mrs. McCune now resides.
To this couple thirteen children were born,
ten of whom are alive and whose names are
given as follows : George, born September i,
1859; William, July 6, 1865; Andrew, August
25, 1866; Carrie, June 11, 1868: Edward, Au-
gust 25, 1876; Sarah A., May zy. 1880;
Charles, July 21, 1877; John, May 30, 1881 ;
Thomas, August 21, 1878; Frederick, June 11,
1884. On December 26, 1889, Mr. Pfohl was
called hence by death. He and his wife were
members of the Catholic church.
Mrs. Pfohl married Robert McCune, who
was torn in New York in 185 1 of Scotch par-
ents. Mrs. McCune well remembers when
Chief Joseph came through the country and
their place was right in his line of march. A
large force had gathered to repulse him but
582
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
when within fifteen or twenty miles he
changed his course and did not disturb them.
Mrs. McCune has seen much of the early
life in Montana and has endured many hard-
ships. Those early days of placer mining are
days never to be repeated in the history of this
state and although somewhat like the early
days of mining in different sections of the west,
still they form a distinctive chapter and epoch
in this history, and for many years Mrs. Mc-
Cune was intimately associated with this me-
thod of life and raised a large family which
means that she had a great labor and endured
xnuch suffering and showed a brave and cour-
ageous spirit. She is now one of the honored
citizens of Park county, esteemed by all.
WARREN E. BROOKS is well known
in Rosebud as one of the substantial business
men of the place, being proprietor of the Yel-
lowstone livery stables, which are doing a
good business, being well equipped with ex-
cellent rigs and first-class stock. Mr. Brooks is
well known as a man who never leaves any-
thing undone that would be for the comfort
or safety of his patrons and the result is he
enjoys a first-class trade.
Fayette county, Iowa, is a native place
of Mr. Brooks and April 17, 1869, his natal
day. His father, Hiram Brooks, was born in
Canada and removed to Iowa in early days
where he followed farming. He also was a
carpenter and mechanic and worked at these
occupations with his farming. In 1873 he came
west and finally located four miles south from
where Colfax, Washington, now stands. He
was formerly in Dayton, that state. It was
1875 when he located his farm and from that
time on he has resided in Washington, being
now in the city of Spokane. As the country
was new then he was soon employed in build-
ing and has followed this business all over
the Palouse country. He assisted to erect the
first flour mill in Palouse City and has been
more or less identified with the building of
the main edifices of his section. He married
Miss Mary Jaques, a native of Iowa, who
died in Washington in 1886. Our subject re-
ceived his educational training from the com-
mon schools of eastern Washington and was
employed with his father and on the farm.
In the fall of 1892 he fitted with a four horse
team and started to explore Alberta. He drove
through to Red Deer river and wintered there
but as he did not like the country in the sum-
mer he journeyed down into Montana and fin-
ally located near Rosebud where he engaged
in horse raising. Later he retired from this
business and went to handling sheep. In the
summer of 1898, he assisted to take seven
thousand sheep to Nebraska for Southworth
& Swift. Also he spent some time in the em-
ployment of cowboy and finally in 1905, he
opened a livery stable in Rosebud in partner-
ship with H. Tilleson and since then he has
been identified with this work. On June 5,
1906, Mr. Brooks was appointed deputy sher-
iff of Rosebud county and he is discharging
the duties of this office in connection with his
business.
PETER NEILSON, deceased. The sut>
ject of this memoir was born in Denmark,
January 22, 1839.
In Sealand, Denmark, he was reared and
educated and at the age of twenty-nine he came
to the United States, soon after locating in
Utah, where he was engaged in mining at
Bingham and Alia. He was also proprietor of
a mine, the Highland, at Bingham. He came
to the Yellowstone valley and secured a home-
stead in 1880, where he remained until his
death, in 1897.
In 1882 Mr. Neilson was united in mar-
riage to Mrs. Christina Anderson, born in Den-
mark. She came to Utah in 1879, where she
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
583
was married. The father of Mrs. Neilson was
Jesse Sorenson, also a native of Denmark, a
farmer. He died in Denmark in 1900. The
mother of Mrs. Neilson was named Carrie.
The first husband of Mrs. Neilson was Hans
Anderson, and to them was born Hans Ander-
son. The children of Mr. and Mr. Neilson are
Olaf Neilson, Lorence, Louis and Dora.
CONAWAY B. MENDENHALL, one
of the leading ranchmen and stock raisers of
the Yellowstone valley, resides one and one-
half miles west of Absarokee, Carbon county.
He was born in Marshall county, Iowa, May
25, 1865.
The father, Cyrus B., was born in Ohio
in 1830. He was one of the pioneers of that
state and he settled in Rhodes, Marshall
county, in the 50's. Until 1864 he continued
to reside in Iowa, and he then drove to Vir-
ginia City, Montana, later going to Utah and
Colorado, returning to Montana June 26, 1882.
He is now a resident of Springdale, near
Hunter's Springs, hale and hearty in his old
age. The mother, Emma Dean, was a native
of Ohio. She died at Laramie, Wyoming in
1879.
Our subject is the third of nine children,
six of whom are still living and in the west.
In order of birth their names are: Ida E.
(Benbow) of Columbus. Her husband is the
I. C. Benbow, who invented and successfully
sailed one of the flying machines at the St.
Louis fair; Hattie (Blevin) of North Park,
Colorado ; our subject ; James R., of Absarokee ;
Charles Springdale, and Bessie (Jerrett), of
Big Timber. Her husband is R. S. Jerrett, as-
sessor of Sweet Grass county. Alfred was killed
by a horse on his ranch near here. December
26, 1896, aged 26. Two sisters died in infancy.
Our subject was educated in log school-
houses in Colorado and Montana. His parents
t!rove to Montana when subject was sixteen
years of age. In 1872 he went to Ogden,
Utah, and lived in Brigham City, where he
passed a year, going to Virginia Dale. Until
1882 he lived in Colorado, and in the spring
of '1883 he left the family home at Spring-
dale and returned to Colorado, "punching cat-
tle" for the outfit to which his father sold when
leaving there. In the summer of 1892 he came
to Montana with his brother, anticipating the
opening of the Crow reservation. When this
event occurred he made a ride of 36 hours to
stake his claim, and at 4 o'clock, a. m. he se-
cured his present place. One year later he
discovered that he was on an allotment which
he was compelled to buy. At this time he had
a cash capital of six dollars which he Jiad
made the night before playing the violin for a
dance. From this small capital he has worked
up to a point where he can now sell lor
$10,000.
December 25, 1900, our subject was united
in marriage to Mabel Thayer, a native of
Michigan, coming west with her parents in
1895. Her father is dead, but her mother still
lives. She has two children: Alta Fra, born
December 17, 1901, and Doris Mary, born
January 15, 1905. Politically Mr. Mendenhall
is independent.
AUGUST W. T. ANDERSON, one of
Park county's energetic young men, is at the
head of a mercantile establishment at Fridley.
He was born in Sweden on April 6, 1869, the
son of Swan J. and Christina C. Anderson,
both natives of Sweden also. The father fol-
lowed farming and railroading in his native
country and came to America in 1870. settling
in Cokato, Minnesota, where he still follows
farming. His father, the grandfather of our
subject, was Andreas Swenson, a native of
Sweden. Mr. Anderson has two brothers and
one sister, Minnie C, now Mrs. Montane of
Seattle, born in 1863, Charles E., born in
S84
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
1866, and Gust F., born in 1871. August
was educated in Minneapolis and started out
for himself at the age of fifteen, being em-
ployed by the Minneapolis Tribune, deliver-
ing papers. Five years later he began teaching
school in Wright county and followed it for
three years. In 1896, he moved to Livingston
and three months after arriving accepted the
position of school teacher at Fridley. In the
fall of 1898 in company with Hefferlin Bros.
of Livingston, he opened a general merchan-
dise store in Fridley and is still conducting
the same. In all of his business relations, Mr.
Anderson has been very successful and is con-
sidered one of the leading men in this portion
of the country.
On September 6, 1899, Mr. Anderson mar-
ried Matilda E. Settergren, who was born at
Litchfield, Minnesota, January 16, 1874. Her
parents were Carl J. and Hannah M. (Heleen)
Settergren. The father was born in Sweden
and came to America in 1864, together with
his family. He was a tanner by trade and fol-
lowed this business both in Minnesota and W'is-
consin. His widow is still living at Litchfield,
Minnesota. IMrs. Anderson had ten brothers
and sisters, seven of whom are still living.
To !\Ir. and Mrs. Anderson three children
have been born, Theodore M., on November
19, 1900; Helen E., February 13, 1905. and
Hazel M.. May 11, 1906.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members
of the Episcopal church, while in fraternal mat-
ters he is affiliated with the Masons, Modern
Woodmen and A. O. V. W. Mrs. Anderson
belongs to the Degree of Honor of the Work-
men. Mr. Anderson is a good active Repub-
lican and is postmaster of Fridley.
J. W. COOK, proprietor of a popular liv-
ery stable in Billings, Yellowstone county, was
born in Boone county. Indiana, January 25,
1857. His father, John Cook, was a native of
\'irginia, coming to Indiana with his parents
when a small lad. In 1863 he moved to Dal-
las county, Iowa, where he remained until his
death in 1905. He was during life a farmer.
The mother of our subject, Elizabeth (Thom-
as) Cook, was also a native of Virginia, com-
ing to Indiana with her parents the same time
her future husband arrived, the party coming
together with wagons.
At the age of six years our subject went to
Iowa with his parents where he was reared,
and educated in an old log schoolhouse. where
he sat on a slab. On attaining his majority
he worked on a farm. For a short period he
owned an Iowa farm, but this he disposed of
and purchased a livery barn in Adel, Iowa.
This enterprise he conducted eight years, and
sold out in 1903, coming to Billings. Here
he purchased a house and four lots on Twenty-
eighth street, where he now lives. Subsequently
he erected a livery barn, which is now one of
the best in Billings.
September 29, 1880, he was united in mar-
riage to Mary White, born in Wisconsin.
When a child she was taken to Stearns county,
Minnesota, where she was reared and educated.
Her parents were Robert and Mary White.
Mr. and ^Irs. Cook have three children, Letha,
wife of Jo R. North, of Billings; J. B. Cook,
in partnership with his father, and Christel.
ISAAC W. BREWER resides fourteen
miles north from Livingston and follows gen-
eral farming and stock raising. He was born
in New Albany, Indiana, on November 8. 1847,
l>eing the son of Stephen and Sarah J. fSto-
ball) Brewer. When the lad was four years
of age, the parents removed to Springfield,
Illinois. The father was lx>rn and reared in
Indiana and followed farming until his death
at the age of forty, our subject being then but
four years of age. The mother was born in
Indiana, and after her husband's death mar-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ried Eaton Lawrence and removed to Kan-
sas. Mr. Brewer has one brother and one sis-
ter and botli hve in lUinois. Until thirteen
years of age he remained at home, received
his education from common schools, and then
began the duties of life for himself. In Sep-
tember, 1864, he enlisted in the Tenth Illinois
Cavalry and served until peace was declared.
After this he followed various occupations
until 1869, when he went to Colorado. Here
he remained, being occupied variously until
1877, the year of his advent to Montana. His
first settlement was at Bozeman, Montana,
where he spent ten years. Then he removed
to the Yellowstone and remained there until
1890, in which year he homesteaded his present
place. Since that time he has given his atten-
tion to improving the place and to general
stock raising.
On February 3, 1881, Mr. Brewer married
Mattie J. Freeman, the daughter of William
R. and Susana (Syneph) Freeman.
Mr. and Mrs. Brewer are members of the
Universalist church. In politics he is a Demo-
crat and takes a lively interest in everything
that is for the benefit of the countrv.
ALEXANDER MENTCH, a native of
the Keystone State, born July 4, 1856, now re-
sides on a fine ranch which he has greatly im-
proved, one and one-half miles south of Ab-
sarokee. Montana, in the beautiful Yellow-
stone valley. His father. Alexander, a native
of Pennsylvania, was of Irish ancestry, and a
farmer and school teacher. He died in Penn-
sylvania, aged 82 years. The mother, Mary C.
(Howard) Mentch, was a native of Germany,
when eight years of age. She died when our
subject was an infant.
At the age of thirteen our subject went to
Cowley county, Kansas, where he secured a
fair business education. He was compelled to
make his own living even at this early age.
The country was new and unsurveyed, and at
first he worked for wages. When twenty years
old he returned to Pennsylvania, going to
Johnstown, where he was married, and went
on to a farm. He went to the Black Hills in
1897, remaining one year. He then located
a ranch in Fall River county. South Dakota,
and in the spring of 1899 he was deputy sheriff
for one year, and subsequently constable and
justice of the peace. In 1899 he arrived in Co-
lumbus, and the same year came to his pres-
ent location.
In 1882 he was married to Carrie E. Shep-
herd, born in Pennsylvania. Her father, Jos-
eph, was a native of Somerset, Pennsylvania ;
her mother, Catherine (Decker) Shepherd, was
born in the same state. She is the mother of
eleven children: W'illiam E. and Wallace E.,
twins; Elsie D., John, Frederick, Joseph A.,
Minnie P., Nellie M., Flossie B., Carrie H.
and Lvle L.
HARRY ELLIS, b<irn in Colchester
county. Nova Scotia, July 30, 1855, at present
lives on a handsome and eligible ranch one
mile from Absarokee, Carbon county, up the
Rosebud river. His father. James Edward, a
native of the same place, was a farmer and re-
presented his county in the Canadian Parlia-
ment three terms, l>eing a member of the Tory
party. For five generations the paternal an-
cestors of our subject saw the light of day for-
the first time on the same homestead. Origin-
ally they came from Montrose, in the High-
lands of Scotland, and were among the earliest
settlers of Nova Scotia. They erected Fort
Ellis on the Shubenacadic river, and partici-
pated with distinction in the \-arious Indian
wars. The mother of our subject, Sarah M.
(Withrow) Ellis, was born in the same county,
and her maternal ancestors were of the Wars-
drope family of Highland Scotch origin, com-
ing at an early day to Nova Scotia.
586
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
In the public schools of Nova Scotia our
subject received a good education, and at the
ag-e of sixteen he went to the plains, near
Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he became a cow-
boy, subsequently going to California and en-
gaging in mining. He then continued to fol-
low prospecting and mining all over the west,
being one of four who were the first white men
to prospect in San Juan and Gunnison counties,
Colorado. He came to Rimini, Montana, in
1888, and engaged in mining, subsequently
prospecting three years. Having been at Ju-
dith Basin, he came to Whitehall, Montana,
where he worked for W. J. Clark on the Gold-
en Sunlight group of mines. To his present
location he came in 1896, and purchased a
squatter's right. On the Rosebud he now has
160 acres of excellent land under irrigation,
and has been successful in growing all varie-
ties of fine fruit.
In 1894 our subject married Mattie Frazee,
a native of Iowa. When quite young slje
moved to Missouri with her parents, but on
attaining womanhood she returned to Iowa.
On the death of her parents she came west.
Her father was Edward Frazee; her mother
Elizabeth Craig. She has two children. Vera
May, a school girl, and Harry Vernon. Our
subject has six brothers: George, a veteran of
the Civil War; David, a sheep man in Aus-
tralia ; Edward, superintendent of a powder
factory at Peanut, California; Isaac Newton,
in charge of a factory at Los Angeles: Dr.
James W., in Australia, and John D., a Cali-
fornia farmer. He has two sisters, Sarah M.,
and Amanda. Both live in Canada.
PETER BONEFIELD, the owner of a
large and valuable ranch about one mile up
the river from Capitol, is an excellent illustra-
tion of one who came to the new country, took
hold with his hands, and despite all the con-
trary circumstances, held on and kept up the
struggle until success, liberal and sure, came
to him as the result of his faithfulness in the
lines in which he wrought. Few men have the
material in them to make excellent pioneers,
and still a fewer proportion of that worthy
class have in addition to the fearlessness and
stability necessary to open the country, the
faculty of gaining financially so that they be-
come leaders in the country where they strove
to open it to settlement. ]\Ir. Bonefield has ac-
complished both of these undertakings and is
today one of the substantial citizens of Custer
county with an abundance which he has ac-
cumulated from the farm and the stock busi-
ness, which he has prosecuted with vigor and
steadfastness since the days when he first cast
his lot in Montana.
In Schleswig, Germany, I\Iay 11, 1849,
Peter Bonefield was born, being the son of
Peter and Christina (Markosen) Bonefield,
also natives of that place and who followed
farming there until their death. Our subject
received a good education from the public
schools and then came to this country, land-
ing in Ohio in 1869. He worked for wages
there one year and in 1870 went to Michigan
and in the fall of that year visited Chicago.
A short time after coming to that metropolis
he journeyed on to St. Louis where he spent
the winter and spring. The next spring he
took boat up the Missouri to Sioux City and
worked there that summer. Then he went to
South Dakota and took a homestead in L'nion
county, remaining there until 1883. In that
year he came to Custer county, driving over-
land and bringing a small band of stock with
him. It was a two months' trip and he finally
selected the place where he now lives, taking
it by squatter's right and later by homestead.
In the winter of 1886 seventy-five per cent
of the stock through Montana was killed by
the cold, but as our subject had provided for
his and kept them in touch all winter, he lost
almost none at all. This was rare good for-
tune, resulting from the foresight and un-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
587
tiring care of Mr. Bonefield and his start in
cattle assisted him very much as stock was
scarce after that memorable winter. He soon
added more land by purchase and has contin-
ued so to do until he has now a fine, large
ranch ■ well cultivated and improved besides
owning large bands of cattle and horses.
In 1873 occurred the marriage of Mr.
Bonefield and Miss Julia Larson, the daughter
of Lars Larson, a native of Norway. Mrs.
Bonefield was born in Norway, also, and came
with her parents to this country when five years
old. They settled first in Wisconsin and later
removed to South Dakota. The children born
to this marriage are named as follows : Chris-
tena, the wife of John Feegan, dwelling near;
Louise, deceased; Betsy, the wife of George
Davis ; Peter, at home ; George, at home ; the
above being all born in South Dakota, while
the balance are native Montanans ; Edward,
Clara, Lisa, Tina, and Lars.
When Mr. Bonefield came here he had to
haul all his supplies from Dickson, one hun-
dred and fifty miles distant. This entailed
much hard labor and not until the railroad
reached Belle Fourche, did this hardship cease.
In those days many and hard were the strug-
gles, but all were overcome and now in the
satisfaction of having won the day, and of
ha\-ing a fine competence for the golden days
of life that come on, Mr. Bonefield may rest
secure in the love of his own and the es-
teem of his friends enjoy that which his labor
has provided.
LEWIS C. PIPER, an extensive wool
grower and leading citizen of the Yellowstone
valley, residing six miles south of Absarokee,
Carbon county, at the mouth of Butcher Creek,
on East Rosebud, is a native of the Pine Tree
State, having been bom at Belfast, August 30,
1867. His father, Charles A., a native of the
same place, was a farmer, butcher and stock
dealer, selling to the Boston markets. He was
a prominent and well-to-do man, and a pa-
triotic citizen. He was fond of horses, and man-
ifested enthusiastic interest in fairs and other
expositions. The mother, Endora L. (Pitcher)
Piper, is a native of Maine, and is still living
in Belfast.
Lhitil he was twenty years of age our sub-
ject, reared in Maine, attended the public
schools and secured an excellent business edu-
cation. Leaving the old New England home,
he headed for Billings, Montana, and at first
went to work on the Musselshell river. Thence
he went to White Sulphur Springs, remaining
ten years, and during three years of this period
he conducted the Springs Dairy. Disposing
of the dairy property, he engaged in the cattle
industry, coming to Carbon county in 1897.
Here he purchased cattle and settled on a ranch
where he now lives. He owns 640 acres of
land, mainly under irrigation, and it is as good
an improved farm as there is in Carbon county,
in 1900 he purchased sheep and sold cattle.
At present he is extensively engaged in the
sheep business.
In 1902 our subject was married to Cora
Reynolds, a native of Washington county,
Maine, where she was reared and educated.
In 1889, she came to White Sulphur Springs.
Her father, Josiah E., was a native of Denns-
ville, Maine; her mother, Margaretta (Ander-
son) Reynolds, was born on the Atlantic ocean,
while her people were en route from Scotland
to America. Mrs. Piper has been married be-
fore, and has one bov, Wallace Harriman.
WALTER M. HOPPE resides at Cinna-
bar, Montana, and has the important distinc-
tion of being the first white child born in
what is now the state of Montana so far as is
known. His parents, Hugo J. and Mary (Gee)
Hoppe, located in Virginia City in very early
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
days and there on August 6, 1864, Walter M.
was born. The United States government of-
fered him an education at West Point Acad-
emy free as a mark of distinction, owing to his
birth. This he refused and received his edu-
cation at Bozeman and at the age of eighteen
started out in hfe for himself. In 1883, he
moved with his father and brother to the upper
Yellowstone and since that time he has been
a resident of this section. He conducted a
hotel at Gardiner for four years and one at
Cinnabar for six years. He also handled large
freighting outfits into the Park, to Cook City
and up Bear Gulch to Jardine. At the present
time he owns practically all of the "town site
at Cinnabar and is doing ranching in addition
to his other affairs.
On May 4, 1896. Mr. Hoppe married Ella
'E. Fitzgerald, whose parents are mentioned in
another portion of this work. To this union
three children were born, Walter Paul, Febru-
ary I, 1898; Pearl M., November 19, 1902,
and Mildred F. October 19, 1905.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoppe are both members of
the Episcopalian church and in politics he is
a stanch Republican. Mr. Hoppe is affiliated
with the Odd Fellows and is well known in
this portion of Park county.
WILLIAM E. LUKINBEAL. a rancher
and general farmer at the mouth of Canyon
creek, Yellowstone county, was born in Put-
nam county, IMissouri, November 10. 1856.
His father, Andrew Lukinbeal, a native of
Ohio, enlisted in Company B. Ninety-third
Ohio Volunteers, in 1861, and was killed at
the battle of Missionary Ridge. His father,
Samuel, located in Montgomery county, Ohio,
in 1800, and fought in the war of 1812. He
was one of the first settlers in the ciumtry. He
came from Mar\-land, and was a farmer and
blacksmith. His ancestors were of German
..tock.
The mother of our subject, Sarah E.
(Houser) Lukinbeal, was born in Dayton,
Ohio. After the death in the war of her hus-
band she married George Holliday, and with
him went to Brownsville, Minnesota, where
she lived nine years, going thence to Ida county,
Iowa, where she suffered the loss of her second
husband. She is now living at Waitsburg,
Washington. Her father was a German and
her mother Welsh, the name of the latter be-
ing Llewellan.
When a young man our subject went to
Minnesota with his parents. He "received a
good education partly in Ohio and later in
Minnesota, teaching school one term in Iowa.
He then learned the machinist's trade. It was
in 1877 that became to Montana and settled in
Prickly Pear valley, remaining two years, after
which he took up government land in Beaver-
head county, fifteen miles north of Dillon, on
Birch creek. Three years he remained here and
lost two children. He then moved back to
Iowa, going thence to Ohio, where he followed
his trade for ten years. Before going to Ohio,
however, he had made a trip to California,
passing about three years on the Pacific coast.
Returning to Montana in 1899 he remained
one year in the Yellowstone valley, then fol-
lowing another trip to the coast, he settled in
his present location in January, 1903.
September 27, 1875, l^e was united in mar-
riage to Catherine L. Thompson, born in New
York. With her parents she moved to Iowa
when a mere child, and here she was reared
and educated. The marriage ceremony took
place in Iowa, and she accompanied her hus-
band to Montana. The wile's father was Wil-
liam Thompson, a carpenter by trade, who
also owned a small farm. He was of English
ancestry. They have three children, Clara El-
len, Ida I., and William E.
Mr. Lukinbeal's son W. E., Jr., and family
are now lix'ing with him. He served in the
Spanish War at ^lanila, being in Company
L, Second Regiment of U. S. \'. of Oregon.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SAAIUEL O'CONNELL, the proprietor
of the Hotel Kenedy in Rosebud, is one of the
pioneers of Montana and, as will be seen by
the following epitome of his life, has been an
active participant in the history making oc-
currences of this state and in many other por-
tions of the west. Born in St. Louis, Mis-
souri, February 5, 1850, the son of Samuel
and Mary (Manny) O'Connell, natives of Ire-
land, he inherited much of the ready wit and
brightness of mind so common in this branch
of the human race. Although he was not spe-
cially favored with opportunity to secure an
education, still he was proficient in all those
branches that made him ready for the ordinary
occupations of business life. The parents came
from their native land to St. Louis in 1832
and there remained until death. During his
boyhood days in the time of the war, Samuel
was messenger for Brigadier-General Myers,
and when in 1867 he had started for Fort Ben-
ton, Montana, on a pleasure trip, he found the
general in Omaha, he was easily persuaded to
give up his trip and again enter the employ of
General Myers. He was sent to the western
terminus of the Union Pacific railroad by the
general and there was occupied as checking
clerk for the government. When the road
reached on from this point on the Platte to
Cheyenne a regular quartermaster was put in
charge and Mr. O'Connell returned to Omaha
to take a position in the chief quartermaster's
office, where he remained until 1869. Then
he entered the employ of A. C. Leighton at the
army barracks and was part of the time post-
master for the barracks. Also he made a trip
with Companies C and E of the Second Cav-
alry to North Loup and the Little Blue where
the soldiers were sent to protect the settlers
from the raids of the Indians. While at North
Loup he received a letter from Robert Wilson
to take a position as trader's bookkeeper on
the Yellowstone expedition and in 1873 he
started from Omaha for this work. The
steamer Western conveyed them to Fort Lin-
coln and about June 16, they left there with
the expedition under Stanley and Custer. They
went to the big bend of the Musselshell and
returned overland to Fort Lincoln where the
steamer Josephine under command of Captain
Grant Marsh conveyed the sick and wounded
down the Missouri. Mr. O'Connell was oc-
cupied that winter at Fort Lincoln with Wilson
& Dicky, fort traders. In the spring of 1874
he joined the expedition to the Black Hills,
Seventh Cavalry under Custer, as bookeeper
for Trader John W. Smith. In the fall he re-
turned to Fort Lincoln and was employed in
the store. During that winter he received word
from Leighton to come to Fort Buford, but
owing to the severity of the weather he could
get no farther than Bismarck. Here he was
promptly elected city clerk and served till July
1875, when he went on to Buford, whence
he was soon sent to Post Jeauneau on the Milk
river, eighty miles north of Fort Peck. He
went as an employe of Leighton and Jordan
and remained until the May before the Custer
massacre, when he was transferred by his firm
to Fort Peck. In the- fall he was transferred
back to Fort Buford and there remained till
April, 1879, when he secured a permit from
the government to open a post restaurant. This
he conducted till the spring of 1882 when he
came to Miles City and purchased property
and erected a hotel. This was known
as the Park Hotel and was burned in
the fire of 1883. In 1884. Mr. O'Con-
nell was elected county assessor and the
next year he removed up the Tongue river and
located a ranch, where he conducted a road
house and raised stock. His place was at the
mouth of Otter creek and was later sold to the
government for the use of the Cheyenne In-
dians. The next mo\-e was to Forsyth and
three years since he established himself in
Rosebud, where he is today.
In 1879 Mr. O'Connell married Miss Mary
Butler, a native of Ireland and whose father,
Walter Butler, was one of the pioneers of St.
590
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Paul, Alinnesota. Many of the Butler family
are prominent business men there today. To
our subject and his wife the following named
children have been born : Walter, a graduate
O'i Gonzaga College, Spokane, Washington,
and now with the Diamond Match Company
in Chico, California; Mable. born near the
mouth of the Yellowstone, a graduate of the
Mt. Angeles College in Cascade county, this
state and now a teacher in the primary depart-
ment of the Rosebud schools ; Jennie, Joseph,
Catherine, and Leo, all at home.
Mr. O'Connell is one of the most genial
hosts one could find, e\-er ready with bright
wit and amusing tale of early days, or anec-
dote of historic interest. He handles a ready
pen and frequently the readers of the different
papers are treated to a fine article from him.
The editor of the history of this county was
permitted by Mr. O'Connell to use several of
his articles and they will be found interesting.
In public matters Mr. O'Connell has always
shown himself a patriotic and worthy citizen
and his efforts in the different communities
where he has resided have been instrumental
in accomplishing much for advancement and
improvement. A true westerner, filled with the
progressive spirit of this grand republic, Mr.
O'Connell has lived it out in all his acts and
the result is he has won many hearty friends
and is highly esteemed by all.
GEORGE T. YOUNG, deceased. The
subject of this memoir was born in Fred-
rickton, New Brunswick, April 2, 1855. His
father, William Young, a native of Scotland,
migrated to Canada when young and there
married Miss Conway. They Both died when
George T. was four years of age and he went
to live with his mother's sister. After receiv-
ing a common schooling he began, at thirteen
years of age, to learn the shoemaker's trade,
at which he continued until he mastered it
thoroughly. When seventeen he went to work
in the postoffice at Hartland, New Brunswick,
continuing two years. Then he enlisted in the
Canadian Mounted Police and went to the
northwest. Two years later he left the police
and took a position as finisher with the North
Star Boot & Shoe Company in ^Minneapolis,
Minnesota. After three years of this serv-
ice, he came on to Montana, landing in Rose-
bud in March, 1882, where he opened a res-
taurant. Selling out later, he opened a restaur-
ant in Livingston in the following November.
Soon after he closed this business and opened
a coal and wood yard and did a draying busi-
ness. He continued in these occupations until
appointed city marshal by Mayor Miles in
1890, which office he held until elected sheriff
of Park county. So efficiently did he discharge
the duties of that important office that three
times he was elected by an appreciative con-
stituency. His death occurred on November
9, 1900, being killed while making an arrest.
Mr. Young had married Miss Clara Shaw,
the daughter of Samuel and Frances (Birm-
ingham) Shaw, natives of New Brunswick,
where, also, Mrs. Young was born November
27, 1856, Hartland being the native spot. Mrs
Young's father was postmaster of Hartland
for twenty-eight years and was an influential
and prominent man, having been in the field
for parliament in 1870, supporting the conser-
vative ticket. He died on Christmas day, 1887,
his wife having died when Mrs. Young was
five years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Young four
children were born, Arthur Guy, Septemter
5, 1880; George T., March 5, 1884; Clara M.,
May 23, 1886; and Vera E., on September 21,
1893. Mr. Young was a member of the Scotch
Presbyterian church, while his widow is allied
with the Free Baptists. Politically, he was al-
ways a Republican and active. At the time
of his death, Mr. Young left his family a com-
fortable home in Livingston and a good ranch
of two hundred acres six miles above town
on the Yellowstone.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
591
An extract from the LivingstDn Enterprise
of Xovember 17, 1900, speaks of Mr. Young
as he was known to those of his home place
and we append a portion of it. "His official
record is written on the pages of Livingston,
and Park county. For twelve years, time has
recorded each deed, each act, and today the
record stands without a flaw devoid of blem-
ish. In the business world, where man's word
and honor are his passports, he had free entree.
In the sacred circle of the family shone the
happiest combination of the husband, father,
and man. \Vhatever official duty presented it-
self, it was executed promptly, conscientiously,
fearlessly. Whatever business complication he
encountered, it was met fairly and honorably.
\Vhate\-er domestic relation required his at-
tenion, it at once became a mission of love, de-
votion and affection." So faithful and true a
man as George T. Young could but leave an
indelible impress upon the hearts as well as
the minds of all and sincere tears of keen sor-
row were freely shed on every hand when the
awful stroke became known. Inexplicable, be-
yond the ken of man, was the fatal occurrence
that Providence allowed; one of those strange
and mysterious dispensations in the pilgrim
way of men which reason can never compass
and to which only faith can bow in the assur-
ance that "He doeth all things well," and the
day will declare it in good time. But although
departed from the scenes where so well known
and loved, how powerfully his well spent life
speaks and how charming are the pictures that
fond memory will continue to bring to light
the way till the happy reunion shall be con-
summated on that bright dav.
JOHN NICHOL, a farmer and stockman,
residing nine miles southwest of Columbus,
was Ix)rn in New Glasgow, Quebec, Canada,
September 19, 1847. His father, Abraham,
was a native of Canada. His mother was Mar-
garet (Smith) Nichol.
At the age of 17 our subject left home
and went to Ontario, where he followed lum-
bering, two years, and then went to Saginaw,
Michigan, where he passed fifteen years in
the woods. Thence, in 1879, he went to Lead-
\-ille, Colorado, then in its palmiest days. His
wife followed in 1890, and they lived there
in Buena Vista two and one-half years. Thence
they came to Butte, where he worked for fif-
teen years. Leaving that city in August, 1893,
he came to his present location, where he
hom^steaded 160 acres. He irrigated this land
and then waited three year^ for a crop. It
was pretty up-hill work, and for several years
it afforded a bare existence. He came here
with ■ practically nothing, and now has 100
acres which produce the various cereals in an
abundance and in addition owns a fine band of
cattle.
At Saginaw Mr. Nichol was married to
Catherine Agin, born in England. Her parents
came to New York state when she was eight
months old. Her parents were John W. and
Catherine (Neeland) Agin. Our subject has
six children living, and one dead : John, Mai-
mie (dead), William, Frank, Edward, Grover
C. and Katie. Politically our subject is a
Democrat.
JAMES HYM, a leading and prominent
ranchman, residing fourteen miles northwest
of Red Lodge, Montana, was born in Norway,
June I, 1867. The father and mother both
came to Montana four years ago, and now
live near Fishtail, on Rosebud creek. Carbon
county.
Our subject is the third of seven children,
all of whom live in Montana. Islv. Hvam was
educated in Tranjon, Norway, and at the age
of fourteen faced the world on his own ac-
count. He came to Billings. Montana, and
began working on a sheep ranch for Smith
Brothers, on the Musselshell. Two years were
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
passed on the range, during which time he
studied English. On the ranch he passed seven
years in all, and then sheared sheep for a
couple of years, when he engaged in the sheep
business on his own account in Meagher
county. This he followed until twelve years
ago, when he drove his sheep to his present
place, which he purchased from a squatter.
This gives him i6o acres of good land, besides
a lease on a section of school land. Until six
years ago he devoted his attention to sheep
raising, when he disposed of his band, and en-
gaged in raising cattle, hay and grain. At
present he has i6o head of cattle, and last
season raised 250 tons of hay. Twenty-five
years ago he started with only his hands. He
feels that he has done well in spite of some
drawbacks, and has large faith in the future
of Montana.
October 12, 1894, our subject was married
to Jennie Harum, also a native of Norway.
She came here alone to her brother, who lives
here. They have seven children: Louis, Nels,
Minnie, Edwin, Thelma, James and an infant.
Politically he is a Republican, and active
in caucuses, conventions, etc. He is a member
of the Lutheran church.
HIRAM B. BICKERDYKE was born
in Glendale, Ohio, December 3, 1854, and now
resides on his ranch at Ericson, Custer county.
He is occupied with farming and stock raising
and is a pioneer of pioneers of the west, having
had, perhaps, as extended an experience in the
various capacities of western life as any man
found in the state. We would be greatly pleased
to outline the details of his life, but will be
forced to content ourselves with an epitome,
as as they would fill a volume.
Robert Bickerdyke, the father of our sub-
ject, was born in Yorkshire, England, came to
America when a young man, it being 1832,
and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a pro-
fessor of music and in 1858 removed to Gales-
burg, Illinois, where he lived but one year, his
death occurring in 1859. He was a leader and
director of music and his troupes were heard in
all the large places of the land. He married
Mary A. Ball, who was born in Mt. Vernon,
Ohio, and educated in Oberlin College. The
marriage occurred in 1848 and in March, 1859,
Mrs. Bickerdyke was left a widow. Shortly
after that the terrible Civil War broke out and
as Cairo, Illinois, was made a permanent camp
both for supplies and men and as it was not
fitted in a properly sanitary manner, sickness
broke out and the suffering was extended and
terrible. Dr. Beecher, a brother of Henry
Ward Beecher, was pastor of the Congrega-
tional church in Galesburg and called his flock
together to find some way to aid the suffering
and alleviate the sad conditions. Mrs. Bicker-
dyke, then a widow, was a member of the con-
gregation and she took heartily to the plan.
Being a woman well acquainted with medicine,
fitted by nature for the position of nurse, and
possessing remarkable e.xecutive ability, she
naturally was looked to from all sides, and she
was urged to take entire charge of the relief
stores and volunteers from Knox and Henry
counties. In Dr. Beecher's church a Ladies'
Aid society was formed which later merged
itself into the Northwestern Sanitary Commis-
sion, everyone joining together regardless of
sect or belief. The sick were scattered all over,
having poorly improvised shelter, unfit food
and the sanitary conditions the poorest. With
such a problem as this confronting her, Mrs.
Bickerdyke took hold and soon had a system
of distribution working well, sanitary mea-
sures were brought into action and chaos gave
way to well regulated service and men began
to get well by leaps and bounds. The first
commission was three car loads of provisions
and Mrs. Bickerdyke was sent to Cairo in
charge of them. From this time forward her
work enlarged until the Northwestern Sani-
tary Commission was recognized with their
HIRAM B. BICKERDYKE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
593
talented head, Mrs. Bickerdyke, was an indis-
pensable aid to the government. Her name
soon became famous all over the United States
and while Mrs. Livermore, whose pen has pic-
tured these details to the public, was the presi-
dent of the commission, it was left to Mrs.
Bickerdyke, largely, to formulate and execute
the plans that followed with such rapid succes-
sion and evident wisdom and judgment that
the whole nation perceived the ministering an-
gel that was raised up for the occasion. As
occasion required the government furnished
steamboats which were turned into hospital
ships and INIrs. Bickerdyke was put in full
charge of the Fannie Bullet to care for the
wounded and sick after the terrible struggles
at Forts Donelson and Henry and the adjacent
battles. After this she was found at Shiloh
and she did not abate her labors in all the
Mississippi campaign. When Sherman was
ordered to the sea she was put in charge of a
steamboat to meet him and succor the sick
and wounded, but about this time the Ander-
sonville and Libby prisoners were released and
she was directed to attend to them, as their
distresses alarmed the nation and were far
more than those of Sherman's men. Mrs.
Bickerdyke was at nineteen hard fought bat-
tles and her services were of the most valuable
kind, as she was not only able personally to do
what was needed but she had the ability to di-
rect a whole corps of skilled and trained nurses
and helpers. After the war she gave much at-
tention to establishing soldiers' and sailors'
homes and her whole life was given up to char-
itable works.
Finally, at the home of her son in Bunker
Hill, Kansas, in November, 1901, the sum-
mons came for j\Irs. Bickerdyke to come to
the Ijetter land and peacefully she slept the
sleep of the Christian. Again and again had
the G. A. R. celebrated her birthday, and many
were the loving tributes she received from all
parts of the nation. On one occasion Mrs.
Livermore writes to her as follows :
38
"Melrose, Mass., July 15, 1897.
"My Dear Old Friend & Comrade : —
"I see by the papers that the G. A. R. of
Kansas will celebrate your birthday on the
19th of July, when you will be eighty years of
age. I wish I could be with you on that day.
* * * The noble men of the G. A. R. cannot,
honor you too highly nor express too strongly
their sense of the great work you did during
the war. As I look over the long lapse of
years to the sad days of the war I see that your
army record, which was a record of ser\'ice
to the sick and wounded soldiers in camp hos-
pital and on the battle field, transcends that of
all other women. What a mother you were
to them ! How you labored for them and spent
yourself in their behalf ! I am glad they are
grateful to you."
The state legislature of Illinois appropri-
ated seven thousand dollars for a bronze mon-
ument of Mrs. Bickerdyke and on May 22,
1906, it was unveiled at Galesburg widi appro-
priate ceremonies, some of the most prominent
men of the nation rendering service in the pro-
gram.
As our subject's father died when he was
young and as his mother was so busy in these
extended duties he did not see much of
her during his childhood days, still he
was well cared for and educated. In
1868 he came to the plains of Kan-
sas and engaged in hunting and acted as
guide for both private and military parties.
He became very expert and rendered the gov-
ernment most excellent service from Old Mex-
ico to Canada and could the story of his deeds
be told it would rival that of the famous
guides whose names are household words in
this country. He has traversed all the country
of the west, knows it as he knows his ranch
and his skill and cunning, as a scout have sel-
dom been excelled in the history of Indian
fighting. Finally, Mr. Bickerdyke determined
to settle down and although he first came to
Montana to hunt, he liked the country so well
594
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
he settled where we now find him and since
then he has contented himself to raise cattle
and do general farming. He is well known in
Custer county and his life is as a loyal and
substantial citizen.
^lERRITT E. COXNELL, the assistant
store keeper for the Northern Pacific at Liv-
ingston, was born near Loiiisville, Kentucky,
July ". 1852. His father, Honorable Jesse
Connell, was born in Kentucky. October 16,
1 81 8. When arrived at manhood's estate he
took up government contracting and made con-
siderable money. Emigrating west he located
in Kansas and for three years was a member of
the legislature in that newly formed state.
He was treasurer of Leavenworth county, Kan-
sas, from 1868 to 1872, then was elected Judge
in Bates county, which position he held until
1887, his death occurring on Februars' 10. He
married, March 28, 1844, Nancy Johnson, who
was born January i, 1825, and to them were
born five children, Piatt, Annie, Catherine.
Merritt E. and Jesse. Our subject received a
common school education and when eighteen,
went west to Kansas and Colorado looking
after his father's cattle interests. Four years
later, he returned and moved to Missouri. In
1876, he came to Washington territory, pur-
chased cattle for Ryan and Ryan and drove
them through Cheyenne. In all he made four
trips into Washington for this company. In
the spring of 1880, he came to Montana with
a cattle company, Cunningham & Ingersoll,
and took charge of their entire outfit for three
years. In the spring of 1S84. he settled on a
homestead seven miles east of Flathead and
took up stock raising for himself. For four-
teen years he continued, then sold out and
moved to Livingston, it being 1898. The live
stock commission business occupied him until
1903, when he entered the employ of the
Northern Pacific.
On November 20, 1878, Mr. Coimell mar-
ried Kate Thompson, who was born in Kansas
City. Missouri, on August 15, 1859, the daugh-
ter of William A. and Frances ( Moore)
Thompson, both natives of Kentucky. ]\Irs.
Connell finished her education in the Liberty
Academy for young ladies and then took up
school teaching at the age of seventeen, follow-
ing it until she married. John W. Thompson
is a pronn'nent real estate dealer in Missouri.
Her oldest sister, ^Irs. F. ^loore, lives in
Montana. The following named children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Connell, Jessie W.,
October 29, 1879; Merritt C. August 13,
1881 ; Mrs. Kate A. Whyette, September 26,
1883; Lannie W. and Lora M., twins, born
July 14, 1885, the last married to Mr. Powell;
Delbert L., born December 26, 1889.
Politically. I\Ir. Connell is a Democrat and
he and his wife belong to the Royal High-
landers, in which order she has held ofiice for
three years.
When following the trail fromWalla Walla
to Cheyenne at a point about seventy-five miles
east from where Boise, Idaho, now stands, Mr.
Connell with thirty men, one hundred and
fifty head of horses and six thousand cattle
was held up by the Nez Perce tribe and for nine
days the fight raged fiercely. It was the pur-
pose of the Indians to get possession of the
stock but Mr. Connell succeeded in driving
them into a large basin among the hills and
there held them until the Indians were re-
pulsed. This was in 1876, the same year of
Custer's downfall. Two years later, he had the
same experience with the Bannacks and again
succeeded in escaping with his entire Ijand un-
injured.
On his mother's side, Mr. Connell traces
his lineage from John Garr, a German of
prominence, born November 17, 1657, in Fran-
conia. He was a lineal descendant of the
Garrs who were honored with a crest by the
Great Emperor Charles Fifth in 15 19. Even
at that time this family was spoken of as an
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
595
old, good and prominent family. John Garr
was a devout Lutheran before his deatli and
his eldest son, Andreas Garr, at the head of a
small band migrated to America and settled
in Virginia. Mr. Connell has in his possession
a volume of the Garr genealogy which con-
tains over twelve thousand nine hundred and
twelve names of descendants of John Garr.
JOHN A. MILLER, a rancher and stock
raiser of the Yellowstone valley, residing one
and one-half miles southwest of Billings, was
born in Barron county, Kentucky May 24,
1863, the son of John A. and Mary (Harvey)
Miller, both natives of Kentucky, and both of
Monroe county. The father was reared on a
farm and later engaged in the furniture and
undertaking business, in which he was inter-
ested at the time of his death. His father came
from Germany and first located in Virginia ;
later moving to Kentucky. He was a promin-
ent and wealthy Kentucky farmer. The mother
of our subject, reared on a farm, died when
quite young. Her father was of Irish descent
and was born in North Carolina. Her mother
was of German descent, and she and her hus-
Ijand were early settlers of the state of Mary-
lantl.
Our subject, John A. Miller, was educated
in Kentucky, but at the age of seventeen he
left home and went to Johnson county, Mis-
souri, where he remained about one year, re-
siding with his uncle, and in 1882 came to
Butte, Montana, engaged in the employment
of Foster & Murphy, in the grocery business.
Until the spring of 1885 he remained in Butte,
coming then to what is now Yellowstone
countv, where he worked for wages on various
stock ranches. He finally purchased a ranch
where he now lives, and where he has resided
fourteen years.
In March, 1896, he was united in marriage
to Sarah Van Houten, a sister of Tohn Van
Houten. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have three chil-
dren: Lillian, Cecil and Joseph H. Our sub-
ject has one brother, William, and one sister,
Mrs. Henrietta Hamilton.
Mr. Miller owns a half section, is president
of the Surburban Ditch Company and is a
stockholder in the creamerv.
GEORGE SPROULE, a prominent
farmer and stockman, residing nine miles
northwest of Red Lodge, Carbon county, was
born in Salt Lake City, Utah, November 11,
1863. His father, Andrew J., was a native of
Scotland, coming to Utah in the late 50's,
where he died in 1885, aged fifty-four years.
the mother, whose name was Lovatt, was
born in England and married in Salt Lake.
At present she is a resident of Union county,
Oregon. She is now a Mrs. Stocker.
In the beautiful Salt Lake Valley our sub-
ject was reared, and there secured a common
school education. When fourteen years of age
he left home, faced the world for himself, and
came to Deer Lodge, Montana, where he
worked in the construction of the Northern
Pacific railroad. Following that he drifted
eastward to the Black Hills, and here he passed
about three years freighting. From there he
came to Butte, Montana, passing six or eight
months in that locality, and from there radiat-
ing to different points until the spring of 1881,
when he went to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and
contracted timber supplies on the Canadian
Pacific railroad, drifting west as far as Grififin
Lake, B. C. In 1884 he abandoned railroad
work and went to Vancouver, B. C, for a
trip, returning to Montreal for the same pur-
pose. Following a year passed in the east he
went to Wyoming, where he worked for a
year on the C. & N. W. At the termination
of that period he returned to Butte, and finally,
in 1893, came to Red Lodge, and squatted on
596
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
his present location, containing i6o acres, and
on which he has since resided. On this land
he has about 120 head of cattle and horses.
In October, 1886, he was married to INIiss
Ohvia Clark, a native of Utah. Her father,
Cyrus, is still a resident of that state. The
mother died some years ago. Mr. and Mrs.
Sproule have four children : George, Ada,
Geneva and Buelah. Politically our subject is
an Independent.
ROBERT ANDREW was born in Banf-
shire, Scotland, November 15, 1853, the son
of James and Jane (Eraser) Andrew, both na-
tives of the shire where our subject was born.
Robert had eight brothers and four sisters,
Alexander, David, and Frank came to this
country and the former is now a retired stock-
man at Great Ealls, Montana. The early edu-
cation of 'Sir. Andrews was rather meager as
he left home at the age of thirteen, going to
sea as a cabin boy. He shipped on an emi-
grant vessel plying between Glasgow and New
Zealand. After one year in this capacity he
left the vessel at New Zealand and went to
work on the Elder Lea Sheep Station, con-
tinuing there until 1879. Then he sailed for
San Francisco and in 1880 we find him freight-
ing and farming in the Missouri valley, near
where Townsend is now located. Two and
one-half years later, he moved to White Sul-
phur Springs, on Smith river, in partnership
with the late Doctor Paibery in sheep raising
and they continued together until 1887. Then
he removed to Fish Creek in the Musselshell
Valley and continued there for fifteen years.
He first leased the Everett and Blakely ranch,
known as the Antelope Sheep ranch, and later
bought it together with four thousand head
of sheep. In 1890, Mr. Andrew sold this prop-
erty and purchased a ranch twelve miles up
the river from Livingston. He still owns this
ranch and also a half interest in four thousand
acres on Fish Creek. At this latter ranch he
has a very large bunch of sheep and is quite
extensively engaged in sheep business. In
October, 1905, Mr. Andrew removed with his
family to Livingston and purchased the Kaines
livery barn and since that time he has given his
attention personally to the conducting of this
establishment, it being the largest of its kind
in the state. Mr. Andrew takes great pleasure
and pains in. providing the finest rigs, the most
trustworthy horses and careful drivers, and this
is building for him a reputation among tra\-el-
ing people second to none in this part of the
state.
In the fall of 1887, Sir. Andrew married
Aliss Ann McRae, a native of Peliehead, Scot-
land. She came with her parents to Canada
when young and then came west to Fish Creek
in 1881, being the first white woman in that
section and having come in over the first pas-
senger train on the Northern Pacific to Big
Timber. Hers was one of the first marriages
in Musselshell valley.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew are both members
of the Presbyterian church, while politically
he is a Republican. In fraternal afiiliations
Mr. Andrew is associated with the Knights of
Pythias and the Brotherhood of American Yeo-
men. He has won splendid success financially
in Montana and enjoys a first-class standing
in Park county as well as elsewhere wherever
he is known.
DANIEL McINTOSH, a ranchman living
seven miles northwest of Red Lodge, I\Ion-
tana, was born in Bethel, Pennsylvania. April
8, 1 87 1. His father, Henry, was a native of
Scotland, born in 1830. In 1870 he came to
the Keystone State, where for some years he
followed coal mining. He came to Red Lodge
August 3, 1889. He died January 8, 1901.
The mother of our subject was Catherine ( At-
chison) Mcintosh, born in Scotland. She is
now a resident of Red Lodge.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
597
Our subject is the fourth of seven children,
four of whom still live. All of them, with the
exception of a sister in Wyoming, make their
home in Montana. Our subject was educated
in Angus, Boone county, Iowa, where his par-
ents had removed when he was a child. At
the age of seventeen he went to work in coal
mines, and this he followed until the family
moved to Timber Line, Montana, in 1888.
There he passed less than a y£ar, going to Red
Lodge, where he mined until 1895, and then
he purchased his present ranch of 160 acres,
or, rather he bought a squatter's right and
impn^vements. Lhitil August 3, 1905, he re-
mained on this property before he was enabled
to tile on it. The land is devoted mainly to
ha}- and stock. He is able to support fifty head
of stock on the land.
November 26, 1891, he was married to
Jannette Hay, who, like himself, comes of
Scotch parentage. She was born in Pennsyl-
vania and reared in Fort Dodge. Iowa. She
came to Red Lodge to visit a sister. Politically
our subject is a Democrat, but not a politician
in the modern acceptance of the word.
C. W. HENDERSON. The wonderful
feats accomplished by the old time cowboys
will never be fully told, and so astounding
are many of them that their recitation brings
incredulity to the hearer, yet, to those who
have been through those wcinderfu! days when
men followed the trail from Old Mexico to
Canada are aware of the reality of these things.
What stupendous things could the stampede
breakers do, and did do time and again ! How
the skill of man would handle and corrall the
wild herds and take them to the desired points !
What wonderful experiences with wild beasts,
wild herds, and wily Indians, where the sur-
vival of the fittest was the law that made civil-
ized man triumph ! Reared in this from the
time that he could steady himself in the saddle
and brought next to every kind of vicious and
wild brute that roams on the plains, Mr. Hen-
derson has acquired a wiliness and adroitness
in handling such creatures that has given him
a reputation far and near as one of the best
riders that ever graced the great state of Mon-
tana. His ability to conquer and tame wild
horses and handle them successfully is a skill
and achievement that few men acquire in this
life. Perhaps the fact that he first saw the light
on the broad heaving Atlantic while the scur-
rying ship tossed with the hand of the rolling
billow's might left an inspiration in his life
that has carried him all through these days
and years of restless activity safe and sound
and still the master of every animal that has
felt the touch of his hand. At any rate, Mr.
Henderson is a type of the regular old-
fashioned cowboy, fast passing away, and ex-
emplifies the cunning, skill, and achievements
of that most unique class in American history
in no ordinary light. And, too. he may well
take a pardonable pride in what he has accom-
plished and today he is one of the stanch citi-
zens of the county. His ranch is situated eigh-
teen miles south from Birney and he devotes
himself to general farming. His birth oc-
curred when his parents were en route from
the old country to the United States, the date
being March 17, 1857. Patrick Henderson, a
native of Mayo. Ireland, was his father and he
was distinctly a military man, having served
in the English army, being a veteran of the
Rebellion, and meeting his death in the regu-
lar army. Seventh Cavalry, in a skirmish with
the Sioux Indians in the Black Hills. He mar-
ried Emily Byrons, born in Queens county,
Ireland. She was the companion of her hus-
band until her death in Fort Arbuckle, Color-
ado. Our subject spent his early boyhood at
Fort Arbuckle in the Indian territory, and there
commenced to ride as soon as he could hang
on to the saddle, being about seven. He soon
went to Texas with Jack' Burnett's outfit, then
back to Colorado, and for four successive years
59^;
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
thereafter he was regularly over the trail. Two
years were spent riding to old Mexico, New
Mexico and Arizona being, when seventeen,
in the bloody fight with the Indians, and then
he turned north till he finally landed in Cus-
ter county. In 1885 he decided to remain in
Montana and soon thereafter he was with the
S. H. outfit breaking horses. In 1877 'i^ ^'^'^s
foreman of their horse outfit and after some
years at that he traveled to various sections
of the country. Finally in 1901 he located
the ranch where he is now living and took up
life as an agriculturist.
In 1894, Mr. Henderson married Miss
Fannie Ebaugh, a native of Illinois and the
daughter of William Ebaugh, a famous me-
chanic and blacksmith in the state of Ohio.
To Mr. and Mrs. Henderson one child has
been born, William Patrick, and. also they have
one daughter, Clara Thompson, Mrs. Hender-
son's daughter by a former marriage.
CHARLES MAHR, a prosperous rancher
of the Yellowstone valley, and a pioneer of that
territory, resides at Billings, four and one-
half miles southwest of the town. He was
born in New York City, November 7, 1850.
His father, Conrad Mahr, a native of Ger-
many, came to New York in 1831, where he
worked for William Gould & Son forty-five
years, and where he still lives. His mother,
Mary (Ficke) Alahr, was also born in Ger-
many, where she married and accompanied her
husband to the United States.
Our subject was educated in the excellent
public schools of New York, and on leaving
there May 14, 1870, went to Omaha, Nebraska,
where he enlisted in Company M, Second U. S.
Cavalry, under Captain Mix. He served as a
soldier ten years, including his Civil War serv-
ice. From Omaha he went to Fort Laramie,
Wyoming, in the spring of 1874, and
from there to the Black Hills in the
fall of that year, and in 1875 ^^ ^''^^''^
\\'aske, \\'yoming. From there he came
to Montana and assisted in building
Fort Custer. He would have been in the Cus-
ter massacre on the Little Big Horn, had he
not been ordered back to Fort Waske, as that
point had been left unprotected. He assisted
in burying the dead after the battle with Sit-
ting Bull on the Little Big Horn. He also as-
sisted in the erection of the Custer monument.
He was honorably discharged from the army
at Fort Custer in 1880. He then opened a
restaurant at Custer, but was subsequently
burned out and lost all his property.
In January, 1888, he came to his present
location in Yellowstone county, where he has
a fine irrigated ranch of 125 acres.
About thirty years ago he was united in
marriage to Miss Maggie Black, a native of
Colorado, in which state she was reared and
educated. Thence she removed to Red Canyon,
in Wyoming. She was with her husband five
years during the terms of his enlistment. Her
father, Martin Black, was one of the pioneers
in Colorado, going at an early day to Utah.
He was killed at the Mountain Meadow
massacre.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahr are the parents of
eight children, Ben, Charles, Harry, Conrad,
George, Amelia, Emma and Mary.
Recently Mr. Mahr purchased a ranch
about four miles from Bridger, in Carbon
county, of this state, and he expects to move
there later.
GEORGE H. PHELPS
century in the west, most of
is now the state of Montana
to be classed as one of the
of this country. While he has
occupations in different places
his time has been devoted to
he can most emphatically l>e
has spent a half
the time in what
and is therefore
earliest pioneers
followed various
, still so much of
one calling that
termed a miner.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
599
Every phase of this calHng is familiar to Mr.
Phelps and he lias been successful more than
the ordinary man, so that now he has the priv-
ilege of looking back upon a career in which
has been crowded much hardship and arduous
labor while at the present he can spend the
golden years of his life in comfort and corii-
petence. George H. Phelps was born at Jerusa-
lem, New York, on September 26, 1834. and
now lives at Jardine, Montana. His father,
John Phelps, was born in Connecticut, came to
New York state and settled in 1812, served
in the war of 1812 and died in New York
state in 1855. He married Harriet Mahurtur,
who was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. Our
subject's paternal grandfather was a native of
England. George H. was educated in Bran-
ford, Yates county. New York, and in 1856
the year after his father's death, being then
twenty-two years of age, he started west to
Wisconsin. While on a trip up the lakes the
boat touched at Detroit and gave him an op-
portunity to vote for James Buchanan, being
allowed under provisions of the Marine Act.
In the spring of i860, he went to Colorado
and three years later went to Montana, landing
at Bannack, April 15, 1863. Since that time,
a period of forty-three years. 'Mr. Phelps has
been a continuous resident of Montana. He
joined the stampede to Alder Gulch and was
there in the palmy days of those famous dig-
gings. In March, 1864. he joined the Jim Stuart
expedition, which consisted of seventy-four men
and while on the trip they camped at the place
where Livingston now stands. The company
dwindled away until there were only fifteen
left, and these men prospected stream after
stream but while they found colors they sel-
dom found gold in sufficient quantities to pay
washing. They finally circled around and
struck the Yellowstone and followed it until
they came to the camp at Emigrant Gulch. Mr.
Phelps continued prospecting and trading un-
til the fall of 1876, when he struck 'a lead on
Bear Gulch, where Jardine is now. He has
located and sold several good claims, the last
being the Revenue Mine and Millsight, for
which he received sufficient to make him inde-
pendent the balance of his days. So many
prospectors have struggled and labored since
the days of forty-nine without success suffi-
cient to grant them a competence for their
declining days that it is very pleasant to notice
in the career of our subject that, after years
of hardship, he is provided with sufficient
revenue from his labors to enable him to en-
joy life properly. Since 1876, Mr. Phelps has
been almost continuously in Jardine or the
places adjacent thereto. He was at Cook City
when the noted chief Joseph went through
and is familiar with all of the early history of
the territory and state.
Politically he is a Republican, takes an act-
ive and keen interest in all matters pertaining
to the welfare of the state and is a man- who
has manv friends.
OLE H. ARTHUN, a leading sheep-
raiser of the Yellowstone valley, now resid-
ing nine miles south of Absarokee, on Butcher
creek, was lx)rn in Norway, in October, 1881.
His father. Helmert, also a native of the same
country, is a farmer still living in Norway.
The mother of our subject, Margaret (Hare)
Arthun, was born in Norway where she is at
present with her husband.
Until he was sixteen years of age our sub-
ject remained in Norway and was there reared
and educated in the public schools in his \icin-
ity. In 1897 li^ came to the United States
and pushed on to Montana, locating near
Butcher creek, Carbon county, where he found
employment, and saved money. With this he
purchased sheep, and he now has a fine band of
1,500. On White Bird Creek he secured a
homestead in 1905, but at present he makes
his home with Jacob Eik, on Butcher creek.
Ill May, 1905, our subject was united in
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
marriage to Martha Eik, born in Norway, and
coming to the United States with her parents
when she was two years of age. Her father,
Jacob Eik, Norway born, is a prosperous
ranchman in Carbon county.
GEORGE W. CLEVELAND resides
about eight miles southeast from Ekalaka, on
Springbrook farm, where he is engaged in
general farming. His birth occurred in Dav-
enport, Iowa, on August 3, 1862. Jefferson
Cleveland, his father, was born in Michigan
and followed farming and railroad contract-
ing until his death. He married Miss Annie
Joyce, a native Kentuckyiaii and still living
in Ekalaka. In the public schools of Sioux
City, Iowa, our subject received his education
and in 1877, days when the hills were infested
still with Indians, our subject made his way to
the Black Hills. He followed various employ-
ments there, doing some freighting, until 1882,
when he came on to Montana. His parents
had accompanied him to the Hills, but he came
alone on his first trip to Montana. He spent
two years in traveling through the northwest.
British Columbia, Alberta and various other
parts, and finally in 1884 he came back to Mon-
tana fully convinced that this is one of the best
places to locate that he had fountl. For five
years he was employed with the Deerhorn
Sheep Company and was most of the time in
the Sun river country. Then he returned to
the Black Hills and later went on down to
Nebraska. From that state he returned to
Montana, settling on his present ranch. Since
then he has been engaged in freighting, stock
raising and farming and he has had good suc-
cess in his labors. He has a good ranch and
the improvements represent his hard labor and
skill.
In 1889 occurred the marriage of Mr.
Cleveland and IMiss Mattie Miller, the daugh-
ter of B. H. and Lucy (Paine) Miller, who
now reside in Hazelton, Iowa. The children
born to this union are : Inez, Grover, George,
Chauncey, Warren, Kyle, James, Frank, and
Wealthy Fern. The first child was born in
South Dakota, the second in Nebraska, the
third in South Dakota, and the others all in
Montana.
^Ir. Cleveland is a distant relative of the
well known statesman and ex-president of the
United States, Grover Cleveland. He has
shown himself a worthy pioneer of Alontana
and is among that class who have always done
their part to move things to better improve-
ment and advancement.
ROBERT O. MORRIS, one of the prom-
inent ranchmen and leading citizens of the at-
tractive Yellowstone valley, and well and fav-
orably known throughout the community, re-
siding at Roscoe, Carbon county, was born
near Bradford, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1850.
His father, William, was a native of the Em-
pire State, going thence to Pennsylvania when
a boy. They settled upon a farm on which
he died. The mother, Eliza (Semans) Mor-
ris, was born in Westfield, Pennsylvania.
Reared on a farm and educated in the pub-
lic schools of his vicinity, in the Keystone
State, our subject at the age of twenty-four
years, entered the oil fields of the state on
their first discovery. It is to be noted that
this important "find" occurred on his father's
place. He began rigg building, and worked
up in every branch of the oil industry. In
1883 he came to Montana, locating twelve
miles above Livingston, on the Yellowstone.
In August, 1886, he went on the Rosebud river,
within four miles of his present home. He
was the first white settler on the Rosebud, and
it was still an Indian reservation when he came
there, remaining so, until 1892. He farmed
and became one of the mcist extensive stock-
men of this vicinity. He began locating oil
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
6oi
lands in 1904, and formed a company to drill
for the same, the Rosebud Oil Company. For
this company he has located 1,500 acres. Al-
though a corporation they have so far never
elected officers, and our subject is the principal
monied man in the enterprise, with which
there are nine interested. December i, 1904,
they began drilling for oil, sinking 1.250 feet,
when they lost their tools in the well. A new
well was begun in December, 1905. and this
is about 550 feet down, and oil has been struck.
It is not yet in paying quantities, but is im-
proving with depth.
In 1885 our subject was married to Nancy
E. George, a native of Missouri, who came to
Montana at an early day. Her father, John
P., was a native of Germany; her mother,
Sarah (Stewart) George, was born in Ken-
tucky. Our subject's wife was married be-
fore she became ]\Irs. Morris. She is highly
esteemed in the community in which she re-
sides. She is fond of horseback riding, and
Roscoe postoffice was named after one of her
favorite saddle horses.
GEORGE W. WELCOME, deceased.
George W. Welcome was born June 17, 1853,
at Prescott, New York, and died September
10, 1905, at Li\ingston, Montana. He was a
pioneer of Alontana and did much work for
the development of the country and the ad-
vancement of the state. He was well known as
an aggressive, reliable and capable man. His
father, Lewis Welcome, was born in Canada
and married a Montana lady. George W. Wel-
come at the home place received his education
until eighteen when he traveled west to Min-
nesota and settled first in St. Paul. Later, he
moved to Donley and in 1S78 opened a general
merchandise store in that place. Three years
later he came west, securing se\eral contracts
on the Northern Pacific. At the same time,
he operated a restaurant in Billings. Later
he moved to Livingston, getting there before
the railroad came in and opened a restaurant
and a saloon and remained in this business
until he was burned out in 1889. Then he
moved to Horr, opening a hotel. In 1900 he
removed to Jardine and built two stores and a
saloon, also becoming interested in mining.
In the same year, 1900, he sold the Keats
mine to H. Bush, which was one of the first
properties developed in the district.
After selling the mine, Mr. Welcome con-
ducted a general merchandise establishment
until the day of his death.
The marriage of Mr. Welcome and Mattie
McKibbon occurred at Morris, Minnesota, in
1880. She was born at Port Huron, Michigan,
on December 5, 1858, and was the daughter of
Joseph and Elizabeth (Easton) McKibbon.
Her father was born in Toronto, Canada, and
followed farming. The mother also was a
native of Toronto. Mrs. Welcome was nine-
teen years of age when she came to Minnesota,
and when her husband came west she ac-
companied him and was the first woman to
come by rail to Livingston, in fact being the
only woman on the train. To this couple were
born four children, George W., February 14,
1881 ; Elizabeth. August 6, 1882; Harry, Sep-
tember 5, 1884, and Eva, February 17, 1897.
On February 14. 1906, George W. married
Florence Oliver, the daughter of Edwin B.
and Sarah (Tucker) Oliver. In 1902, Eliza-
beth married Ira C. ^lerritt.
Mr. Welcome was a member of the Cath-
olic church \\hile his wile is an adherent of
the Episcopalian.
FRED AWE, one of the prominent sheep-
raisers of the Yellowstone valley, now resid-
ing in Billings, Montana, was born in Ger-
many, December 25, 1861. His father, Fred
W. Awe, also a native of Germany, came to
the L^nited States in 1864. and settled on a
602
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
farm in Illinois, where he remained until his
death. He was a well-to-do and prominent
citizen. The mother of our subject was also
a native of Germany.
It was in DeKalb county, Illinois, that our
subject received the rudiments of his educa-
tion in the public schools of his vicinity. At
the age of twenty-seven years he went to
Marshall county, Iowa, where he engaged in
general farming. April 7, 1884, he arrived
at Billings, and here he engaged in the stock
business in which he has continued ever since.
He is at present a well-to-do citizen, although
at the inception of his career it was uphill
work.
In 1883 Mr. Awe was united in marriage
to Susie Mendenhall, born in Marshall county,
Iowa, where she was educated and grew to
womanhood. She came to Montana with her
husband, and has materially contributed to his
generous success in life. She is the daughter
of James Mendenhall. a native of Ohio. He
was a pioneer of Iowa, going to that state at
an early day. He came to Montana with the
Northern Pacific railway and located on the
Musselshell. Later he removed to Bridger,
where he remained until his death. Her mo-
ther, Geraldine (Patsons) was a native of
West Virginia, coming to Montana with her
husband. Mr. and Mrs. Awe have si.x chil-
dren: Pertha. wife of Emil Keil, living at
Billings; William F., with his father; Grace
M., in high school; Lola ].. and Charles J-. in
school, and Fred Melvin.
remaining there until 1882, when he came to
the Yellowstone valley. His wife, Addie R.
(McDonald) Ramsey, was a native of Canada.
Our subject first entered the famous Yel-
lowstone valley in advance of his family. He
purchased a ranch where he now lives, four
miles southwest of Billings, two years ago.
September 28, 1904, Mr. Ramsey was
united in marriage to Elanor Sorrel, a native
of Kansas. Three years ago she came to Mon-
tana. Her father, Jesse Sorrel, was a native
of Arkansas. Thev have one child, Charles R.
CHARLES A. RA^ISEY, a prosperous
rancher and poultry raiser, residing four miles
west of Billings, was born in Clearmont
county, Wyoming, May 15, 1876. His father,
John M. Ramsey, was born in Loveland, Ohio.
In the pioneer days he came to California,
and later to Alder Gulch. ;Montana. He went
to Fort Custer the vear of the Custer massacre.
HERMAN BAUMAN, one of the well
known and leading business men of Livings-
ton, is also one of the pioneers of Montana
and has seen much of early life in this portion
of the west. Like so many of the substantial
men who have won success in this land, he is
a native of Germany, his birth being on Fel>
ruary 25, 1853. His parents, Frederick and
\ Belhelmi (Blumelthal) Bauman, were natives
I of the Fatherland, also, and followed farming
all their lives. Three other sons were born to
them, besides Herman, one living in Rose-
bud, Montana, one deceased, and one still liv-
ing in Germany. After his school days were
over, Herman left the old country and landed
in New York in 1872. He immediately went
to work in a baken,- and later went to the vil-
lage of ^lorrisania after which he returned to
New York and then joined the L'nited States
army, enlisting in Company I, Fifth Cavalry.
He was assigned under General Crook and
the command immediately started for the front.
While en route they had several encounters
with the savages but their strength, ten com-
panies, availed to repel disaster. His term of
five years was served and he was honorably
discharged and went to work in a brewery
at Cheyenne, whence a year later he journeyed
to San Francisco and there took up his trade
of baking. In the spring of 1881 he went to
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
603
the Black Hills, Dakota, and the following-
spring to Miles City, Montana, whence the
same year he removed to Billings. The follow-
ing winter he cooked in a railroad camp and
after some time in various camps along the
line he arrived at Livingston in 1883, since
which time, with the exception of one winter
in Portland, Oregon, he has remained here.
For almost twenty-five years has Mr. Bauman
been occupied in Livingston and this long resi-
dence, together with a career of industry and
business success, entitles him to be classed with
the leading business men of the county. In 1885
Mr. Bauman opened a bakery for himself and
has conducted the business since, always meet-
ing with that success that sagacity and thrift
merit and now he is the possessorof some very
valuable property in the business center of Liv-
ingston and is one of the well-to-do men of the
county.
In 1877 Mr. Bauman married Anna
Brrtsh, a native of Germany and the daughter
of Johanah and Marie Brrtsh. Mrs. Bauman
is a member of the German Lutheran church,
but her husband is not affiliated with any
denomination. Politically Mr. Bauman is in-
dependent and votes for the man and not the
party. Mr. Bauman is a man who believes
and puts into practice the principle of taking
the enjoyment of life while he is passing along
and he has fitted himself a home that is really
ideal. Although right in Livingston, when
one sits on his doorstep it is easy to imagine
yourself in the midst of a fine country estate,
so thoroughly has the proprietor brought out
this feature by the wealth of shade and orna-
mental trees, lawns, running water and so
forth. One of the attractive points of the place
is a splendid fishpond supplied from cold
springs on the grounds and the multitude of
various kinds and sizes of trout are charming
to the eye, and owing to the coldness of the
water are delightful to the palate at all times
of the year.
LEVI PRUETT is one of the well known
old timers and has wrought steadily for all
these years in the interests of this portion of
Montana, where he is living, bein,g now lo-
cated three and one-half miles east from Joliet,
on the rural free delivery route. He owns a
fine quarter section of excellent land, all under
the ditch and gives his attention to farming
and stock raising, and has gathered around
him considerable property in addition to what
is mentioned. He was born in Indiana, in
August, 1843, the son of Samuel and Fran-
ces (Cox) Pruett, natives of Virginia and
immigrants to Kentucky, where they were mar-
ried. Later they went to Indiana, thence jour-
neyed to Daviess county, Missouri, and finally
to Mercer county, in that state, where the father
died in the spring of 1864, his wife having
preceded him si.x years. The early education
of our subject, which was rather limited owing
to the fact that he was most of his younger
days on the frontier, was secured in the prim-
itive schools of the day and thus fitted he be-
gan the battle of life. When nineteen years
of age he enlisted in the army and fought
principally to repel the invasions of the bush-
whackers, especially those led by the James
and Youngers. Also he was engaged against
General Price, and from Jefferson City to
Fort Scott, he was engaged in the running
fight which occupied forty-seven days and
nights with the exception of one-half day and
one night. This was a terribly trying ordeal,
and while the numbers engaged were not so
large a sin the great battles of the war, still
the hardships and trying tests for those wno
were in it were as hard as could be met. Just
before Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, I\Ir.
Pruett was mustered out and again took up
the calling of a farmer. In 1873, he trans-
ferred his residence to Texas and farmed there
for three years, returning to Missouri in 1876.
On April 11. 1882, he started overland from
Montana, and arrived at Bozeman on Tune 26
6o4
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
following. He remained there until 1886,
farming, and then went to Judith Basin,
which was his home until 1889, heing occupied
in farming and stock raising in this latter place.
After that we find Mr. Pruett freighting in
Billings and in 1898 he came to Clarke's Fork
and remained one year, then coming to Rock
creek and securing the land where he now re-
sides.
The marriage of Mr. Pruett and Miss Ca-
therine Blakley occurred in Daviess county,
Missouri. Mrs. Pruett is the daughter of
John W. and Susan A. (Dowas) Blakley.
The former came from Kentucky from his na-
tive state, Virginia, then went to Missouri and
died in Daviess county, that state in 1878. The
latter was born in Kentucky and came thence
with her husband to Missouri and died there
in 1883.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Pruett
are named as follows: Sallie, the wife of P. R.
Miller, who is a liveryman in Fromberg, Car-
bon county; Suasa A., the wife of O. E. Rob-
erts, their wedding having occurred at Bill-
ings and their present residence being Gabo,
Carbon county; Penelope, living at Havre,
Montana; Jennie, the wife of E. Hill, a lum-
berman at Newport, Washington, their wed-
ding having occurred at Fromberg; Katie, liv-
ing at Joliet; Reeves and Harn,', living with
their parents.
Mr. Pruett is a Republican and evinces a
lively interest in politics. Mrs. Pruett is affil-
iated with the Christian church.
FRANK McKINNEY, one of the success-
ful stockmen of Rosebud county, dwells eigh-
teen miles southwest from Birney where he has
a nice ranch of two hundred and eighty acres,
about half of which is under a good irrigating
ditch. He devotes his time to both general
farming and stock raising and has placed him-
self among those wlio have been rewarded
with good and continued success in all his labors.
Mr. McKinney is a man of extended experience
in the various portions of the west, especially
on the stock ranges extending from Kansas
to the Canadian line. Commencing when a
lad of seventeen years to ride the range and
handle stock, he has uninterruptedly continued
more of less in this occupation since and has
held every position from the ordinary cowlxjy
to the foremanship of some of the largest out-
fits in the entire west. In e\ery relation he
has succeeded in winning the approbation of
those who depended upon him and his success
lies in his untiring care of everything that is
placed in his hands and in the excellent wis-
dom with which he has managed all his busi-
ness.
In Champaign county, Illinois, our subject
first saw the light and his father, John Quincy
McKinney, also a native of Illinois, was num-
bered with the agriculturists of that favored
region. He was a veteran of the Civil War
and in 1884 took his family to western Neb-
raska where he engaged in the stock business
until 1892, in which year he moved farther
west, settling in the Willamette valley, Ore-
gon, where he resides at the present time, en-
gaged in farming. He married Miss Jennie
Stephenson, a native of Missouri. Our sulv
ject was reared and educated in Illinois, pur-
suing his studies in the common schools. He
was seventeen when he came to Neb-
raska and he at once engaged in range work.
He was with the O. W. outfit in 1889 and rode
all through Wyoming for them. When this
company came to Hanging ^^'()n^an creek,
Montana, Mr. McKinney came with them and
continued until 1893 when he became foreman
for the entire outfit. In this capacity he re-
mained until 1900. when he purchased the
ranch where lie now resides and commenced
raising cattle f<ir himself. ]\Ir. ^IcKinney
could relate many thrilling experiences in the
range work and has passed through much
hardship and labor in these ardous callings
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
605
but has ever shown himself master of the situ-
ation and is today one of the substantial men
of the county.
BETUEL MYREBO, born in the south-
ern portion of Norway, July 10, 1880, now
lives on a tine ranch, and productive, four
miles out from Linley, on Butcher Creek. His
father, Maurits, a native of the same place as
our subject, is a farmer, and is still living in
Norway. The mother, Guri, is also a native of
the same country, where she resides at present.
Reared and educated in the Fatherland,
having attended studiously the public echools in
his vicinity, at the age of seventeen came to
the United States, and soon after made his
way to Columbus, Montana, where he found
employment on various ranches in the neigh-
borhood. In 1903 he purchased the farm
where he now lives and is engaged profitably
in the stock business. Our subject has four
brothers : Peter, a rancher in Carbon county ;
Martin, proprietor of a saloon in Linley; Gus-
tave. and Laurits, in Norway. He has two
sisters, both in Norway : Bertha C. and Gena.
WILLARD B. PADDEN resides some
nine miles southwest from Camp Crook, his
ranch being well in the southeastern portion
of the state of Montana, which commonwealth
has been his scene of labor for some years past.
A succinct and detailed account of his life is
fittingly to find place in the history that deals
exclusively with the state and valley where he
has lived and accomplished a good work.
In Iowa, on Augiist i, 1868, William B.
Padden was born, his parents being Thomas
J. and Sophia A. (Folsom) Padden, natives
of Ohio and Indiana, respectively, and pioneers
in different portions of the west. The widowed
mother still resides in Montana, but the father
has gone to the realities of the world beyond,
his demise occurring on February 2^, 1895.
When a boy, Thomas J. Padden went with
his parents from Ohio to Canada and thence
they remo\'ed to Iowa, where he was occupied
in farming. He came west to iNIontana in
1883. He came to South Dakota by rail,
thence across that territory to the Black Hills
by team and finally to the ranch in Montana
where our subject is now residing. He fol-
lowed stock business and farming until his
death, as mentioned above. The mother came
from her native state to Iowa with her parents
and was a companion of her husband in all
his journeys. Our subject was educated in the
various places where the family lived during
his boyhood days and in 1885 he came on to
Montana with a band of cattle. He located
where we find him at the present time and
since those days he has continued steadily oc-
cupied in ranching and stock raising. He has
a nice large ranch all under irrigation and well
improved. It is one of the valuable and choice
estates of the county and is kept in excellent
shape by the careful and thrifty proprietor.
His is one of the places that pays annually
good dividends and he is one of the men who
have built Custer county as it is at this day.
Mr. Padden's stock consists of horses and cat-
tle, he having never paid attention to raising
sheep.
June 6, 1895, Mr. Padden married Miss
Mary A. Brown, a native of South Dakota.
Her father, Albert P. Brown, was born in
New York state, came west to Iowa, located
in Yankton, Dakota, later, and after a stay,
also, in Rapid City, South Dakota, he came
on to Montana and took up stock raising.
At the present time he is residing in Mis-
souri. He married Hannah Hobson, who was
born on the Atlantic. Her parents had lived
in this country and were taking a trip to the
old country for a visit, and the birth occurred
on the way over. They were natives of Eng-
land. To our subject and his wife the follow-
6o6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ing named cliildren have been born : Easton,
Henry, Thomas, and Verna. All were torn in
Montana. Mr. Padden is a member of the
K. P. and also affiliates with the ^Modern
Brotherhood of America. He always mani-
fests an interest in school matters, politics and
any measure for the general building up or
improvement of the country, while in his labors
and association he is always characterized with
uprightness and has many warm friends
throughout the country.
GEORGE R. DOW is one of Montana's
hustling pioneers and has been a pathfinder in
many localities of the west. He is now resid-
ing on the Yellowstone river ten miles up
from Livingston, where he is engaged in farm-
ing and gardening. His birth occurred in New
Braintree, Massachusetts, October 31, 1831,
and he received a common school education
in his native place and there remained until
the year he removed to Minnesota and took
a pre-emption within three miles from where
the city of Rochester now stands. Later he
returned to his home in the east and in 1856
came west to Iowa and in the spring of 1865,
he started across the plains with the Page &
Salisbury freighting outfit. They made their
way to southwestern Colorado and wintered
near the New Mexico line and on July 7, 1866,
left that country for Montana, arriving at
Bozeman on December 3, 1866. The trip w-as
an especially hard one as the Indians were out
on the warpath all over and theirs was the
last private conveyance over the road for a
long time after they arrived. From the Chey-
enne river to Fort Smith they were beset on
every hand and their fiercest encounter was
on the Powder river where they lost three men.
Wintering at Bozeman, he took a ranch in the
spring and in the fall opened the first butcher
shop in Bozeman. He sold out in the spring
of 1869 and purchased a ranch in the west
Gallatin valley, and in the fall homesteaded
the land where the state agricultural college
now stands. This he sold in the fall of 1870
and went with the stampede to Cedar creek
in Missoula county. In the spring of 1871 he
followed another stampede to where Cook City
now stands, and from there he went to the
Snake and with eight others constructed three
rafts to make their way down that stream.
They went over to the Jackson Hole country
and from there to Salt Lake and thence Mr.
Dow went to Little Cottonwood and struck
the first pick in what is now the Duke of Well-
ington mine, then prospected further and lo-
cated the Lexington mine. In 1872 he returned
to Montana and has devoted most of his time
since then to ranching, while also he has pros-
pected now and then a good deal.
In political matters Mr. Dow is independ-
ent, but he is a supporter of the present ad-
ministration and voted the last general elec-
tion the Republican ticket straight.
M. B. RADEMAKER, deceased. January
6, 1859, the subject of this memoir was bom
in Peru, Indiana. His father, Theodore, was
a native of Germany, and a tailor by trade.
In early days he came to the United States
and settled in Indiana, coming from Cincin-
nati, Ohio. The mother, Marie, was also a na-
tive of Germany.
The public schools of Germany afforded
our subject the elements of a good education.
In 1882 he came to Billings, Montana, and
was with the Northern Pacific railroad as a
blacksmith. Later he was a waiter in a hotel,
finally engaging in business with the proprie-
tor of the Mercantile House. His health fail-
ing, he sold out, dying June 20, 1902.
Deceml>er 10, 1884, he was married to
Mary jNIiller, born at Jefferson Island, Mon-
tana, October 20, 1867. She came with her
parents to Bozeman in 1878, where she re-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
607
ceived a good education. In 1883 she removed
to Billings, and was among the earliest set-
tlers of that city. Her father, Soren R. Miller,
was a nati^•e of Denmark, comin,g to Ogden,
Utah, in 1861. Here he resided three years,
coming to Madison county, Montana, in 1864.
Soon after he moved to Jefferson Island where
he secured a ranch. From there he moved to
Bozeman, and thence to Billings. Her mother,
Anna M. (Martin) Miller, also a native of
Denmark, accompanied her husband to Mon-
tana. She died June I, 1901. Mrs. Rademaker
has one brother living, James M. Miller. Mar-
tin Miller, another brother, died June 9, 1905,
having been struck by lightning. She has
two sisters, Anna Montana, wife of Charles
O'Neil, deceased; Trudence L., wife of James
O. Terril. Mr. and Mrs. Rademaker have two
children : Dora Pearl, a graduate of the Bill-
ings High School, and now a student at the
Carlton College, Northfield, Minnesota; Grace
Amelia, a graduate of the Billings High
School. At present Mrs. Rademaker is pro-
prietress of the Rademaker Hotel, one of the
finest hotels in the state.
NATHANIEL J. HUMPHREYS is one
of the sturdy ones who came west years since
and cast his lot with the territory now em-
braced in Rosebud county. Things are very
diii'erent in these days, now that the march of
civilization and her establishment here by
these same early pioneers who dared to open
the country, has chased back the wilderness
scenes and transformed ever}'thing to conform
to the well inhabited portions of the globe.
It was in 1884, twenty-two years ago, that
Mr. Humphreys first set foot in Montana,
stopping first in Custer county. He came from
a wealthy and very old American family, but
the ravag'es of war had left its sad trail across
their estates and he chose to start single
handed and without resources, except the same
courage and spirit that led his forefathers to
step from the shores of England to the wilder-
ness of Virginia as early as 1640 and fell the
forest to make fields to support their families.
It won its meed in those days and is now es-
teemed by all who read of the grand accom-
plishments of the devoted patriots and colon-
ists who flung fear to the winds and set their
faces to build a nation. This courage and
spirit, we say, won for them and it has won the
some for our subject, a descendant of those
early worthies. He wrought for wages and
rode the plains with all its hardships for years
but finally in 1893, he engaged in the cattle
business and has followed it successfully since
that time. He is one of the well-to-do cattle
owners of the valley and nine miles south from
Birney his home place is one of the choicest
irrigated farms in the Tongue river valley.
On December 29, 1897, Mr. Humphreys
married Miss Sarah F. Taliaferro, a native of
Mississippi. Her father, Charles Adams Talia-
ferro, was also a native of Mississippi and
comes from a strong, old family. His ancesters
came to Virginia in 1640 and the family holds
its records back to the days of William the
Conquero'r and some of them were followers
of that noted character. Charles A. Taliaferro
married Miss Elizabeth M. Rice, a native of
Mississippi, whose parents and grandparents
were early settlers of that state.
Nathaniel J. Humphreys was born in Fort
Gibson, Mississippi, August 6, 1865, the son
of Daniel B. and Katherine Watson Shelby
( Jeffers) Humphreys, natives of Mississippi.
Daniel Humphreys was a first lieutenant in
the Confederate army. His paternal ancestors
came from Wales in early colonial days and
his grandfather, Ralph Humphreys, was a col-
onel in the Revolution. The son of Ralph
Humphreys, Benjamin G., was a colonel in the
confederate army under Lee. Our subject's
mother was a direct descendant of Evan
Shelby, of Revolution fame. Thus it is seen
that both Mr. Humphreys and his wife come
6o8
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
from long lines of ancestors who have achieved
worthy deeds both in niiHtary and other Hnes
for their nation and for the estabHshment of
the country of the free. They were nearly all
associated with the southern portion of the
colonies and both are found to possess many
of those pleasant traits found in tlieir perfec-
tion in the genial and broad minded south-
erner, whose hospitality and kindness were
the meed sought by admiring friends and dis-
pensed with like reciprocation so customary
in the sunny land of the south.
SOREX R. MILLER, a prominent and
prosperous farmer of the beautiful Yellow-
stone Valley, is at present living nine miles
northeast of the city of Billings. He is a pio-
neer of this western country and as such is
well known and esteemed. He is a native of
Denmark, born August 13, 1833. His parents
were Rasmus and Martha C. (Peterson) Mil-
ler, both natives of Denmark. The father
Rasmus Miller, came to Utah in i860, and
seven years later removed to Montana. Here
he remained about two years, and then
returned to the state of Missouri, where
he died.
Until he had arrived at the age of twenty-
seven years our subject remained in Denmark,
but in i860 he came to the United States, lo-
cating first at Ogden, Utah, where he worked
for wages at the trade of wagon making, in
which he was quite proficient. To Jefferson
county, Montana, he came in 1864, one of the
earliest of pioneers, and settled on Jefferson
Island. He thus became the original settler
in this vicinity. Fifteen miles distance was his
nearest neighbor. At this period he was en-
gaged principally in the live-stock business.
It was in 1878 that he came to Bozeman, and
here he continued to live until 1883, when he
came to his present location.
His marriage occurred in i860, and the
union has been blessed by four children, Anna
Montana, Mary, James and Prudence Larce.
WILLIAM W. PALMER, a well-known
and popular Yellowstone Valley farmer and
ranchman, residing four miles west of Billings,
was born in Pottawattamie county, Iowa,
April 7, 1862, the son of Daniel and Sophie
(Morris) Palmer, the former born in Illinois,
the latter near Iowa City, Iowa. The father
was an agriculturist, moving to Iowa in 1852,
where he still resides on a farm near Oakland.
His father, Benjamin, was a native of Ken-
tucky and a veteran of the Blackhawk war.
Following this stmggle with the hostile In-
dians he removed to Illinois. \\'hen his son
was fourteen years of age he went on to Coun-
cil Bluffs, Iowa, in 1852, remaining in that
vicinity until his death in 1880. The Palmer
family came from England. The mother of
our subject remained in Iowa all her life, re-
moving to the vicinity of Oakland in 1854, and
dying in 1881.
William W. Palmer was reared and edu-
cateil in the vicinity of Oakland, taking a
short college course at Des IMoines. In Feb-
ruary, 1883, he went to Denver, Colorado,
where he was engaged in truck farming for
three years. He came to Billings by team,
working for wages one season. For ten years
he resided near Park City on a farm. He dis-
posed of this property November 18, 1897, go-
ing to Absarokee, Montana, where he lived
two years, then selling out and coming to his
present location, December, 1899.
In 1889 he was united in marriage to Anna
Wimsett, a native of Kent, England. She
came to Michigan with her parents in 1870,
where she lived ten years, thence going to
Beaverhead county in 1883, and in 1885 to
Yellowstone county. Her father, Stephen E.
Wimsett, was a native of England ; her mother,
Sarah E. (Cushing) Wimsett, having been
SOREN R. MILLER
MR. AND MRS WILLIAM W. PALMKK
JL
9
^^^^
k'"w|, jj^ii^ >'
^E
^''^r^^^^^H^I
' ^ / >^i^4ppR
^?*T^|j|p**'' " ^ ^
JAMES AND ROBERT STEELE
MICHAEL FLANAGAN
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
609
born in Kent, England. She died December
9, 1905-
Eleven children have been born to Mr. and
Mrs. Palmer, viz: Alice L., born December 14,
1890; Stephen W., February i, 1892; Susie
Etta, May 28, 1893; Sarah Ruth, September
16, 1894; Cordelia, February 25, 1895;
Reuben, December 26, 1897, and died July 25.
1898; Edna Belle, April 30, 1899; Sophie
Eliza, March 20, 1901 ; Daniel W., November
12, 1902; Leonard S., August 28, 1904; Anna
May, May 14, 1906.
JAMES STEELE was born in Peters-
borough county, Ontario, on September 15,
1854. His father, John Steele, was born in
Edinburgh, Scotland, came to Canada when a
lad of thirteen years of age, and spent the re-
maining part of his life in Canada, save one
year in which he made a trip to Montana. He
was called from the scenes of this life to the
world beyond in the year 1889. He had mar-
ried Miss Mary Ann Toyne Elmhirst, a native
of Ontario, and descended from English an-
cestry. In his native place our subject was
reared and there, too, received his educational
training. When about thirty-three years old,
he came on west to Missouri. For two and
one-half years his lot was cast in that common-
v.'ealth and then he determined to see more of
the west. The leading genius pointed toward
Montana, and in due time the young man was
in the country now embraced in Yellowstone
county. For thirteen years he was employed
by Mr. Edward Cardwell and then he had suf-
ficient means to warrant his starting in for
himself and so he selected his present home
place, a good farm lying about four miles west
from Billings, purchased it and began the good
work of improvement and establishing for
himself a home. His labors have been wisely
bestowed and the result is that he has won a
good success and has made for himself an ex-
cellent standing among his fellows,
39
On February 29, 1879, Mr. Steele mar-
ried Miss Margaret Cardwell, daughter of Ben
Cardwell, of Ontario, Canada, and their home
has been blessed by the advent of the fol-
lowing named children: Ben C, Maggie,
M. Walker, James E., Carrie B., and Mary S.,
who is deceased.
;Mr. Steele has shown a lively interest in
all matters that tend to build up the commu-
nity and advance educational interests and es-
tablish the best for the good of all. He has
firm faith in the prosperous county and the
resources of eastern Montana, which are so
rapidly becoming to be known far and near.
On December 7, 1902, Mr. Steele was
called to mourn the death of his wife. On
June 12, 1906, he contracted a second mar-
riage, Mrs. Titus, of Jefferson Island, this
state, who was formerly Miss Morgan, becom-
ing his wife. Mr. Steele is affiliated with the
Bankers' Life and the W. O. W.
ROBERT STEELE, who resides some five
and one-half miles northwest from Billings,
where he owns a fine estate of one hundred
and sixty acres of well irrigated and produc-
tive land, has made Yellowstone county his
home for all the years since 1892 and during
this period has manifested an industry and
substantiality that commend him as one of the
good citizens of this prosperous county an^
that have brought their reward of success that
is pleasant alike to all. His birth occurred in
Ontario, Canada, on February 2, 1864, his par-
ents being John and Mary Ann Toyne (Elm-
hirst) Steele, natives, respectively, of Edin-
burgh, Scotland, and Canada, The father mi-
grated from his native heath to Canada when
a young man and in later years came west as
far as Montana, but he returned to Canada
after a year in this country and in Canada he
remained until the time of his death,
Robert was educated in his native place
6io
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and as soon as he had arrived at man's estate,
began working out and was thus occupied un-
til he came to Montana in 1892. After satis-
fying himself that this valley was a favored
region, he purchased a quarter section and to
the development and subjugation of this land
he has given his attention since, with good re-
turns, and is now one of the prosperous men
of the county.
On December 23, 1885, Mr. Steele mar-
ried Miss Mary McDonald and they have be-
come the parents of four children, whose names
are as follows : Mary Erith, Annie Robinar,
Edna Ruth, and Robert James. Mrs. Steele
was born in the same neightorhood as her
husband and there she received her education.
Her parents, James and Mary A. (McCon-
nell) McDonald, were born in Canada and
there they reside at this time, the father being
aged sixty-seven.
Mr. Steele is a member of the W. O. W.
and the Yeomen. In political matters he
shows a good interest, but is not bound by
party ties, being a man who prefers to vote for
the candidate rather than any stipulation that
the leaders of party might choose. He takes
an interest that becomes the true American in
educational matters and is always ready to aid
any movement for the betterment of the
country and the advancement of the interests
of the county.
MICHAEL FLAXAGAN, oneofthepros-
sperous ranchers and general farmers of the
Yellowstone Valley, residing at present two
miles west of Billings, is a native of La Salle,
Illinois, born November 4, 1850. His father,
John, came from Ireland to the United States
in 1848, and settled in Illinois. Ten years sub-
sequently he removed to Clinton county, Iowa,
rernaining upon a farm until his death, which
occurred in Green county. The mother of our
subject, Catherine (Green) Flanagan, was
born in Ireland, coming first to Canada, and
thence to Illinois where she was married.
Our subject accompanied his parents to
Iowa where he was educated. In 1882 he came
to Montana with the Northern Pacific railway,
and had charge of a crew on the construction
work. This employment he followed seven
years, being stationed at Miles City, Billings,
Park City and Laurel. He was also in the em-
ployment of the Great Northern Railway Com-
pany, stationed on Milk river. In 1883 he
purchased a right and filed on a timber claim,
two miles west of Billings. It was in 1879
that he relinquished railroad work, giving his
attention to his farm. This property he dis-
posed of in 1905 for $100 an acre, and pur-
chased another ranch in the immediate vicinity.
In 1873 our subject was married to Mary
Gilligan, a native of Virginia, reared in Iowa,
where she met and married her husband. Her
father, Daniel Gilligan, was an Iowa farmer
and did railroading. Her mother was Alice
(Haley) Gilligan.
The children are: Elizabeth, wife of John
McCann, in the grocery business in Seattle:
Mrs. Mary Monahan. at Livingston, Mon-
tana: Mrs. Rose Fisher, whose husband is an
engineer at White Hall, Montana; Mrs. Julia
Johnstone, her husband being an electrician at
Butte, and Mrs. Maggie Shi\-erly, of Sheridan,
Wyoming; Frank, Mack, Alice, Kate, Helen,
Wilbur and Joseph, the latter all at home.
S. L. RIFE, who resides at Bridger, Car-
bon county, is a man who has achieved success
in business matters because he has shown con-
stantly that faithfulness to the enterprise in
hand begets the success we all seek after.
He is engaged in the livery business and his
rigs and animals are found in various parts
of the country, as he has an extended business
and caters to the comfort and safety of his
patrons, which makes his place a popular one
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
6ii
in this line of business. S. L. Rife was bom
in LaSalle county, Illinois, March 26, 1865,
his parents being Ephraim and Seville (Coch-
rane) Rife. The former was born in Penn-
sylvania, in 1834, was reared on a farm, then
came to Illinois in pioneer days and there fol-
lowed farming- until he journeyed on to Neb-
raska where he purchased railroad land. After
devoting himself to its cultivation for some
time he turned his attention to merchandising
which latter business he followed until his
death in Red Cloud, Nebraska, in 1897. The
mother of our subject was a native of Holland
and came with her parents to Illinois when a
small girl.
The immediate subject of this article was
reared in Illinois and Nebraska, receiving his
education in the public schools. When fifteen
the trip to Nebraska came and there he con-
tinued farming until 1891, in which year he
engaged in the livery business in Ainsworth,
Nebraska. Later he came to Montana and one
summer was spent in Yellowstone county,
after which he came on to Carbon county and
took up draying at Gabo. Having spent two
years in that line of business, he then openetl
a livery barn at Bridger, where he resides at
the present time. Mr. Rife also has a barn at
Belfrey, while at Fromberg he has two acres
of ground and improved with a nice house and
barn. Mr. Rife is known far and near as a
genial and accommodating man and he con-
ducts a prosperous business.
At Red Lodge, in 1903, occurred the mar-
riage of Mr. Rife and Mrs. Annie Brown, a
widow and the daughter of Hugh and Mar-
garette (Scott) Cowan, natives of Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Cowan came
to Carbon county with his family in 1896, and
there followed farming until his death in 1897.
His widow is now residing in Billings. By
her former marriage, Mrs. Rife has two chil-
dren, Margarette and Lincoln Brown, the
former born in 1895, and the latter, now de-
ceased, born in i8g8. Mr. and Mrs. Rife are
the parents of one child, Edith, born in 1904.
Mr. Rife is a Republican in politics and is
always alive to the interests of his party as
well as the welfare of the country. He has
labored faithfully and has received a becom-
ing reward in a prosperous business and num-
bers his friends far and near.
GRANT DUNNING is one of Montana's
stockmen who has achieved success in the la-
bors of his hands, and who now resides at
Otter, Custer county. He is a native of Iowa,
and first saw the light in Adams county, Sep-
tember 16, 1866. His father, Mance Dunning,
was born in Pennsylvania, in April, 1834, came
to Iowa in early days and did farming there
until 1878, when he fitted out teams and with
a good bunch of cattle started west to the
Black Hills, accompanied with his family. In
due time they arrived in the Hills, our subject
having assisted, although but a lad in driving
the stock and teams to their destination. Mr.
Dunning senior then sought out a place for
location and soon was ensconced in good quar-
ters and began the stock business on a larger
scale than he had been able to do in Iowa. He
continued this business until his death, August
14, 1882. His widow, Hulda (West) Dun-
ning, who was born on November 13, 1835,
died in the Black Hills. February 24. 1891.
Our subject received the major portion of his-
education in Iowa, and when he arrived in the
Hills was occupied most of that time in hand-
ling stock, at first for his father, and then for
other outfits that ranged in those quarters. It
was as early as 1884 that he made his way on
out to Montana and at once engaged with one
of the leading cattle companies then doing busi-
ness here. For several years he continued this
line and then began raising stock for himself.
It was 1894 that he got started in business
and began to handle both cattle and horses.
From a small start he has continued in the
6l2
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
business till he has a nice lot of stock a good
ranch and owns an excellent range on Otter
Creek.
In 1896, Mr. Dunning married Miss Annie
Netterstrum, a native of Sweilen and who came
alone to Nebraska. Her father, Oscar Net-
terstrum, remained in his native country,
Sweden, till his death. To Mr. and Mrs. Dun-
ning two children ha\-e been born. Forest N.,
on October i, 1897, and Leslie Grant, on
October i, 1899-
GUS OLSON, born m Sweden, February
10, 1857, now resides on a fine farm four miles
west of Tony, Carbon county, on Butcher
Creek. His parents were natives of the same
place. The father, Benjamin, was a farmer,
and he came to the United States in 1873,
and worked for wages throughout several
states. Finally he came to Montana, dying in
Columbus in 1896. The mother, Catherine
(Person) Olson, died in Sweden.
In Sweden our subject was reared and edu-
cated in the public schools in his vicinity. He
accompanied his father to the United States in
1873, and in the state of Pennsylvania he found
work for wages. From there he went to Iowa,
and found employnient in the coal fields of that
state, and also of Missouri. In 1897 he came
to Carbon county, and here he worked in the
coal fields. Subsequently he secured a home-
stead on Butcher Creek, and at present rents
another farm in the same locality.
In 1878 he was married to Armenta Lacy,
a native of Indiana. She went to Iowa with
her parents when a young girl, and on attain-
ing womanhood, she was married in the Hawk-
eye State. Her father was Thomas A. Lacy
a native of Ohio, and her mother was a native
of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have
three children : Mary Elizabeth, wife of John
Plummer, living in Portland, Maine ; Guy A.
and Addie. Our subject has a brother, Ben
Olson, on the Rosebud river. Carbon county.
GEORGE W. ASH, deceased. The sul>
ject of this memoir was born near Hannibal,
Missouri, May 12, 1836, the son of George
and Naomi (Arterbury) Ash. George Ash,
the father, accompanied by his wife, removed
from Indiana to Missouri at an early day.
In the public schools of Missouri our sub-
ject received an excellent education, although
he was reared on a farm. His people were
wealthy farmers. Having arrived at man's
estate he continued agricultural pursuits, and
in 1878 removed to Georgetown, Colorado,
where he passed two years casting about for a
suitable location. His wife and three children
accompanied him, the oldest, Eva, teaching
schoiil in Georgetown while they remained
there. In 1881 our subject and his family,
with a team, came to Billings, or rather the
present site of that city, and soon afterward he
went into the butcher business, following it
about a year when he disposed of the same,
and ran cattle on the range. This business he
also disposed of and engaged in the sheep in-
dustry until his death, in November, 1897.
In 1858 he was united in marriage to Miss
Priscilla Turner, born near Hannibal, Mis-
souri. Here she was reared, educated and here
she was married. Since the demise of her be-
loved husband she has, in company with her
son, continued in the sheep business. She is
the daughter of Charles and Susan (Lear)
Turner, her father having been a native of
Virginia ; her mother of Kentucky, the latter
having come to Missouri in early days with her
parents. Charles Turner was a Missouri pio-
neer. He was a Baptist minister, and at one
period cut timber where the town of Hannibal
now stands. These were strenous times, and
he was compelled to go by flat boat as far south
as New Orleans for supplies.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ash were born two chil-
dren, James Ash, a stockman, now living with
his mother in Billings, and Mrs. Eva Garvin.
Mrs. Ash, the widow of our subject, is a
member of the Baptist church. Mrs. Eva
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
613
Garvin was tern in Monroe county, Missouri,
coming to Colorado with her parents, where as
has been stated, she taught school. She came
to Billings in 1881, or rather the site of the
city. At that period Custer county extended
west as far as Livingston. Although there
were few schools in the county. Miss Ash
taught the first one in this vicinity in a small
log hut about two miles south of the present
site of the city. In Billings she organized the
initial school by taking up a subscription. She
also taught this school, the first in Billings
proper, continuing the same two school years.
In 1883 she was married to Samuel Garvin.
Thev have one child, Priscilla Ash Garvin.
have four children : Jacob, Isabella, Tarval and
Emma.
JACOB SOLBERG, one of the industrious
ranchers of the Yellowstone Valley, residing
twenty miles west of Red Lodge, near the
mouth of Volney Creek, was born in Norway,
July 20, 1868. His father, Jacob Solberg,
born in the same country, was a farmer and
died in Norway about twenty years since.
The mother, Eldria K. (Ylerem) Solberg,
was born in Norway.
In the common schools of Norway our sub-
ject was educated, but at the age of twenty-five
years he emigrated to the Lhiited States, and
after his arrival came to Montana where he
located at Big Timber, and began working on
a ranch. It was in 1894 that he came to Car-
bon county, and here he purchased a ranch on
Butcher Creek. Five years later he disposed
of this, and returned to his old home in Nor-
way, remaining one year. On his second ar-
rival in the Silver State he bought a farm on
Red Lodge creek, but this he sold in 1903 and
purchased the property on which he at present
resides. It is a \'ery handsome farm.
In 1899 he was married to Inglebarg T.
Esresem. a native of Norway, and in which
countrv the ceremonv was solemnized. Thev
EDWARD McGEHEE, a westerner and
southerner in the full sense of the words, is
now one of the well known and highly es-
teemed men of Rosebud county and has paid
strict attention to farming and stock raising
since the day he first cast his lot in this country.
Born in Noxubee county, Mississippi, Sep-
tember 20, 1845, he was taken the next year by
his parents, Francis M. and Nancy (Perkins)
McGehee, to Texas where the father settled
near Austin and remained until his death. He
was a planter and a slave owner descended
from a long line of American ancestors, the
first of whom came to the New World in the
earliest colonial days, settling on Broad river
in the Oglethorpe colony, now Georgia. M^em-
bers of the family participated in the various
colonial wars and they have always been a
strong American family. Francis McGehee
had two brothers, John and William, who par-
ticipated in the Mexican W^ar.
Our subject was but a year old when the
family went to Texas and in that state he was
reared and educated. As soon as he was of
sufficient age he began work on the range and
soon had bands of cattle and horses of his own.
In 1869 he took a herd of cattle over the trail
to Kansas, disposed of the same and returned
to Texas. In 1880, Mr. McGehee rode horse-
back from his home in the south to Miles City
and viewed the country with the thought of
making Montana his future home. He re-
turned to Texas after satisfying himself that
this was a favorable place for the stock busi-
ness and in 1884, he brought a herd over the
trail to southeastern Montana, landing finally
in Custer county. He came with the inten-
tion of remaining in this state and two years
later he selected his present place five miles
6i4
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
southeast from Birney on Hanging- Woman
creek and began to permanently establish him-
self in the business. He has continued steadily
in his chosen work since and has met with good
success. Mr. McGehee is well and favorably
known all over the country and has hosts of
friends. He is a generous, hospitable and
genial man and wins the esteem of all who be-
come acquainted with him. During his career
he has never seen fit to enter matrimonial re-
lations, and is today numbered with the order
of jolly bachelors.
HON. ARTHUR W. MILES. Among
the builders of industrial, commercial and gen-
eral business in the state of Montana, the name
of Arthur W. Miles is to be placed foremost
and among the leaders, as his labors, so distin-
guished for method, wisdom, thorough exe-
cution and careful watching of detail, have
proved their sagacity and worth by the success
they have won, even in a state of pushing com-
petition and progressiveness. He entered pub-
lic life as an instructor in the public schools
of Westminster, Massachusetts, and after one
year resigned to accept the position of pay-
master's clerk in the regular army, being as-
signed to the command of Major G. W. Baird,
whose headquarters were at Santa Fe, New
Mexico, and a year later he was promoted and
transferred to Fort Keogh, Montana, arriv-
ing in October, 1880. Two years were spent
here and then he requested his resignation to
be accepted as he decided to try the business
world in preference to army life. Immediately
embarking in the hardware business at Coul-
son, Montana, then a flourishing- camp, he
removed thence to Billings and erected the first
store in that now thriving city. In 1882 he
entered into partnershop with A. L. Babcock,
the style of the firm being Babcock & Miles,
and the next year he opened a store in Liv-
ingston and later a branch store at Gardiner.
In 1886 they opened branch stores at Big Tim-
ber and Red Lodge and later one at Castle. It
was 1889 when Mr. Miles erected the three
story Miles block on Main street, Livingston,
one of the finest modern blocks in the eastern
portion of the state. Two years later the firm
dissolved, Mr. Babcock retaining the stores at
Billings and Red Lodge and Mr. Miles those
at Livingston and Big Timber, while the hard-
ware business at Castle and Two Dot, under
the management of P. H. Tooley was sold to
G. R. Wilson & Company, who continue the
business.
Mr. Miles has l>een president of the Liv-
ingston Milling Co. ; in 1900 he purchased the
extensive lumber interests of the Gordon Bros.
Lumber Co.. of Livingston, the same year pur-
chased the livery business of G. W. Wakefield,
engaged extensively also, that year in the man-
ufacture of brick, added a large harness and
saddlery shop to his farming implement and
hardware business in Livingston, all of which
important enterprises he personally supervised
and put upon their feet in running shape. He
is president of the Wylie Permanent Camping
Co., of Yellowstone National Park, is presi-
dent of the Thompson Mercantile Co., one of
the oldest establishments in the city and which
changed hands in the fall of 1905, is president
of the Livingston Fair and Racing Associa-
tion of Park county, and is president of the
A. W. Miles Mercantile Company of Clyde
Park, this state. His other interests have been
acti\ely prosecuted with vigor and ability, so
that they are all widening and enlarging con-
stantly while the scope of his operations in all
these varied lines is so extensive that one is
inclined to say that the executive ability and
sagacity are well nigh unlimited. In fact,
one can readily see from the foregoing that in
any line and in every line where there is a
chance to promote and develop industries for
the building up of his home county and the city
of Livingston, Mr. Miles has been aggressively
present to push and urge things along with a
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
skill and weight that have won him approba-
tion from the hands of all as well as rich finan-
cial returns in the various lines of undertaking.
Not a year passes but that his tireless mind is
active to bring forth some enterprise that will
add to the impetus of advancement. At pres-
ent he is contemplating, in 1908, the erection
of a building in Livingston which will have a
larger floor space for commercial purposes
than any other building in the state, bringing
the most of his department business under one
roof. He is owner and builder of the Post-
office block in Livingston, the finest in the city,
which, however, will soon have to surrender
that honor when his new block is completed.
Politically, Mr. Miles is a Republican and
has served his party faithfully and well. For
two terms he was mayor of Livingston and in
1904 he was chosen by the people to a seat
in the state senate, where he manifested the
same solid and stanch ability in legislation that
he has in the prosecution of private business
and was instrumental in the passage of various
beneficial bills. He was chosen president pro
tem of the senate at the loth legislature in
1907.
In addition to all the abo\-e, Mr. Miles has
served as vice-president of the Livingston Na-
tional Bank, director of the Park National
Bank, president of the Montana Implement
Dealers' Association, president of Livingston
board of trade, eleven years on county school
board, and in various other capacities, while
he has carried on an extensive stock ranch on
Shields river. He owns in addition to what
has been mentioned much valuable real estate
in Montana and other states of the Union while
his interests in many lines have increased man-
ifold.
In fraternal relations, Mr. Miles is affiliated
with the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks,
Woodmen of the World and is a shriner.
Reverting to the early life of our subject
we note his birth occurred in Westminster,
Massachusetts, June 20, 1859. his parents being
Daniel C. and Mary Jane (Puffer) Miles, the
former a brother of General Nelson A. Miles,
so long commander-in-chief of the army of the
United States. His paternal grandparents were
Daniel and Mary (Curtis) Miles, natives of
Massachusetts, as were also the maternal
grandparents, James and Lucy Puffer, descen-
dants of colonial stock. After a good training
in the public schools young Miles was matricu-
lated in the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham,
his native state, and graduated in the class of
1878. Then commenced his public career. On
December 19. 1885, Senator Miles was united
in the holy Ixinds of matrimony with Miss
Idella M. Draper, a native of Holliston, Massa-
chusetts, and the daughter of W. H. and Sarah
L. ( Perry ) Draper, descendants of colonial
ancestors. To Mr. and Mrs. Miles the fol-
lowing named children have been born; Louise
Gertrude, Daniel Xelsmi, Adena Josephine, and
Perry, the last named being deceased.
HERMAN KUJATH. Three miles and
one half north from Bridger is the farm of Mr.
Kujath and it consists of about one hundred
and fifty acres, is well watered from the irri-
gating ditch and produces abundant crops of
hay, that being the principal crop cultivated.
Mr. Kujath is a native son of Germany, the
date of his birth being April 7, 1876. His
father, Carl Kujath, was born in Germany in
1837 and followed farming and night watch-
ing. His death occurred in his native land in
1886. He had riiarried Miss Elizabeth Mainty,
also a native of Germany. She came to Amer-
ica about twenty years ago and died as the re-
sult of an injury received in falling from a load
of hay. Our subject received the foundation
of his education in the schools of Germany and
when ten years of age came to the United
States and began farming, having settled in
Minnesota. When twenty-one years old he
came on west to Washington and did ranching,
6i6
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
logging and railroad work. After that he re-
turned to Minnesota for a visit and finally made
his way to Montana. In this state he engaged
in sheep herding and later went into the sheep
industry for himself, having served an appren-
tice of two years in herding. For two years
he continued in this enterprise and then came
to Clarke's Fork and purchased the ranch
where he now resides. Since that time he has
given his attention to the cultivation and im-
provement of his farm and he has a good
place.
In 1903 occurred the marriage of Mr. Ku-
jath and Lola Steele, the wedding being at Hel-
ena. Mrs. Kujath is a native of Wisconsin and
her parents, Henry and Emma ( King) Steele,
now reside in that state. The father was torn
in New York state and the mother in Germany.
To Mr. and Mrs. Kujath two children have
been born, Margaret and Elizabeth.
CHARLES A. BURG is at the present
time the affable, efficient, and highly esteemed
postmaster of the town of Livingston and has
so discharged his duties in this capacity since
the time of his appointment, July 8, 1897. that
he has won the respect and admiration, not only
of the patrons of this important government
office, but of his superiors in the department,
as well, being now in his tenth year in these
labors. Few men in the county of Park are
better known than Mr. Burg and in as wide a
circle as his acquaintance occupies so widely is
he esteemed by friends, too. being a man, gen-
ial, sympathetic and kindly disposed to his fel-
lows, which qualities together with a sterling
integrity are bound to win friendships. Mr.
Burg is a typical son of the Fatherland, his
birth in Germany occurring in 1849. His edu-
cation was well looked after by thoughtful par-
ents and after completing the public school
course, he finished by a course in the military
academy at Frankfort-on-the-Main and then,
it being about 1865. he migrated to the United
States, St. Anthony, Minnesota, being his ob-
jective point. For the succeeding two years
he was in the quarter-master service in St.
Paul, alter which he embarked in lumbering
on the upper Mississippi. This vigorous cal-
ling was keenly enjoyed by him and he fol-
lowed it closely until the spring of 1876. Then
he began a study of the west with the result
that in the following August he pitched his
tent towards the setting sun and soon had jour-
neyed to Montana. Those were days of hostile
Indians, unoccupied ranges and weary freight-
ing, for Montana in the centennial year was
far from Montana of this day. The awfulness
with which the massacre of Custer had swept
the nation had brought Montana into promin-
ence, but a prominence that was unsavory, save
to a few brave and undaunted spirits, who
courted the scenes of rugged activity and the
dangers of the plains. For two years after this
Mr. Burg was contracting for the government
on the Tongue river and in the spring of 1878
sought other lines of activity. He is practically
a father of Livingston, as he was here when
it was called Clark City, a mere trading post.
He was soon installed manager for the mercan-
tile house of Orschel Brothers, continuing in
this capacity until the fall of 1887, when he
engaged in business for himself. Three years
he continued thus and was then appointed by
President Harrison as register of the land
ofiice at Lewiston, this state. Four years he
occupied this position and then returned to
Livingston to take up business life, which con-
tinued until the time of his appointment to the
postoffice, as mentioned above. Since that time
his services have been greatly appreciated by a
grateful public and he is known to be a con-
scientious and faithful oflicer of the depart-
ment.
The inarriage of Mr. Burg and ]\Iiss Cyn-
thia F. Weymouth, the daughter of Judge
Weymouth of Marshall. Minnesota, was con-
sunmiatedon the twenty-first day of June, 1880.
On April 4, 1901, Mrs. Burg died from pneu-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
6r7
monia leaving her bereaved husband and four
children.
Charles A. Burg married his present wife,
November 4, 1903. She is a daughter of S.
M. Fitzgerald of Gardiner, Montana.
SIVERT HELGELAND, born in Nor-
way, December 6, 1877, "o^^" resides ten miles
south of Absarokee, Carbon county, on Spring
Creek, where he has a fine and productive ranch
and is comfortably situated. His father, Sjur,
is a farmer in Norway, which is the country of
his nativity, and where he is still living; his
mother, Wolborg, is also a native of the same
country.
It was in 1900 that our subject first came
to the beautiful Yellowstone Valley, and here
he located in Carbon county, and has since had
no reason to regret his choice of a home. At
present he rents other lands aside from his
homestead, and is one of the successful farmers
of the vallev.
FRANK S. WHITNEY, deceased The
subject of this memoir was. in life, one of the
earliest of Montana pioneers and a man of
prominence, both in the territory and state. He
was lx)rn in Lorain county. Ohio. January
17. 1845, th^ s'^" of Henry C. and Elvira
Whitney. The father was a native of Mas-
sachusetts: the mother of the Empire State.
There were three brothers of the name of
Whitney who came from England to America
at an early day. John Whitney was the pater-
nal ancestor of our subject : Eli Whitney, in-
ventor of the cotton gin, was also a member
of the same family . The mother of our sub-
ject was of French descent, although the
family has been in America for many years.
.At the age of nine years our subject was
taken to Mt. Pleasant. Iowa, by his parents.
where he attended school until he was eight-
een years of age. He then enlisted in A Com-
pany, Forty-fifth Iowa Infantry, serving five
months. He made the trip across the plains
in 1865 with ox teams, going to Virginia City
(Alder Gulch), Montana, in 1866 and in the
fall of 1868 he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming,
where he achieved considerable prominence
throughout the territory. He was extensively
engaged in freighting- and employed a great
many teams running to Deadwood, in the
Black Hills, Dakota. While in Wyoming he
was elected to the legislature in 1873. which
was the third session since the admission of
the state. Finally he established a line of
freight teams from Fort Pierre to Deadwood,
South Dakota, which at that period was not
South Dakota at all. the state not having yet
been divided. In 1878 he resided at Fort
Pierre. At this time he owned one of the hea\--
iest freight teams on the route. It was in 1882
that Mr. Whitney came to Coulson, there be-
ing at time no Billings in existence. Finally
he settled at Junction, Montana, and here he
established a commission and forwarding
house, remaining there twelve years. In 1895
he removed to Billings, where he was called
from earth March 18, 1896. He was a mem-
ber of the last Territorial Legislature of Mon-
tana, was always a staunch Republican, and
a prominent leader throughout the territory
and state.
May 29, 1870, Mr. Whitney was married
to Orilla Karns, a native of Des Moines, Iowa.
When a little girl she removed with her par-
ents to Winterset, Iowa, going thence in 1863
with her parents to Denver. Here she com-
pleted an excellent education, returning to
Galesburg, Illinois, where she passed one year
in school. She went to Cheyenne, Wyoming,
in 1868, with her mother, her father having
died in Denver, January 7, 1864, and she was
there married. She is the daughter of Lewis
D. and [Martha K. (Gaff) Karns. the former
bom in Zanesville, Ohio: the latter at Xenia,
6i8
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
same state. Lewis D. Karns was one of the
pioneers of Iowa, going there in 1849. Two
children born of this union survive their fa-
ther, Ira Lewis, deputy county clerk, and Or-
illa Karns. Charles A. died August 12. 1905,
aged 28, and Elvira M. died in infancy.
JOHN T. LOGAN is one of the indus-
trious agriculturists of Rosebud county and
dwells four miles north from Birney. He has
a good ranch which he secured through the
homestead right and in addition to doing gen-
eral farming, he is raising horses and cattle.
In Hancock county, Illinois, on January
20, 1865, occurred the birth of Mr. Logan and
there he remained until the family removed
to Kansas in 1869. In this latter state he re-
ceived his education from the public schools
and remained with his parents working on the
farm until 1886, when he made his way to
the west, finally locating in Custer county
where he secured employment and continued
thus working for wages until he had saved
sufificient funds to warrant his starting in busi-
ness for himself. Then he sought out the
place where he now resides and took it as a
homestead and settled down to general farm-
ing and stock raising. Each year has seen him
a little farther ahead than the one past and
he is now doing well in handling his stock
and in ranching.
Mr. Logan's father. James D. Logan, is
a member of the old Kentucky family of Lo-
gans, but was born in Indiana. Later he re-
moved to Illinois and, as stated above, in 1869,
he went on west to Kansas and engaged in
farming. He was a participant in the Civil
War, being captain of an Illinois company
where he served with distinction until the
struggle ceased. He married Delila Sawyer,
a native of Ohio, who is now dwelling in Kan-
sas.
In 1902, our subject married Marie Foster,
a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and to
them has been burn one child, Agnes N.
GUNDER IVERSON HOINES, one of
the energetic and progressive ranchmen of one
of the finest agricultural valleys in the state
of Montana, now residing twelve miles south
of Absarokee, on Volney creek, was born in
Norway, June 22, 1861. His father, Iver Iver-
son Hoines, a native of the same place, when
a young man followed the sea for a living.
He married and purchased a farm, on which
he remained until his death. The mother,
Helga (Swenson), was born in Norway, where
she was reared, educated and married.
In the public schools of Norway he was
educated, and at the age of fourteen he went
to sea, which he followed about ten years.
He then went to Traill county. North Dakota,
where he found employment for wages. He
came to Meagher county, Montana, in 1888,
and after working for others he sagaciously
purchased some land of his own. In 1893 he
came to Volney Creek, where he has since re-
mained. Most of the time he has been engaged
in the sheep business.
March 8, 1899, he was married to Sophia
M. Ekle, a native of Norway, who came to
Montana about fifteen years ago. Her parents,
both natives of Norway, were Jacob and Olena
J. (Nelson) Ekle. She has five children. En-
golf Hagbart, Hjalmer Olinius. Gonval I.,
Sigur and Sidnev Robert.
JAMES KING,, who resides about six
miles south from Ashland, in Rosebud county,
is engaged in raising and handling stock and
is one of the few men who have spent the ma-
jor portion of their lives in visiting many por-
tions of the west in constant activity and thrill-
I ing experiences, to detail which would re-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
6io
quire a volume. It is our privilege to append
an epitome of his career and it is with pleasure
we assay the task. In far away Dover, New
Jersey, on May 25, 1848, Mr. King first saw
the light, being the son of Patrick and Bridget
(Munny) King, natives of Ireland. They came
to New Jersey in their younger days and there
remained until the death of the father in 1904.
Our subject was educated in his native state
and there remained until fourteen, when he
went to Pennsylvania and there learned the
art of shoeing horses, becoming expert in the
work. He also mastered general blacksmithing
and in 1867 came via the isthmus to California,
landing in San Francisco. Two years were
spent in working at his trade and in 1869, we
find him at White Pine, Nevada, where a min-
ing excitement was calling people. The next
year he left that camp and visited various other
places in Nevada, finally settling at Halleck,
where he engaged as blacksmith for the S. H.
ranch. In 1877, he left this occupation and
joined General Howard's military force that
was sent after the Indians, the Nez Perces.
He participated in all that thrilling cam-
paign and was at the Big Hole fight, continu-
ing all through the campaign. He was horse-
shoer and blacksmith. After the Nez Perces
were quelled, the army was stationed at Fort
Ellis, but soon was ordered to Utah. Thence
Mr. King went to San Francisco and worked
until the spring of 1878 when he came back
and was all through the Bannack and Piute
war, doing horseshoeing. After that he went
to Arizona and later to Wingate, New Mex-
ico, whence he journeyed to San Diego, Cali-
fornia, and finally returned to Halleck, Nevada.
All this time he was a blacksmith in the United
States army. Many and varied were the ex-
periences Mr. King passed through in all these
years of service all over the west and against
savages, amid dangers and enduring much de-
privation and hardship. In 1884, he deter-
mined to try Montana again and accordingly
came hither, engaging with the S. H. Ranch
in Custer county. For several years he was
with this company and during that time he
purchased stock for himself and finally took
a portion of the old S. H. ranch as a home-
stead and settled down to raising stock for
himself. Since then he has been engaged in
raising cattle and horses and has prospered in
his business.
In 1905, Mr. King married Lily B. Wiltse.
L. S. BADGETT. Montana is still a
new state in many things, and especially so
when one observes her vast undeveloped re-
sources that are evident on almost every hand,
but how much more was it new a score or so
of years since when the mammoth wealth that
is now being made within her borders was but
little dreamed of. Mining has played a very
important part in her growth, but stock rais-
ing is, owing to its more steady progress, on
account of which it is not so patent to every
one, one of the greatest sources of revenue to
the state and it is in this line that so many are
engaged today who came with little to start
with and were willing to brave the hardships
and discouragements that faced them on every
hand. Bearing up under these and forging
ahead because of sheer energy and determina-
tion, these same men iiave wrought out a mag-
nificent result in the total and have made the
state one of the best stock markets in the en-
tire west. Among these steady workers, we are
constrained to mention the gentleman whose
name appears above and who has so carefully
conducted his affairs that he has won the suc-
cess we all hope for, and which, in his case
is substantial and abiding Ijecause well laid
on a proper foundation and built with wis-
dom.
L. S. Badgett is a native of Kentuckv and
1866 is the year of his birth! His father.
Hardin Badgett, was a Kentuckian too, and
when a young man went to Ilhnois where he
620
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
followed farming until his death. He married
Miss Elizabeth Tatum, who died in Illinois
also. From the public schools of Kentucky and
Illinois, Mr. Badgett received a good work-
ing education and then, being eighteen years
of age, came on west to Wyoming, deter-
mined to find the fortune that waited for his
efforts. At once he took up the arduous life
of the cowboy and followed it steadily, riding
on all portions of the range. He came in due
time into the territory of Montana, landing
here first in 1889. Here, too, he continued in
the cattle business for various companies and
rode in all directions. Mr. Badgett knows
the country from actual experience in riding
in every portion of the southeastern Montana,
and finally, in 1898, he decided to go into busi-
ness for himself. He secured the ranch where
he is now living, near Ashland, a fine property,
and began improving the same, and com-
menced to raise cattle and horses. He has done
considerable ranching with his stock business
and is one of the prosperous men of the county
and has shown commendable wisdom in his
work which could but bring success which has
so abundantly crowned his efforts. He is a
man who forsees and plans accordingly and is
blessed with the ability to see that every de-
tail of his plans are carried out and every por-
tion of his business is handled with that scru-
tinizing care that wins the way to success in
every line.
In 1896, Mr. Badgett married Miss Carry
Lower, a native of Missouri and an immigrant
to Montana with her parents when a small
girl. Her father was occupied in ranching and
raising stock. To Mr. and Mrs. Badgett five
children have been born, Ina Elizabeth, George
W.. Ralph Thomas, Wallace E., and L. S.,
Jr. Mr. Badgett has a fine place, is a man
of intelligence and always manifests an inter-
est in the affairs of the community and state
that bespeaks the progressive citizen and loyal
American.
On the sixth day of March, 1906. Mr.
and Mrs. Badgett received a terrible shock as
their beloved son, Ralph Thomas was drowned
that day in Otter creek. He was a little past
five and it was a hard blow to learn the fact
of his death.
FRED GEISDORFF, a Montanian by
birth, the place of his nativity being Park
county, and the date October 13, 1871, at pres-
ent resides on a fine ranch one mile west of
Lindley, Carbon county. His father, Francis,
a native of Germany, came to Yellowstone
valley as early as 1866. At that period the
Crow Agency was on Mission creek, near Liv-
ingston, Montana, and he was the physician
at the post for many years. Later he removed
on to the ranch sixteen miles above Livingston
on the Yellowstone river, residing there fif-
teen years. Thence he went to Bozeman, where
he remained until his death. For a long period
he was the only physician in the country, be-
ing quite often called forty or fifty miles to
attend those who were ill.
With his father our subject removed to
Bozeman while the latter was a child, and
here he secured a good business education in
the public schools of that county. In 1892 he
came to Carbon county, and located the home-
stead where he now resides.
In 1894 he was married to Mary Bebee,
daughter of Horace R. Bebee, Ixirn in Catta-
raugus county. New York. Her mother, Or-
phenia (Wilson) Bebee, was born in Lincoln
county. Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Geisdorff have
six children : Florence. Francis, Frederick,
!\Iattie, Hazel and Annie..
GEORGE J. ALLEN has dwelt on his
pleasant farm about eight miles south from
Livingston for more than a quarter of a cen-
tury. He has shown in this long residence
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
621
that lie is a man of stability, energy and wis-
dom and the substantial exidences in lands
and other property manifest him a first-class
financier. His place consists of more than
tliirty-fi\e hundred acres, situated in a beauti-
ful valley and improved in excellent shape. He
handles some stock but pays much attention
to the production of the fruits of the field.
George J. Allen was born in Henry county,
^Missouri, January 19, 1844. His father,
George Allen, was born near Asheville, North
Carolina, and removed to Boone county, Mis-
souri, in 1834, and the next year he came on
to Henry county, being one of the first set-
tlers there. He located a farm and gave his
undivided attention to its cultivation and im-
pro\'ement imtil his death. His father, James
Allen, the grandfather of our subject, was also
born in North Carolina and came west to Mis-
souri the same time as his son and there re-
mained until his death. George Allen married
Miss Esther Mitchell, a native of Washing-
ton county, Tennessee. She was married in
the east and came west to Missouri with her
husband. Her maternal grandfather, Samuel
Doak, D. D., was a noted educator and
founded Washington College in eastern Ten-
nessee, being its first president. Referring
more particularly to the immediate subject of
this article, we note that George J. Alien was
educated in the common schools of Missouri
and in 1863 came west with mule teams to
Colorado. The next year he made his way to
the famous Alder Gulch and there mined
for a time. In 1865 we find him at Last
Chance, where Helena now is, and then in
Dry Gulch where he secured a claim and mined
for himself. In the fall of 1865, Mr. Allen,
in company with others, hauled lumber from
Helena to Fort Benton, constructed boats and
made their way down the river to St. Joseph,
consuming twenty-eight days in the trip. He
returned to the old homestead of his father's
and there settled down until 1880, when he
came west to Montana again and purchased
and homesteaded where we find him at the
present time. While in the east after his min-
ing venture, Mr. Allen married Miss E. J.
Fisher, who was born in Howard county, Mis-
souri, and came west with her husband in 1880.
Her father Jacob Fisher, was born in Augusta
county, Virginia, and came to Missouri in 1838.
He married, Jane Allen, a native of North
Carolina. To Mr. and Mrs. Allen, eight chil-
dren have been born, two of whom are living,
Elbert F., an attorney in Livingston, and Car-
rie E., a student. Mr. Allen is a member of the
Congregational church, while his wife afSl-
iates with the Baptist denomination.
HENRY J. GREENWAY, who is today
one of the well known and well-to-do sheep
men of the great state of Montana, having
won this position by virtue of his own merit
and energy, is a man who has faced the world
alone since the days of early childhood, and
who has learned by dear experience what it
is to make one's way alone in the world and
to meet single handed the obstacles and re-
bufifs that are so numerous in the self-made
man's path, and wdiich overcome, as he has
overcome them, so contribute to the general
strength of the overcomer and establish, broad
and deep, the very foundation of the success
so dear to all, and so usually won by the man
who travels this path. Descended from good
old English stock, he was born in Birming-
ham, England, on November 23, 1862. His
father, Henry Greenway, a talented physician,
came early from Birmingham, England, to
Brooklyn, New York, and there followed the
profession he had chosen. Later he went to
St. Louis, Missouri, and there continued the
practice of his profession until his death, in
1904. He had married Miss Elizabeth Horner,
also a native of England and now living in
St. Louis. Our subject received some train-
ing from the common schools of Brooklyn
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and then, being eleven 3'ears of age, started
cut west to try his fortune in the wild state
of Kansas. After attending school a few
months, he started to Indian Territory and
was engaged in transferring cattle from the
south to Montana, and until eight years since
he continued at that business. He was in-
timately acquainted with all the phases of the
stock business both in the south and in these
more northern climes, and was an expert in
handling stock. He was used to the rigorous
life of the cowboy, both on the round
up and on the drive, antl almost the
entire portion of what is called the range
country of the United States, has been tra-
versed by him in various capacities. Having
been a man who was careful of his money the
time came when Mr. Greenway was justified
in ceasing in the employ of others and start-
ing in business for himself. His ample and ex-
tended experience had abundantly fitted him
for this important move and the capital he had
secured was sufficient to enable him to start
sheep raising in good shape. He has met with
the success that always crowns wisdom and
care in this business and he has many bands
in diiYerent portions of the state. He has a
ranch about six miles southeast from Miles
City and another on the Powder river, and his
stock is centered around these branch places.
The increase and growth of his business has
placed him among the prosperous men of the
county and he has constantly many hands in
his employ.
It was a hard task to secure much educa-
tion while on the plains, but Mr. Greenway
had the faculty of making the most of his time
and when the intervals between drives were his
he made it his business to secure all the know-
ledge he could gain and the result is that he is
well informed and a man posted in the ques-
tions and issues of the day. Mr. Greenway
has never seen fit to take a partner in the life's
journey and so is still amid the charms of
bachelordom and is, withal, a man esteemed by
all.
GEORGE R. SIMINGTON. Born in
Toronto, Canada, September 13, 1858, the
subject of this sketch is at present one of the
prosperous and leading ranchers of the Yel-
lowstone country, residing five miles west of
Red Lodge, Carbon county. His father, Wil-
liam Simington, was a native of Ireland, com-
ing to Canada while still a young man, and
there engaging in the lumbering business. In
1873 l""^ removed to Clay county, Iowa, where
he followed the avocation of a farmer. He
passed away three years ago in Carbon county.
The mother of our subject, Margaret (Mc-
Cauley) Simington, was also a native of Ire-
land, where she married and accompanied her
husband to Canada. She died in Iowa.
In the public schools of Canada our subject
was educated, and he removed to Iowa with
his parents. In 1883 he came to Montana where
he for a time worked industriously in' Custer
county. In 1884 he came to Billings, and en-
gaged in freighting for H. Clark & Company.
His routes were between Lewiston, Fort Ben-
ton, Buffalo, Wyoming, and other points. From
Billings he went to Castle, again engaging in
freighting. In 1891 he returned to Iowa,
where he passed one winter and then came
back to Red Lodge. Since then he has re-
mained in this vicinity . He owns a fine ranch
and is surrounded by all the comforts of life.
In 1 888 he was united in marriage t o
Georgie Tunneclifife, born in Jackson county,
Michigan, moving to Montana with her par-
ents in 1885. They settled in Billings. Her
father, John, was a native of Michigan, and
his people came there from New York at an
early day. Seven years ago he passed from
earth in Montana. Mrs. Simington's mother
Mary (Thurston) TunneclifTe, was bora in
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
623
Micliigan. Her father came from England and
was a pioneer in the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Simington have two chil-
dren, both residing with their parents, Jesse
and Bertha, a school girl.
WILLIAM C. HUNTINGTON, a pros-
perous Yellowstone valley rancher, was born
at North Platte, Nebraska, June 27, 1876. At
the present writing he is comfortably located
on a most eligible farm on Blue creek, seven
and one-half miles from Billings.
The parents of our subject were Frank
and Emily (Wright) Huntington, the father
a native of Massachusetts; the mother of
Michigan. Frank Huntington removed to Ne-
braska at an early day and became one of the
pioneers of the state, where he grew to man-
hood, where he married, and followed
the avocation of a mechanic. He was called
from earth in 1893. It was while still a child
that the mother of our subject removed with
her parents to Nebraska.
Until the age of seventeen years William
C. Huntington remained in Nebraska, and it
was in this state that he received his educa-
tion in the public schools in his neighborhood.
Thence he removed to Wyoming where he
found employment as a cowboy, in which avo-
cation he became most proficient. Nine years
he remained in Wyoming and in 1897 landed
in Yellowstone Park, now famous as one of
the most magnificent national preserves in the
L^nited States. He worked assiduously one
season, thence coming to the city of Billings
and engaged successfully in the business of
breaking horses.
July 3, 1899, our subject was united in
marriage to Miss Ella Daylong, a native of
Missouri. It was in this state that she grew
to womanhood and received her education,
coming in 1898 to Montana. She is the daugh-
ter of James and Vashti (Hobbs) Daylong,
the father a native of Virginia; the mother of
Missouri.
DANIEL C. BEDFORD, one of the en-
terprising ranchmen of the Yellowstone val-
ley, now residing ten miles west of Fishtail,
Carbon county, was born in Clinton county,
Iowa, May 4, 1861. His father, Alfred, is a
native of Ontario, Canada, born near Hamil-
ton, in 1839. When eighteen years of age he
came across the line to the United States,
where he pursued the avocation of a farmer,
but is now living a retired life in Iowa. The
mother, Elizabeth (Conrad) Bedford, is a na-
tive of Pennsylvania, born in 1841, and mar-
ried in 1859. She is still living.
In the common schools of Iowa our sub-
ject received a good business education, after
which he pursued the occupation of a farmer.
At the age of twenty-five he entered the em-
ployment of the railroad service, the Chicago
and Northwestern, in which he remained one
year. He began working on a ranch in the
spring of 1887, and six years later, in the
spring of 1893, he came to the Crow reserva-
tion, and for one season traveled through the
mountains. The fall of that year he purchased
his present ranch, where he has since remained
engaged in farming and blacksmithing. Poli-
tically he is a Republican.
JOHN DAMM. Among others who have
materially assisted in opening the country now
embraced in Custer county, we would mention
the name of John Damm, who owns a ranch up
up the Pumpkin creek, some sixteen miles
southeast from Miles City. His birth occurred
in Germany, on February 23, 1844, and his
parents, Peter and Tressi Damm, were natives
of the same country and there followed farm-
ing until their, death. From the public schools
of his own land Mr. Damm received his edu-
624
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
cation and there followed farming until the
time when he desired to try the world for him-
self, when he decided to come to Michigan.
In that state he was occupied in the copper
mines until 1886, when he came farther west,
selecting his present place as a permanent
home. He at once commenced the work of im-
provement and building a home and since that
date he has been raising stock and doing gen-
eral farming, still remaining on the place he
secured on the first trip into the countn'. Mr.
Damm is handling cattle, but raises some
horses.
On August 6, 1881, Mr. Damm married Miss
Bertha Bohne, the nuptials occuring in Mich-
igan. Mrs. Damm had come from Germany,
her native place, to America with her brother
and was also with her husband when he came
to Montana. To this marriage were bom the
following named children, John, born in Mich-
igan, in 1882; Christina, born in Michigan, in
1884, and now at home; Mathew, born in
Michigan, 1886; and Tresa, born in Montana,
in 1888. On October 18, 1891, Mrs. Damm
was called from her home and family to try
the realities of another world. Her departure
was an event of deep mourning, as she was
generally beloved.
Mr. Damm is a man of industry and has
followed faithfully the work he has marked
out and is meeting with a reasonable success.
In politics, he is a Republican, but is not a
politician.
HON. WILLIAM F. MEYER is a native
of Ripon, Wisconsin, the date of his birth
being March 3, 1857. His father, George W.
Meyer, was born in the province of Hanover,
Germany, and in his native land married Miss
Bertha M. Wigginhorn, a native of West-
phalia, Germany. The paternal grandfather
of our subject, William E. Meyer, was a cap-
tain in the German army and served under
the renowned Blucher, with whose command
he was present and participated in the battle
of W'aterloo. George W. Meyer came to the
L'nited States in 1848 and took up his resi-
dence in Wisconsin, devoting his energies to
agricultural pursuits. In 1901 he made a visit
to the Fatherland and has ever been one of
the leading citizens of his present home place
since the early days of his settlement there.
Our subject is one of eleven children, seven
of whom are living. He received his educa-
tion in the public schools before matriculating
in Ripon college, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1882. He immediately came to Bill-
ings, Montana, and soon went thence to Park
City and opened a lumber yard, also taking a
homestead. There he resumed the study of
law, having previously taken a careful course
of reading in the same, and was admitted to
the bar in 1884. In 1889 Mr. Meyer removed
to Red Lodge, and has since been actively
engaged in the practice of law, being univers-
ally accorded the position of one of Montana's
foremost and most successful lawyers. In
partnership w'ith Messrs. J. W. Chapman and
and Paul Breteche, Senator Meyer engaged in
the banking business in 1895. Mr. Breteche
died in 1898 and since that time the institu-
tion has been known as the Meyer & Chapman
banking house, they being the sole proprietors.
In 1898 Mr. Meyer erected the fine building
where the business of the bank is now con-
ducted, where also he maintains his offices for
the practice of his profession. The banking
house of Meyer & Chapman has recently estab-
lished two branch institutions. One of these
is located at the new and thriving town of Bel-
fry and is a private concern, doing business
under the style of Bank of Belfry. J. O.
Higham is the cashier and is associated with
Messrs. Meyer & Chapman as proprietors of
the bank. The other bank is located at Park
City, and is organized under the state laws as
the Park City State Bank, with a capital of
$25,000. Both these branch institutions are
splendidly equipped with elegant fixtures and
WILLIAM F. MEYER
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
625
spacious quarters and enjoy a thriving and
promising business. Mr. Meyer, owing to his
recognized abihty as a financier, has the hand-
ling of much eastern capital for investment
and loans in the promising sections of the
state.
In 1895 ^^^- ^leyer was called by the
people to represent his district in the state
legislature, and so well did he maintain the
interests of his constituency that in 1900 he
was chosen a member of the upper house.
While in the house in 1895, Senator Meyer
introduced the bill creating Carbon county,
and notwithstanding the spirited fight against
it, he was enabled to secure its passage and the
county was organized, giving to Senator
Meyer the sobriquet of "Father of Carbon
County." As a member of the senate in
1900-1, Senator Meyer introduced and secured
the enactment of a bill to prevent the slack of
coal mines being dumped into streams; a bill
to impose a tax on live stock brought from
other states into Montana to graze; a bill re-
quiring the stock association to publish a list
of all strays. Also he secured the passage of
a bill allowing briefs to be presented to the
supreme court in typewritten manuscript as
-well as in longhand writing. This, however,
was later overruled by the court. Mr. Meyer
was chosen by his party as the leader of the
minority on the floor of the senate.
The marriage of W. F. Meyer and Alice
C. Adams occurred on July i, 1884, and they
have been blessed by the advent of one child,
William F., Jr., born March 26, 1899. Mrs.
Meyer was born in Ripon, Wisconsin, the
daughter of Thomas Adams, a native of the
north of Ireland, who settled in and was one
of the leading citizens of Fond du Lac county,
Wisconsin, until his death.
MARK T. NEWMAN, one of the promi-
nent and prosperous ranchers of the attractive
40
and arable Yellowstone valley, resides four-
teen miles south of Billings, up Blue creek. A
nati\-e Montanian is he, having been born at
Bozeman, April 2, 1877. Our subject is a
brother of Edwin Martin Newman, a sketch
of whom appears in another portion of this
work, and his parents were Orson N. and
Elizabeth Matilda (Tripp) Newman, the for-
mer a native of New York ; the latter of Can-
ada. The attention of the reader is directed
to the biography of Mr. Ed. Newman, in which
will be fouiid a description of the eventful life
led by the father of our subject. Mark T. New-
man.
When scarcely a year old Mark T. came
with his parents to Billings. Here he re-
mained on his father's farm until he had beached
the age of sixteen years. Lentil 1879 ^^^ ^o^"
lowed the exciting avocation of a cowboy, and
then went to Skagway, Alaska, a mild gold
excitement having at that early day arisen.
From Skagway our young pioneer won his way
to Dawson City by the aid of a dog train.the
earliest method of transportation over that
bleak country, which has since been spanned
by railway. For seven months he remained
in that arctic region, when he returned to the
Yellowstone valley, locating on the ranch upon
which he now resides. Since 1899 '^^ 1''^* been
engaged in the cattle business in which he has
been uniformly successful.
March 5, 1903, our subject was united in
marriage to Elizabeth J, Sheehy, born in Chi-
cago, Illinois, and coming to Montana in 1897.
She is the daughter of John C. and Kate (Mur-
phy) Sheehy, the former a native of Cork,
and the latter of Dublin, Ireland. The father
came to the United States when a small boy.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Newman, Walter Orson and Anna L. Frater-
nally Mr. Newman is a member of the Knights
of Pythias. Our subject has five brothers,
William M.. A. D., Edwin M., Charies H. and
Albert A. He has two sisters, Mrs. W. J.
Scott and Mrs. H. C. McKinsev.
626
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ELIAS FREMAN MaGEE, who is a de-
votee to the king of all trades, the blacksmith's,
is a well known citizen of Fridley and is en-
titled to be classed with the pioneers of Mon-
tana, for practically all his life has been spent
in the state and he arrived here before he was
able to speak. He was born near Salt Lake
City, Utah, in 1863. His father, Steven Ma-
Gee, a native of Vermont, came with his par-
ents to Ohio when a small child. As his par-
ents died while he was still yonng he was
bound out and had to early learn the hard side
of life. From Ohio he came west to Illinois
and in 1852 started west again, this time for
California. He was with an ox train. While
en route he met Mary A. Hall, who was travel-
ing west with friends. She was a native of
with her parents to America. They settled
near Council Bluffs, Iowa, and died when she
was still young. Then with friends she be-
gan the journey to California and when at
Fort Bridger, she and Mr. MaGee were mar-
ried. As Mr. MaGee was a sawmill man and
there was an opening for that business in Salt
Lake, he tarried there, and in fact, remained
there till 1863, the year he brought his family
to Alder Gulch, Montana. He at once engaged
in mining and remained in IMadison county
till 1883, when he remo\ed to Park county
and took up a ranch (in the Yellowstone near
Fridley, and here he remained till his death
in 1896. The mother still lives, being with
the subject of our sketch. When the elder
MaGee was dwelling in L'tah he had a great
deal of trouble with the Indians and on one
occasion they broke out the night his first
child was born. Later they burned his house
and all his property. When the family started
for Alder Gulch, Elias F. was but three weeks
old and the family of five children caught the
whooping cough and it was a weary journey.
At Fort Bridger they remained six weeks un-
der the care of the army physician. Owing to
the fact that they dwelt on the frontier all the
time our subject had little opportunity to go
to school and most of his education was gained
from his mother's teaching. When sixteen he
began to learn the blacksmith trade and has
followed it ever since. He has a shop and
some other property and is doing a good busi-
ness.
In February, 1884, Mr. MaGee married
]\Iiss Catherine Stockwell, the daughter of Ira
and Mary (Smith) Stockwell, natives of Ohio
and Pennsylvania, respectively, and early pion-
eers to Alder Gulch, Montana. Mrs. Magee
was born in Wisconsin and was seven years of
age when she came with her parents into Mon-
tana. The children lx>rn to Mr. and ]\Irs. IMa-
Gee are May, Eva, and Edna. Also, Mr. Ma-
Gee has one stepson, George Aheron.
The brothers and sisters of our subject are
Charles W., and Jennie Huston. The elder
MaGee was a veteran of the Mexican war.
Mr. MaGee has spent twelve years hunting and
trapping and has had some very interesting
experiences.
SAMUEL E. CLARK, residing on a well
improved ranch nine miles west of Fishtail,
Carbon county, up Rosebud creek, was born in
Marion county, Indiana, September 10, 1861.
His father Joseph, also a native of Indiana,
was born September 16, 1821. He followed
agriculture as an avocation, and with the break-
ing out of the Civil War he enlisted in the fed-
eral army, and served four years patriotically.
He participated in a number of desperate bat-
tles, such as Gettysburg, etc., was never
wounded, and was mustered out of service
with the rank of sergeant. Subsequently he
followed farming until his death. January 4,
1900. The mother of our subject, Eliza Ann
(Clark) Clark, was born in Indiana, Septem-
ber 15, 1826. She is still living with her chil-
dren in that state.
It was a common school education received
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
by our subject, antl at tlie age of eighteen,
1879, he was engaged in freighting between
Nebraska and the Blacl< HiUs. In 1882 he
came to Montana, but subsequently returned
to the Black Hills, where he remained four
years. In 1886 he went to the Crow reserva-
tion, Custer county, where he passed fifteen
years on a cattle ranch. Thence he removed
to Carbon county, and here he owns 160 acres
of excellent land, rearing cattle and horses.
In 1896, in Custer county, Mr. Clark was
united in marriage to Maggie Lynch, who had
come from Ireland with her parents directly
to ^lontana. when a young girl. Her father,
Patrick, came to the Lnited States in 1883,
and engaged in the cattle business in Custer
county, where he is s,till living. Her mother,
Margaret (Callon) Lynch, died May 26, 1905.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark have four children, Joseph
F.. Lena D., Ira G., and Minnie. Mrs. Clark
is a member of the Catholic church. Politically
Mr. Clark is a Republican.
JOHN D. COPPEDGE, a progressive and
enterprising ranchman residing one-half mile
northeast of Fishtail, Carbon county, was born
at St, James, Phelps county, Missouri, Octo-
ber 10, 1856. His father, George, a native of
the same place, was born March i, 1833. He
was a miller, merchant and farmer, and also
bought and sold stock. He died in 1870. The
mother of our subject, Polly Ann (Davis)
Coppedge, was born in Marie's county, Mis-
souri, July 2, 1834. She died January 17,
1867. She was married October 11, 1S53,
in Gascaonade, now Maries county, Missouri.
The brothers and sisters of our subject are as
follows :
Josephine, died in Missouri when one year
old ; Thomas, born in St. James, Phelps county,
Missouri, died in i860; Eunice Leora Bell
born May 8, 1864; James \Y.. torn in Phelps
countv, Missouri, coming to Montana in
June, 1884, where he died March 28,
1896.
Our subject was educated and followed
farming in Missouri, coming to Butte, Mon-
tana, in 1884. During nine years he had charge
of the roaster in the Lexington quartz mill.
Subsequently he was one and one-half years
on Trail creek operating a coal mine. Coming
thence to Carbon county he secured a home-
stead and engaged in farming and stock rais-
ing. He owns 160 acres of land and some fine
cattle and horses. Politically he is a Democrat.
On April 7, 1907, occured the marriage
of Mr. Coppedge and Miss Helen M. Patter-
son. She was born in Illinois, came to Kansas
City, Missouri, when young and tha'e re-
sided until her marriage.
JAMES WEST, one of the prominent and
leading ranchmen of the Yellowstone valley,
resides on an excellent ranch five miles west
of Fishtail, up Rosebud creek. He was born
in August, 1859. in Venango county, Penn-
sylvania. His father. Philander, was a native
of the Empire State, and by profession an
architect. He died July 2, 1905. The mother,
Sydney (Smith) West, a native of Pennsyl-
vania, died in 1876.
The public and high schools of Pennsyl-
vania afforded our subject the foundation of
an excellent business education, and this was
supplemented by a course at a Bryant & Strai-
ten Business college: and lectures at Hughes'
Medical College, Keokuk, Iowa, In 1879 ^^
went to Leadville, Colorado, and to Cheyenne,
Wyoming, the following year. One year he
passed on a cattle ranch, and in 1881 went to
Bismarck, Dakota, where on horseback he rode
over Custer's trail to the Little Missouri River,
and thence to the Stinkingwater. A blizzard
drove him back to Cook City, and then he be-
gan prospecting and mining in that vicinity.
Before there was any settlement to speak of he
628
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
rode through the country surrounding Cook
City, JNIontana. Subsequently he secured a
contract with the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. In 1901 he secured his present
homestead and is engaged in stock raising.
June I, 1904, in Carbon county, Mr. West
was united in marriage to Lottie M. Field.
They have one child, Ida Florence Field, born
in 1905.
Politically Mr. West is a Republican, and
for two years served as deputy sheriff in Cook
City, Montana, and for the same term was
constable. Subsequently to completing his con-
tract with the Northern Pacific Railroad Com-
pany, Mr. West secured a contract to put in
a flume at the Custer battle field, on the Little
Big Horn river.
HENRY A. BOHNE, one of the stock-
men of Custer county, dwells about sixteen
miles southeast from Miles city, where he owns
a good quarter section of fertile land. His
birth occurred in Germany, on April 15, 1842,
and his father, Captain Bohne, was a mason
by trade, which he followed in his native land
until his death. Our subject's mother is also
deceased.
Having studied in tlie common schools of
his native place, until he had secured a good
education, our subject then found employment
in the mines which business he thoroughly
mastered, and also did mill work. These oc-
cupations continued to demand his attention
until he was twenty-seven yetars of age, when
he determined to try the United States. He
accordingly sailed to the shores of the New
World and in due time came on to Michigan
"where he was but a short time in securing a
position in the Calumet and Hecla- copper
mines. For about seventeen years he was
steadily engaged in this work and finally he
decided that it was best to try his fortune in
the west. Montana was the place thought to
be the best and accordingly in 1886 he came
thither. After due exploration he concluded
to try stock raising and farming and so secured
a ranch, the place where he now resides and
at once gave his attention handling stock, prin-
cipally cattle, buc a few horses. This has oc-
cupied him since and he is one of the men who
have made a success of the business of hand-
ling stock, although he is not so deeply inter-
ested as some of those mammoth companies.
With his work of raising stock, Mr. Bohne
has not forgotten the part of the good citizen
and is a stanch Republican, taking an interest
in the elections and the questions of the day.
W. D. WHITE, a prosperous cattleman
and a Civil War veteran of distinction, resides
on Blue creek, si.x miles south of Billings,
Yellowstone county. He is a native of Wayne
county, Illinois, where he was born July 26,
1843-
He is a soldier and a son of a soldier, his
father, William White having been a veteran
of three wars, the Blackhawk, in a company
commanded by Abe Lincoln, the Mexican and
the Civil Wars. William, the father of our
subject, was a native of Kentucky, remox'ing
to Illinois at an early day where he settled on
a farm in Wayne county upon which he re-
mained until his death in 1883. In the Mexi-
can war he was in General Taylor's division,
in a company commanded by Captain Camp-
bell. During the Civil War he was second ser-
geant of Company H, Fifty-sixth Illinois In-
fantry. Following the close of the war he re-
turned to his Illinois home remaining there
until death called him thence.
The mother of our subject. Temperance
(Owens) White, was a native of Virginia,
coming to Illiiidis with her parents when a
mere girl, and where she was married. She
died in 1858.
W. D. White whose name forms the cap-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
629
tion of this sketch was accorded a poor chance
to obtain a liberal education. The schools in
his day and locality were primitive affairs,
the schoolhouse in which he received the rudi-
mentary elements of his education having no
iloor and was devoid of any of the modern
facilities of the present day. In 1862 he en-
listed in G company, Eighteenth Illinois In-
fantry, under Caption Hooper. He served his
time out in this regiment, re-enlisting in 1865
in D company, Eighty-seventh Illinois In-
fantry, and was mustered out in December,
1866. He participated in nearly all the prin-
cipal battles that accentuated that heroic strug-
gle for the preservation of the union, including
Fort Donalson, Pittsburg Landing, Fort Phil-
low, Arkansas Pass, Pea Ridge and the seige
of Vicksburg. In these engagements he was
connected with the Eighteenth Infantry, but
he saw. harder ser\-ice when with Eighty-
seventh ; was assigned more duty such as scout-
ing, and participating in two fights. He
was also a member of the famous Red River
expedition. Following the close of the war
he returned to Illinois, where he resided until
1873, going then to Butler county, Kansas.
Here he engaged in farming, but in 1877 he
removed to Pratt county, same state, and in
1878 went to Butler county, Missouri, there-
after residing in Missouri and Arkansas until
1883, when he removed to Garfield county,
Colorado, ranching in that section for ten
years. He then came o\erland to his present
location in the attractive Yellowstone valley,
being the first to settle on Blue creek.
In 1867 our subject was united in mar-
riage to EHzabeth J. Borah, born in Wayne
county, Illinois. She and her husband had been
reared in the same vicinity and played together
as children. The wife's parents were Samuel
and Malvina (Bradshaw) Borah. To Mr. and
Mrs. White have been l>irn three children,
Mary :\I., wife of A. V. Cardwell ; Bert B., and
Maud, wife of Martin Hogan.
G. W. WOOD has seen much of the world
and is one of the sturdy men whose efforts
have opened the wildernesses of the west to
the ingress of civilization and have done a noble
part in this work of blazing the trail to the
lands where wealth and happiness are the por-
tion of millions of American citizens. He was
born in Wayne county, Michigan, February
12, 1838, being the son of R. W. and Phoebe
(Dunn) Wood. The father was born in Ver-
mont and came west with his parents when
four years of age and settled in the wilderness
of Michigan. There he grew up, carved for
himself a farm out of the woods and tilled it
till 1852, when he removed his family to the
prairies of Illinois, where afterward, in 1859,
he passed from the scenes of earth to the world
beyond. His wife had preceded him by three
vears. She had been born in New York. Our
subject spent the early part of his life in the
woods of Michigan and came witli his parents
to Illinois, where he remained until 1866,
when he outfitted with ox teams and struck
out across the plains. He arrived in due time
the same year in Bannack and went to mining.
One year was thus occupied and he then began
to follow the various stampedes to the differ-
ent sections of the country, and so wandered
over vast portions of the west, leaving the
miner's trail in many places that had never
before seen the white man. In 1868 he passed
through Emigrant Gulch, and ten years later
came here to locate permanently. Here he has
remained most of the time since, and is one of
the well known citizens of Park county. He
has travelled all over the Rocky mountains,
north and south, and is well acquainted with
the different camps, both of early days and of
later years. Mr. Wood assisted to organize
the second branch of the Social Democratic
party, which is now called the Socialist party.
He has been chairman of the branch since its
organization and is well posted on the prin-
ciples of this party. Mr. W'ood was one of
630
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the first school trustees in his district and still
holds the office. He has some property in the
town and also owns some quartz claims that
have promise of excellent value. Mr. Wood
is one of those old timers whose experiences
are very interesting and entertaining, and he
is now enjoying life in the regions that were
wild and uninhabited when he first came to this
portion of the northwest, while his efforts are
well along with those who have made the
progress and improvements that are now in
evidence.
EDWIN MARTIN NEWMAN. Among
the oldest settlers of this beautiful valley is
the subject of this autobiographical sketch, a
prosperous and prominent rancher residing
two miles south of Billings, Yellowstone
county. He was born in Newaygo county,
Michigan, March 31, 1858, the son of Orson
N. and Elizabeth Matilda (Tripp) Newman,
the former a native of New York and the lat-
ter of Canada.
An eventful life was that led by the elder
Newman, Orson. Among the earliest pioneers
of Michigan, he removed there with his par-
ents when a child. From ^lichigan. in 1858,
he removed to Kansas, settling on the Little
Blue river. Only about one year he tarried
in this locality, going thence to Denver, Colo.,
and from there going, in 1863, by ox team to
the mining town of Bannack, Montana. This,
however, was not his ultimate destination, as
he soon went to "Alder Gulch," (Virginia
City), where he worked two months, thence
passing down the Madison river, about twenty
miles from Virginia City, which place was
afterwards known as the "Elkhorn Ranch."
Here he "farmed" and superintended a "road
house," as were the various halting places for
travelers then known in those early pioneer
days. L'ntil the latter sixties he remained at
this point, but thence went to Southern Cali-
fornia by ox team. He passed three winters
in this state and then went to Salem, Oregon,
for one winter. One winter he spent in the
Palouse country, Washington, the winter of
1 873- 1 874, which was an exceedingly hard
one. The following spring, together with his
sons, he worked in building the railroad from
Wallula to Walla Walla (the Hunt road).
At the time he had left California he had
exchanged his oxen for horse teams. It was
in the fall of 1874 that he returned to \'ir-
ginia City, but only for a short period, going
thence to Bozeman. Mont., in which \-icinity
he remained until 1878. On March i8th of
that year, he arrived on the Yellowstone, near
Coulson, now a "deserted village," having
been supplanted by the thriving city of Bill-
ings, one and one-half miles distant. During
all this extensive traveling the father of our
subject was accompanied by his family, com-
prising a wife and eleven children. This was
the first settlement on the Yellowstone ri\-er
in that immediate vicinity, and at a period
when there was no Billings. And it was near
this locality that the family finally located
permanently. There were eight boys and
three girls, including our subject. The latter,
in company with his father and a brother,
took a ranch, upon which the father remained
until 1896, when the spirit for further travel
took possession of him, and he went to Cali-
fornia, where he now resides, having traversed
the greater portion of the United States. He
never sought office, and although he was once
elected a county commissioner, he did not
serve out the full term. He is a man of ex-
cellent education and comes from a family of
western pioneers.
The mother of our subject was married in
Michigan, remaining with her husband in all
his peregrinations until her death on August
18, 1886. Edwin Martin Newman also
accompanied his father in his various travels
until the location in the Yellowstone valley,
in consequence of which he was necessarily
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
631
denied tlie privilege of educational facilities.
Despite this, however, he has managed to
acquire a fair education, which is accompanied
by sound judgment and business sagacity.
The first two winters on the Yellowstone, in
company with his brother Charles, he hunted
and trapped for hides. Money was a scarce
article in those pioneer days — so was work —
and it was only in this way that they were
able to obtain the means necessary for the sub-
sistence of the family.
In 18S3, August 1st, our subject married
Flora A. Ailing, born near Kickapoo, Kansas,
who had come, when a child, with her parents
to the Yellowstone valley. She is the daughter
of Edward and Eliza (Dean) Ailing, both
natives of Ohio. Her father was born near
Youngstown, and at an early day removed
with his family to Kansas. In 1879 the family
came to the Yellowstone valley and settled
near Park City, later going to Clark's I^jrk,
Carbon county, where he remained until his
death. To Mr. and Mrs. Newman have been
born five children, viz : Cora Edith, now
teaching in Wyoming; Berton E., Flora B.,
Ethel and Roy. Our subject is a member of
Lodge No. 953, \y. O. W.
CHARLES BOGGIO. Born at Torino.
Italy. ]March 7, 1857, Charles Boggio. the
subject of our article, at present lives on a
well-conducted and convenient ranch two miles
north of Linley, Carbon county. His father,
Alexander, born at the same place, was a
farmer. He passed away from earth in Italy
in 1905. The mother of our subject. Cath-
rina (Bertot) Boggio, was also a native of
Italy, and born near the birthplace of her
husband.
The education of our subject began in Italy.
To Carbon county he came in 1890, and here
he secured a fine homestead, upon which he
and his growing family now reside.
In 1881 . Mr. Boggio was marrietl to
Teresa Castagna, born in the same country
and locality as her husband. Her mother,
Anna (Martino) Castagna, was an Italian by
birth. Mr. and Mrs. Boggio have eight chil-
dren— Alex, Frank, Joseph, Peter, John, An-
nie, Alice and Evangeline.
JOHN DROSTE is one of the men who
have labored to develop the country in the
valley of Pumpkin creek, in Custer county,
and his labors have met with reasonable suc-
cess, as he is a man of industry and energy.
He was born in Germany, on October 7, 1840,
the son of Christ and Margarette (Beck-
mann) Droste, both natives of Germany and
now deceased. After receiving a good educa-
tion in the schools of his native country, our
subject was occupied in mining and mill work
until the time of his migration to the United
States in 1869. His objective point was
Michigan, and there he sought out the mining
portion, and was soon occupied in the world-
renowned Calumet and Hecla mines. For a
decade he was engaged thus, and in 1879 he
came west, deciding to view the west for him-
self, of which he had heard many good things.
He soon decided to cast his lot with Montana,
and selected a pre-emption on Pumpkin creek
and began the cultivation of his place and also
engaged in raising cattle and horses. After
he had pre-empted, he decided to homestead
his place, and did so, and now owns a cjuarter
section of valuable land. The period of Mr.
Droste's residence in Montana entitles him to
be classed as one of the early pioneers, and he
certainly has seen the wilds de\-eloped and the
prairies changed to farms and stock ranches.
In it all he has had his share and his place is
one that has been wrested by his own hands
from the wilds of nature, as the others are the
testimony of the arduous labors of the
pioneers.
Mr. Droste has never seen fit to desert the
(SZ2
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ranks of jolly bachelors for the responsibilities
of matrimonial life. He is in political belief
a Democrat, and has given a proper time to
the political questions, although in no sense of
the word a politician nor an office seeker. He
is counted one of the substantial men of the
vallev and has many friends.
WILLIAM B. NUTTING was born in
Doniphan county, Kansas, September 3, 1861,
and comes from an old Massachusetts family,
prominent on the Atlantic coast since the earli-
est days of colonial settlement. Dr. Lucius
Nutting, the father of William B., was a
native of Massachusetts. Being educated in
that state and at Knox college, Illinois, he
then studied medicine and graduated from
Rush Medical college in 1849. His attention
was given to the practice of medicine in vari-
ous portions of the west, including Illinois,
Kansas, California and Montana, in the last
three of which he was also engaged in mining
and agricultural pursuits. He now resides at
Bozeman, in this state. On April 24, 1849,
Dr. Nutting married Miss Elizabeth Allison,
a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania,
and the daughter of William Allison. Six
children were born to this marriage, Mrs,
Julia Cowan of Springfield, Illinois; Wilder,
manager of a coffee plantation in Mexico:
Lucius A., William B., Roy H. and Lillie,
residing in Montana. Mrs. Nutting died at
Bozeman, Sunday morning, October 6, 1901,
aged eighty.
Referring more particularly to our immed-
iate subject, we find he was educated in Kan-
sas, removed to Dodge City when fifteen, and
a year later went to Leadville, where he mined
for five years. In 1881 he came to Montana
and located on the Yellowstone, where he
farmed for nine years. At the end of that
period he sold and removed to the vicinity of
the Wyoming line, where he embarked in stock
raising, handling the best lines of sheep, horses
and cattle, inchuling the famous Shorthorns.
So well was he prospered that the industry
grew to large proportions and he organized the
Bennett Creek Sheep Company in 1886, and
managed the concern for three years. At this
time he opened a livery stable in Red Lodge
in connection with a lumber yard, and con-
(lucte<l them successfully till 1893, when he
sold out these interests and again took the
personal management of the Bennett Creek
Company, having purchased the entire stock
of that company. Four years he remained in
this capacity and then sold out entirely and
repaired to Red Lodge, where he opened a
real estate office, and since that time has done
an extensive business here. Mr. Nutting is
interested in the Bridger Lumber Company,
and in 1902 was instrumental with others in
promoting and organizing the Red Lodge
State Bank, he being installed as its first presi-
dent. April first of that year the bank opened
its doors for business with a capital of $20,000,
J. N. Tolman being vice president and L. O.
Caswell cashier.
Mr. Nutting has always manifested a lively
interest in public affairs and politics and in
1900 was chosen county commissioner and be-
came chairman of the board. Fraternally he
is connected with the Elks and Woodmen of
the World. The marriage of Mr. Nutting and
Miss Eva C. Sellers, a native of Kansas,
occurred April 9, 1888. Samuel Sellers, the
father of Mrs. Nutting, removed from Kansas
to Texas, and in 1880 came to Montana, locat-
ing on the Yellowstone, where he engaged in
stock raising. Mr. and Mrs. Nutting have one
.son, Roy Allison.
JAMES K. WHITBECK has resided
steadily in Montana since 1881, the year of his
arrival, and for nearly one-fourth of a century
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
633
he has continued steadily in the related occu-
pations of ranching and stock raising with
good success, being counted one of the sub-
stantial men of the section today. His place
is some fifteen miles southeast from Miles
City, up Pumpkin creek. He was born in
Pennsylvania, on the 19th of April, 1842. His
father, Gilbert Whitbeck, was born in New
York state in 181 3, and was a molder by trade.
He followed this business in Scranton, Penn-
sylvania, for years, and then quit, owing to
rheumatism he had contracted in his labors.
After that he did farming until his death in
1901, being then eighty-eight years of age.
He had married Miss Charlotte Moss, a native
of New York state, wdiere, also, their wedding
occurred. They went thence to Pennsylvania,
thence returned to New York and there Mrs.
Whitbeck died. Our subject was educated in
the common schools where the family resided
in his younger days, lieing much of the time
in Illinois. When the call came for men to
defend the flag, he responded and enlisted in
the Fifty-eighth Illinois, under General Grant,
and fought through the battles of Fort Don-
elson, Shiloh, Corinth, and then was trans-
ferred to the detachment under General Smith
which went up the Red river to aid General
Banks. This detachment consisted of 10,000
troops, and when they joined Banks they were
well worn out and poorly clad, so General
Banks put them in the rear. However, they
took part in the battle of Pleasant Hill, and
after that when they were passing through the
country. General Banks turned his command
over to General Stoneman, who in turn trans-
ferred it to General Smith, and while this
march was being made Smith's men foraged.
Later, when Banks assumed control, he caused
the arrest of General Smith on this charge, and
Smith's reply was that he had 10,000 commis-
sary sergeants in his command, and so the
matter ended. On their march they returned
to Yellow Bavou and there Ijurned nine sugar
houses. Being wounded here by a bullet
through his thigh, our subject was discharged
and returned home, and to this day he feels
the effects of the wound while walking. As
soon as he was able he re-enlisted, this time
under General Canby, and fought the last bat-
tle at Spanish Fork, and had they waited two
days, they would have heard of Lee's surren-
der. After this they started for Montgomery,
Alabama, intending to join Sherman, who had
invested Atlanta. In due time they learned
of the surrender of the Confederate leader and
they were stationed at Montgomery, where he
served his time out, then returned to Illinois
to take up farm work. Later he removed to
Iowa and there followed tilling the soil until
he came to Montana in the fall of 1882, set-
tling on his present ranch, where he has con-
tinuously resided since, engaged in raising
cattle and horses and doing general farming.
On December 30. 1866, ^Nlr, Whitbeck
married Miss Cornelia Hayes, a native of New
York state, and who came with her parents to
Illin(5is in early days. To this union have been
born the following named children : Peter,
December 8, 1867, at home; Guy, in 1869,
married and dwelling on his ranch near Miles
City: Viola, wife of C. W. Kelly, living in
Miles City: Dewella, wife of W. A. Shreves,
living in California ; Mary, wife of' Edward
Williams, living at Forsythe : Lottie, wife of
John Hollister, at Junction, Montana: Ed-
ward, married and living at Bee1>e, this state,
engaged in the stock business: Gertrude, de-
ceased: George, employed by the Bow & Ar-
row Cattle Company: John and Zonria, lioth
at home.
Mr. Whitbeck is a Repulilican and always
shows a keen interest in the campaigns. He
has met with reasonable success in his labors
in life, did well the part of a defender of the
Stars and Stripes, and has shown himself a
substantial pioneer, willing to put his shoulder
to the wheel to open the country and dex'elop it.
634
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DANIEL G. O'SHEA came from^his
native place, the county of Cork. Ireland,
where he was born February 6. 1863, to the
L'nited States, in 18S1, landing in New York
city. His father, Patrick O'Shea, a native of
the same county, has there passed his entire
life. Daniel received educational training
as opportunity offered, which at the best was
meagre, as he was born to the excellent for-
tune to make his own way in the world, and his
subsequent successful Iffe proves how well he
has accomplished that work. i
He soon made his way to Montana and for
a time was engaged in prospecting and mining
and in 1887 located permanently in Carbon
county. Being identified with the Rocky Fork
Coal Company, he filled successively the vari-
ous positions from the minor stations to that
of paymaster and bookkeeper, the latter being
from 1893 to 1899. His excellent services
earned him a standing with the company so
that at the last date he was installed as resi-
dent manager of the entire property of the
large concern, and since that time his talents
and time have been engaged to forward the
interests of the company and the results have
been gratifying in a ver\- high degree. He
has installed many impro\ements for his com-
pany, has erected a number of dwellings, owns
one of the finest brick blocks in the city, and
many are the enterprises that show Mr.
O'Shea to be one of the leading business men
of this section and deeply interested in the
welfare of his city, county and state. He is
president of the Rocky Fork Town & Electric
Company, was one of the chief promoters of
the Carbon County Bank, and has many other
important interests. Mr. O'Shea's residence,
located on Hauser avenue, is one of the espe-
cially attractive home places of Red Lodge.
From the day he landed in this country,
our subject has always had a true respect for
the dignity of honest labor and because of this
he has risen from the ranks of those in humbler
walks, being pushed forward by reason of real
worth and energ}', and today he has that
specially valuable quality and talent of wise
discrimination that enables him not only to
perceive value in character, but to assist his
fellows to develop and bring it forth. What
more worthy labor is given to mankind ? Thus
we find Mr. O'Shea genial, kind and a friend
to all, w-hile his loyalty to his friends and his
country have given him a very warm place in
the hearts of the people of Carbon county.
Mr. O'Shea takes an active and keen inter-
est in public matters and politics, yet he has
always refused to allow his name placed in
nomination. Once, however, during his ab-
sence, his party, the Democratic, nominated
him for the state senatorship. In 1900 he was
one of the presidential electors for his party.
In June, 1901, occurred the marriage of
Mr. O'Shea and Miss Eleanor Cavanagh.
Mrs. O'Shea was born in Ireland, the daughter
of Edward Cavanagh, who now resides in
London, England.
GRANT MILLIGAN, who is well known
as the proprietor of the Cottage Hotel in Frid-
ley, is one of the hustling young men of the
county and has made a very good record as an
energetic business man. He, like most of the
inhabitants of Montana, is native of an eastern
state. Iowa being the one, and Mount Pleasant
the place of his birth. This event occurred on
January 8, 1868, and his father, Samuel Milli-
gan, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Iowa
in early days and settled on a farm covered by
timber. He cleared 240 acres and there re-
mained until his death. He had married Miss
Elizabeth Williams, a native of Pennsylvania,
w'here she was married. She came west with
her husband and shared the labors and success
of his life in the Iowa home. Our subject was
educated in the schools of Iowa, and when
nineteen years old left home and came to Liv-
ingston, Montana. He soon_ found employ-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
635
nient in a li\ery l^arn and later he rode the
ranges. Soon lie rose to tlie position of fore-
man for D. P. Ranlxin, a large stock owner,
and for fonr years he held that position. In
the spring of 1893 Mr. Milligan went to rais-
ing cattle for himself and two years later he
bought a ranch on the Rosebud in Carbon
county. In 1898 he removed from that prop-
erty and returned to Park county, where he
engaged in contracting for three years. After
that he took charge of the hotel where we now
find him and in connection with the hotel Mr.
Milligan is conducting- a livery barn and en-
joys a good patronage in both lines of occupa-
tion.
In the spring of 1893 Mr. Milligan mar-
ried Miss Vertie Fisher, and they have become
the parents of three children, Ethel. Austa antl
Florence. Mrs. Milligan was born in Free-
port, Illinois, and came with her parents when
a child to Montana. Her father. Al Fisher,
was a pioneer of the state. Her home in Mon-
tana has always been in the vicinity of Living-
ston. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are well and favor-
ably known and handle a nice business at
Fridley.
SWAN Y(3UNC;STR0M. one of the
leading ranchers of the county of Carbon, antl
a popular citizen, born in Omaha, Nebraska,
November 7, 1871, at present resides on a fine
ranch three miles southwest of Linley. His
father, George, was a native of Sweden, immi-
grating to the United States while a young
man and locating in Omaha. In this city he
remained until his death. The mother, Carrie
(Bowers) Youngstrom, was born in Illinois,
moving with her people to Nebraska when
quite a small girl. Here she remained until
her death.
In the public schools of Nebraska our sub-
ject laid the foundation of a good business
education, and March 12, 1891, he came to
Retl Lodge and for a while worked for wages.
February 3, 1896, he made the location where
he nijw resides, a most eligible point, and since
then he has purchased another valuable ranch.
March 23, 1904, Mr. Youngstrom was
united in marriage to Miss Lucy Clear, a nat-
ive of Johnson county, Missouri, who had
come to Montana in October, 1903. Her
father, Thomas Clear, was born in Boone
county, Missouri, and was one of the earliest
settlers of the state. He came from Kentucky.
Her mother. Mary (Adams) Clear, was born
in Johnson county, Missouri, her father being,
also, one of the pioneers of the state.
BEN HOGAN. Fifty years ago, January
22. 1856, the subject of this sketch was born
in Norway. He at present resides three and
one-half miles west of Billings in one of the
most fertile portions of the Yellowstone valley.
His parents were Hans and ^Martha (John-
son) Hogan. The father, a native of Nor-
way, came thence to Minnes(ita. This was in
1880. In that state he purchased a small farm
which he successfully cultivated until his
death, which occurred in 1902, October 31st.
He was born in 181 7, and was at the time of
his decease eighty-five vears of age. The
mother of our subject came to the United
States with her husband and is at present liv-
ing with her son near Billings, hale and
hearty at the advanced age of eightv-five
years.
It was in Norway that Ben Hogan received
a good common school education, and, on at-
taining his majority he came across the water
and located at first in Minnesota. Here he
remained only about one year and then came
to Montana, where he secured a homestead, on
which he now lives, and is numbered among
the earliest settlers in this locality. Even after
Mr. Hogan had taken his homestead he found
I it necessary to work for wages, which he did
636
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
industriously and at last achieved the success
due to merit and hard labor. At present he
has a fine ranch of one hundred and sixty acres
of land, all under a practical system of irriga-
tion and nearly all of this property arable land
susceptible of the highest state of cultivation.
December 28, 1903, Mr. Hogan was united
in marriage to Anna Schubert, a native of
Germany. At the early age of six years she
had come to the United States with her par-
ents, who at first settled in Nebraska, and here
she lived ten years, removing to Sheridan,
Wyoming, when sixteen years of age, when
she was united in marriage to the subject of
our sketch. She is the daughter of Henry and
Amelia Schubert, both natives of Germany.
Their union has been blessed with two chil-
dren, Amelia and Benjamin Harrison. ^Ir.
and Mrs. Hogan are both devout and con-
sistent members of the Lutheran church.
FRANK STRIDER. The subject of this
sketcli was born in Allegheny county, Penn-
sylvania, April 5, 1853, and now resides on an
eligible ranch near Linley, Carbon county,
Montana. His father, Henry, was a nati\e of
Germany, locating in the Keystone State when
a young man, and where he remained until his
death. The mother, Mary Elizabeth (Greav-
er) Strider, was of German birth, emigrating
to the United States with her husband.
In the public schools of Pennsylvania our
subject received his earlier education. At the
age of 23 he enlisted in the army to fight the
Sioux Indians. He went to St. Louis, and
from there with five hundred others to Fort.
Lincoln, Dakota, where he was assigned to
the Seventh Cavalry, regular army. These
troops marched against the Indians under
Colonel Sturges. In many of the subsequent
Indian battles he was a participant. He was
in the fight in which Chief Joseph and his
warriors were captured. After he was mus-
tered out of the service he passed two years
in the Big Horn mountains, thence coming to
Livingston, ^Montana. This was in 1883. In
1895 ^""^ came to his present location.
CHAUNCEY R. WEAVER, residing
five miles southeast from Miles City on a fine
farm, is one of the prosperous men of this por-
tion of the state and is to be numbered among
the builders of Montana inasmuch as he has
wrought here with display of energy and wis-
dom for about one-quarter of a century. His
farm consists of one quarter section, mostly
all under the ditch, well improved and supplied
with all that a modern dairy and stock ranch
should have, besides four hundred and eighty
acres of grazing land utilized for his bands of
cattle and horses. Withal, Mr. Weaver is a
man of progressiveness and practicality and
has displayed qualities of worth in his- labors
here and in winning the success that has at-
tended his career.
Mr. Weaver is a nati\-e of Mercer county,
Illinois, and August 26. 1859, is the date of
his birth. His father, George Weaver, was
born in Ohio, on a farm, but soon moved to
Illinois. He was engaged in the coal mines,
being foreman. In 1877, the days of danger
from Sioux Indians, he came west to the Black
Hills, Dakota, and spent some time prospect-
ing, after which he took contracts of furnish-
ing wood for the mills. In 1881 we see him
in Miles City, and here he operated a coal
mine. Subsequent to this he went to ranching
and followed that till the time of his death.
His widow, Alice ( Ross ) Weaver, is still liv-
ing in Miles City.
From the schools of his native state
Chauncey R. received a good working educa-
tion and there remained, engaged on the farm
and in the coal mines until 1879, when he came
to the Black Hills and spent some time with
his father in prospecting and alsi> hunted buf-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
637
falo one winter between IMiles City and the
Hills. Then he came on to Miles City, and
here was engaged in mining- coal and retailing
it in Miles City. It was 1882 that he came
hither and after some time in the coal work
he was occupied in operating a dairy, which
with ranching and handling stock has occu-
pied him since.
In 1888 Mr. \\'eaver married Miss Emma
Henning, a native of Minnesota and an immi-
grant to Montana with her parents in 1879.
Her father, Fred Henning, was bom in Ger-
many, came to the United States when twenty-
eight, and after some time spent in Minnesota,
came to Montana, and here followed farming
until his death in 1894.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Weaver
are named as follows : Ernest, November 9,
1888; Fred, November 15,- 1889; Elmer B.,
April I, 1891 ; Hal, January 21, 1893; Ches-
ter, May 27, 1895; Hobart, January 11, 1897;
Carter, January 25, 1900; Theodore, January
13, 1902, and Alice, October 5, 1904. The
first three named are attending school in Miles
City, and all the children w-ere born in Mon-
tana. Mr. Weaver is a good Republican and
is a man of excellent standing.
SANFRID RENLUND, one of the lead-
ing and prominent Finns of Carbon county,
residing on a fine ranch two miles west of
Linley, was born in Finland, December 14,
1873. His father, John, was born at Wasa,
Finland, and was a farmer. Twenty years ago
he came to the United States, residing for a
while in California, thence coming to Mon-
tana. He now has a profitable ranch three
miles from Red Lodge. The mother died
when our subject w'as a small child.
It was in Finland that our subject received
his education, and at the age of eighteen he
came to Red Lodge, where he found employ-
ment as a clerk in a store. Subsequently he
went into the mercantile business on his own
account. Five years since he secured a home-
stead, upon which he now lives.
In 1893 l''^ '^^■'^s married to Amanda
Takala, her father being a native of Finland.
She has one child, Ellen. Our subject is a
member of the Masonic Lodge at Red Lodge
and has learned to read and write the English
language fluently. He is a progressive, broad-
minded and liberal citizen.
JOHN S. STEWART. Ten years ago
(written in 1906) the subject of this auto-
biographic sketch came to Montana and settled
in the attractive valley of the Yellowstone,
three miles west of Billings. Ontario, Canada,
is the place of his nativity, where he was born
February 22, 1872.
His father, James Stewart, was born in
Northumberland county, Canada, where he
followed the vocation of a farmer. The pater-
nal grandfather of our subject. Benjamin
Stewart, was a native of Ireland, coming to
Canada when quite a young man. John S.
Stewart's mother was Margaret (Steele)
Stewart, a native of Ontario, where she re-
mained until her death. Her father, John
Steele, was a native of Scotland ; her mother,
Mary A. (Elmhirst) Steele.
It was in Canada that John S. Stewart
received his early education, attending the
common schools and working on his father's
farm, where he remained until 1896. Here
he at first worked for wages for various part-
ies in the vicinity in which he resided, which
was Billings. It was in 1900 that Mr. Stewart
purchased the farm where he now lives. It
consists of one hundred and sixty acres of
excellent land, all under a good system of
irrigation.
In 1899 our subject was married to
Frances McDonald, a native of Ontario, Can-
ada. She is the daughter of James and Mary
638
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Ann ]\IcDonald, the latter a native of Ontario,
but of Irish ancestr)-. James McDonald is
still living in Ontario. The marriage of Mr.
and Mrs. Stewart has been blessed by two
children, Margaret Ellen and James T. Fra-
ternally Mr. Stewart is an active and highly
esteemed member of the Society of Yeomen.
As a reward of his energy and industry Mr.
Stewart has accumulated around him a fine
property, which is worked by up-to-date meth-
ods and located in a most eligible portion of
the state. He has sixty-five cattle and holds
stock in the Billings creamerv.
JOHN KIMES is one of the pathfinders
of the west and his has been an experience rich
in all those incidents and labors which combine
in the pioneer's life in such an unique manner
on the plains and the ranges of the west. At
the present time he is residing on his ranch,
eleven miles southeast from Miles City, and is
engaged in the stock business in partnership
with W. E. Harris, handling cattle mostly.
Our subject was born in McLean county,
Illinois, in 1855, ^^'^^ ^O" o^ Amos and Jane
(Hunter) Kimes, natives of Pennsylvania and
Indiana, respectively. The father followed
canal work in his native state and other por-
tions of the east, being foreman of a crew, but
finally came west to Ohio, thence to Illinois
and finally decided to settle down to farming.
This he followed until his death, a short time
before the war. The mother was married in her
native state and came to Montana with the son
of whom we speak in 1880, and here remained
until her death in 1903. From the common
schools of his native state our subject received
his education and followed farming until he
came west in 1880. His route was over the
Union Pacific, and for two years, just at what
portion of his life, we are not told, Air. Kimes
was occupied in hunting buffalo on the plains.
However, he became an expert Nimrod and
was a man well acquainted with the frontier
life. He went first to Helena and thence made
his way by teams to Miles City, landing here
on April ist, 1880. He at once became inter-
ested in the cattle business and began to search
for an opening. He soon purchased a band of
cattle and located on the Tongue river, being
one of the very .first in that business here.
From that time to the present he has been
steadily handling stock, and is one of the skill-
ful stockmen of the state. ]\Ir. Kimes has
ridden the range from Texas to the Yellow-
stone and has, for himself and for others,
handled 20,000 and more cattle. In addition
to the stock he has. he owns thirty-four acres
of land, practically in Miles City, which is very
valuable..
In February, 1882, Mr. Kimes married
Miss Brydia E. Fitzgerald, the wedding occur-
ring near Pontiac, Illinois, in which state she
was born. In 1904 Mr. Kimes was called on
to mourn the death of his beloved wife, who
had trodden the pilgrim way with him for
many years. She was deeply mourned by all
who knew her, and leaves, besides her hus-
band, the following named children : George
H.. born in Montana in 1885, and a graduate
of the commercial department of the Northern
Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, Indi-
ana; Edith F., bom in Montana in 1888 and
now attending college at Notre Dame, Indi-
ana; and Chester J., born in Montana in 1896
and now attending school in Miles City. The
eldest child born to i\Ir. and Mrs. Kimes,
Nettie E., is deceased. Mr. Kimes lias sought
and is endeavoring to give each child a first-
class education and he has great reason to take
pride in the achievements of his children, who
are very studious and talented. His eldest son,
George H., is associated with his father in the
conduct of the stock and the business and is
bidding fair to be at no distant day one of
Alontana's leading citizens.
In political affairs Mr. Kimes is allied with
the Republican party, and he is a man who
manifests a deep interest in all things that are
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
639
fur the upbuilding of the country. A residence
of one-fourth of a century and more fits him
to speak of the development of the country, as
he has seen it all since coming here and has
aided materially in the good work.
EDWIN C. RUSSELL, one of the pro-
gressive and leading ranchmen of the far-
famed Yellowstone valley, born at Harrison-
ville, Ohio, February 7, 1862, resides on a fine
farm four miles west of Tony, Montana. His
father, Francis C. Russell, a native of New
Hampshire, was born in 1831, and removed
to Ohio with his parents while a lad. In the
Buckeye State he was reared and educated, and
employed his time farming. With the break-
ing out of the Civil War he enlisted in the
Thirtieth Ohio Infantry, in which he served
until the fall of Vicksburg, when he was trans-
ferred to the Fifth Ohio Cavalry. He enlisted
as a private, but held the rank of captain at
the time he was transferred. Later he attained
the rank of major, and was transferred to the
Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. He
served until the declaration of peace. Follow-
ing this he studied law and was admitted to
practice in partnership with his brother
(Daniel A.), in Meigs county, Ohio. He re-
mains still in the practice of law in the same
place, and has achieved great distinction in his
profession. He was appointed judge of the
district court, and later was elected a member
the state legislature two or three terms. Orig-
ginally his family came to the United States
from England in the colonial days, settling in
Massachusetts. They were quite prominent in
the colonial wars.
The mother of our subject, Mary (Martin)
Russell, was Ijorn near Charlestown, \'irg-inia,
going to Ohio with her parents in the early
days. Her family came from Ireland.
The education of our subject was received
at ^liddleport, Ohio. He came to the Gallatin
valley, Montana, in 1881, and in February of
the succeeding year, to the Yellowstone valley,
where he rode the range. For six years he
worked for the Stoi-y outfit, and then for an-
other year for the Seven R Company. He was
in charge of the outfit subsequently. He then
entered the livery business at Red Lodge, and
after one year was appointed stock inspector
for the Yellowstone valley. He came to his
present location in 1893. In April, 1903, he
was appointed forest supervisor, holding that
responsible position ever since.
In 1889 our subject was married to Mary
Murray, born in Melrose, Massachusetts.
\\'hen I J years of age she came to Montana
with her parents, Michael and Sabina (Mc-
Keown) Murray. Air. and ]Mrs. Russell have
seven children, Mary, Lewis, Lelia. Charles,
Francis, Edna and Theodore. Politically Mr.
Russell is a staunch Republican.
JAMES M. BURNETT, one of the lead-
ing- ranchers of the Yellowstone valley, located
on a finely improved farm one mile west of
Linley, Carbon county, was Ixirn in Ontario,
Canada. His father, John, a native of the
same province, is still living, and is a farmer
in Ontario. His father came from Ireland.
The mother of our subject, Margaret (Shaw)
Burnett, was also a native of Ontario, her
parents coming from Scotland.
At the age of 17, 1886, our subject came
to Fort Benton, Montana, where he worked
his way over on to the Musselshell, and where
for about ten years he found employment as a
cowboy. He was with the Willard Live Stock
Company fi\'e years, and worked for another
company for alxjut five years longer. In 1895
he came to Carbon county and settled on land
upon which he now resides.
In 1892 our subject was united in marriage
to Louise Gesdorff, born in Bozeman. Mon-
tana. Her father, Francis Gesdorff, was a
640
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
pioneer of the Silver State. Mr. and Mrs.
Burnett have one child, ]\Iargaret. Our sub-
ject, fraternally, is a member of the ^^lasonic
order. In politics he is a Republican.
CHARLES KOCH of the firm of Koch &
Company, cement contractors, Billings, was
born in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit county, Ohio,
November 28, 1871, the son of Henry and
Margaret (Bauer) Koch, natives of Germanv.
The father is a patriotic veteran of the Civil
War, and resides at Sandusky, Ohio. When
seven years of age the mother came to the
United States, dying in 1900, at Butte,
IMontana.
Our subject was reared principally in
Cleveland, where he attended the public schools
and made the best* use of the advantages at
hand. Later for about one year he was on a
farm and subsequently engaged in the butcher
business. When si.xteen years of age our sub j ect
became desirous of obtaining a knowledge of
some mechanical trade, and consequently he
worked at odd spells in many of the Cleveland
factories. This continued for about a year, he
then returning to the meat business. Subse-
quently in company with a lx>y of his own age
he launched into the poultry business on a
capital of $65. At the end of the first month
they had accumulated $500 in the bank. Pros-
perity proved too much and at the end of the
second month they were out of business. In
1892 Mr. Koch came to Butte, Montana, still
following the butcher's trade, after a few
months' prospecting in the mines. In 1893
he came to Billings. After a short period
of ranching he moved into town and went into
the cattle business and general contracting and
excavating. In partnership with Edward
Schwartz, in 1903, he began to manufacture
artificial building stone and various kinds of
concrete and cement work. In 1905 our sub-
ject purchased the interest of his partner, but
still conducts the business under the old name.
For the past two years he has had the city
contract for all street crossings.
Mr. Koch is a single man at the date of this
writing. Politically he is quite liberal, but
not active in campaigns. Fraternally he is a
member of the Royal Highlanders, Sons of
Herman, Independent Order of Red Men, and
Mountaineers. He has one brother, Harry,
in Cleveland, Ohio, and one sister, Mrs. Ella
Houlihan, of Billings. He is a prosperous and
well-to-do citizen and is esteemed by all friends
and acquaintances.
Mr. Koch employs at this time forty-five
men and at times this number is greatly in-
creased.
WALTER R. WESTBROOK, born
in Pennsylvania, July 12, 1868, is a gen-
eral merchant and leading citizen of the
city of Laurel, Yellowstone county, Mon-
tana. His father, Jacob, also a native
of the Keystone State, came from an
old American family, and was a farmer.
His mother, Angle M. (Button) Westbrook,
was also born in Pennsylvania ; her parents in
Vermont.
Until the age of 16 our subject was reared
in Pennsylvania, attending the public schools
and the State Normal at Mansfield. When 16
years of age he engaged in the mercantile busi-
ness, opening a clothing store, which enterprise
he conducted four years. Disposing of this
business he went to Lockport, New York,
where he engaged in the same line three years,
and was then eleven years on the road as a
commercial traveler, selling clothing for H. H.
Cooper & Company, of Utica, New York. He
then opened a retail clothing store at Char-
lotte, conducted the same two years, disposed
of the enterprise and came to Laurel in Janu-
ary. 1 901. He purchased a lot and erected a
two-story, 30x80 frame building, and engaged
in his present business. He carries about $15,-
CHARLES KOC
WALTER R. WESTBROOK
WILLIAM W. WOLFF
JOHN L. MARYOTT
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
641
000 worth of stock, and lias a large warehouse
36x110.
July 12. I goo, our suhject was married to
Henrietta B. Messersmith, born in Pennsylva-
nia. The ceremony was solemnized at Niag-
ara Falls. Her father. George, is a native of
Germany, and resides at Laurel. Her mother
was born in Burlington, low^ and is still liv-
ing. Mr. Westbrook has one brother and one
sister: Elroy D., of Olean, New York, .and
Mrs. Anna Strait, living at Mansfield,
Pennsylvania.
Fraternally he is a member of Ivy lodge.
No. 397, F. & A. M., Elmora Chapter, No.
42, R. A. M., St. Omers Commandery, No. 19,
of Elmira, New York, and the M. W. of A.,
of Laurel. Politically he is a Republican. He
is president of the Laurel Realty Company and
is interested in stock raising. At present he
owns 1,000 acres of land under irrigation. He
recently sold 640 acres to the Laurel Realty
Company. He is the president and moving
spirit as well as organizer of the Laurel State
Bank.
Mr. Westbrook recently erected a two-
story brick on Main street, the first floor of
which is occupied by the bank. The bank is
in a thriving condition, has a paid-up capital of
twenty-five thousand dollars and some of the
stanchest business men for its managers.
WILLIAM W. WOLFF, who now dwells
about eight miles south from Brandenburg, in
the Tongue river valley, being in the eastern
portion of Rosebud county, was born in De-
troit, Michigan, August 19, 1856. His fa-
ther, Charles WolfT, was born in Germany and
came to Michigan when a young man. He had
been thoroughly educated and was holding a
government position as superintendent of
schools when he decided to come to the United
States. Resigning this, he journeyed to Michi-
gan and there took up farming. In 1886 he
removed to Michigan City, Indiana, where he
resided until his death in 1906. His wife,
Mary (Heldrick) WoliT. a native of Germany,
had died two years before his demise. He was
a man of powerful intellect, well trained by
liberal education, and was a leader.
Our subject was educated first in the
schools of Detroit, and later went to Michigan
City where he was engaged in farming. In
1876 Mr. Wolff determined to try the west
and so made his way to Bismarck, Dakota,
whence he went to Black Hills, which was a
mecca of travel at that time, owing to the dis-
covery of gold there a short time previous. He
saw an opening in the freighting business and
soon had a good outfit and was transferring
all kinds of freight from Bismarck to Dead-
wood and Crook City. It was a very arduous
and hazardous business, owing to the many
things to contend against. In the first place
the Dakota blizzards were enough to frighten
an ordinary person from the undertaking, and
then, too, the savage Sioux Indians were con-
stantly harrassing the whites and killing when-
ever it was in their power. Despite all this,
however, Mr. Wolff pushed ahead and did a
fine business. For four years he continued in
this business and finally decided that he had
sufficient capital to embark in the stock busi
ness, which had been his primary object in
coming west. He invested and started in bus-
iness near Bismarck and all went well till one
season a gorge was formed in the Missouri by
the outgoing ice and so quickly did this dam
raise the water that in a few minutes the water
was sweeping over the corralls and the house
where Mr. Wolif lived. He had two hired
hands and they barely escaped by catching an
extra boat that was at hand and getting be-
hind some large cottonwood trees to shield
themselves from the crushing ice. The water
raised to twenty-two feet above the ground
where his house was situated and e\'ery hoof
64--
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
of stock was swept away. Not a vestige of
anything remained but tlie clothes they had on
their backs. All the hard earnings of the
years gone by were thus rudely taken from Mr.
Wolff, and he was left penniless. He was not
a man, however, to sit and cry over the past,
but being energetic and resourceful, he soon
cast about to find something to put his hand
to. He gathered up a herd of 'mules and
brought them to Montana and sold to good ad-
vantage and soon had a little working capi-
tal on hand again and located the ranch where
he now resides,- this was in 1881. He took
up sheep raising and later added cattle and is
today one of the leading stockmen in this por-
tion of the state. He has had the best of suc-
cess, and owns one of the finest properties on
the Tongue river, it being as w'ell, one of the
choicest ranches in eastern Montana. Mr.
Wolff is a man with the knack of turning his
hand to any craft that is necessary to forward
the business in hand, and so needing lumber,
he bought a small sawmill and cut out all
the timber and lumber he needed to construct
all his fine buildings and improvements on the
ranch and he has the satisfaction of seeing
his own handiwork in all that is about him.
His place is well improved and is a stimulus
to all to build up the country. While all the
buildings are good, we would especially men-
tion the barn Mr. Wolff has constructed,
which, without doubt, is as fine, if not the
finest to be found in this portion of the state.
Mr. Wolff has one child, Grace, who was
born on the ranch and is now attending school
in Miles City. Mr. Wolff's people are all
wealthy. His brother Charles, who was with
him in the Black Hills, established one of the
first supply depots in that country and had a
large freighting outfit. He made money rap-
idly and after becoming very wealthy, he re-
turned to Michigan City, Indiana, and there
resides now\
A man who has had so much experience in
the trackless west as Mr. Wolff' has had must
necessarily have had much danger to pass
through and many hardships to endure. He
nas faced the savages and had many a fight
with them. On one occasion we desire to
mention, he was overseeing a large band of
beef steers his brother had near Crook City,
and it was his custom to ride out, about eight
miles, to the camp of the herders to see how
things were progressing, once a week. On
one occasicTn, he was accompanied by two
friends and the herders warned them to be
careful in their return as Indians were skulk-
ing around and were hostile. Accordingly
they remained in the camp until sundown
when they started on their journey back.
Their path led them down the famous White-
wood gulch and as they were progressing along
this portion they were suddenly fired upon by
the savages. The first volley killed one of
their number, all of their horses, wounded
our subject in the knee and his surviving com-
panion through the hips. Fortunately they
escaped being pinned down by the falling
horses and were enabled to crawl to a clump
of trees. Although the Indians continued to
fire upon them they did not receive another
bullet while they were making for cover. Mr.
Wolff had a rifle and his companion a six-
shooter. The rifle, however, became filled
with snow in the fall and could not be used
at once. The Indians kept up a bombardment
and as often as one showed himself in the
least, the six shooter did duty to bring him
down. Finally our subject got his rifle into
trim and the work began in earnest. Several
of the Indians were killed and finally after a
couple of hours continuous firing, they gave
up the battle and carried off their dead. There
were about fifteen Indians, and it is a mira-
cle that the two wounded men were not massa-
cred. Only their skill and pluck saved them.
Both were excellent marksmen and this saved
them. Manv other times ]\Ir. Wolff has been
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
643
in close quarters but lie has always escaped
and his fighting qualities have stood him well
in hand.
JOHN L. MARYOTT, one of Carbon
county's successful and repfesentative citi-
zens, resides three miles north from Red
Lodge, where he has a beautiful and profit-
able ranch of more than six hundred acres of
excellent agricultural land, the major portion
of which is rendered exceptionally valuable
for the production of grains and hay grasses
by first-class irrigation. He has the place well
improved, both with buildings of all kinds
necessary and other accessories deemed prac-
ticable for a first-classs agricultural establish-
ment and dairying farm, which latter industry
occupies considerable of his attention. Mr.
Mar}'ott is also the grower and breeder of
much fine stock, as thoroughbred Shorthorns,
and so forth. All his fine property has been
gained since coming to Montana in 1886,
when he homesteaded a portion of his present
estate. His wise management of resources
placed by a beneficent endower of all good and
his care and painstaking efforts to handle the
property as it accumula'ted are responsible for
the prosperity that has so plentifully been
dealt to him here.
The birth of our subject occurred in Sus-
quehanna county, Pennsylvania, December 14.
1863, he being the fifth of a family of eight
children born to his parents, Anson A. and
Abigail (Lyman) Maryott, whose native
heath was, also. Susquehanna county. The
original American ancestors of the ^laryott
family settled in New England in colonial
days and William Maryott, the grandfather of
our immediate subject, left Connecticut, his
native state, and became a pioneer in Susque-
hanna county, Pennsylvania, and there
founded that branch of the Maryott family,
whence sprang J. L. Maryott. He was a vet-
eran of the War of 1812, a man of excellent
and sterling character and passed his days on
the home farm in his chosen pioneer county.
The parents of our subject never removed
from their native county and there lived to
become worthy veterans among the pilgrims
on life's way.
In the public schools of his native county
John L. received the beginning of his educa-
tion and then he migrated west to Fremont,
Nebraska, to join his uncle, Thomas W. Ly-
man, who was engaged in the banking busi-
ness. Being a lad but seventeen, he spent four
years in Fremont, dividing his time between
school and the duties in his uncle's bank. It
was in 1886, as mentioned above, when he set-
tled in what is now Carbon county and since
then he has given his undivided attention to
the industries mentioned, with the gratifica-
tion that success has chained her chariot to
his goings and he is considered one of the lead-
ing men of the county at this time.
The marriage of Mr. Maryott and Miss
Nellie Luce occurred on November 15, 1893,
and to them have been born three sons, Lucius,
Thomas, and Abram. Mrs. Maryott is also
a native of Susquehanna county, being the
daughter of Abram Luce, a stanch and leading
farmer of that section. His death occurred in
his native place October, 1901. Mr. Maryott
is a Republican politically and fraternally is
affiliated with the Royal Highlanders, Cluny
Castle, No. 281, at Red Lodge.
WILLIAM C. BRECK. The birthplace
of the subject of this sketch is Silver City, and
the date May 4. 1875. At present he resides
on a hands()me ranch one mile east of Linley,
Carbon county, Montana. His father, Francis
Breck, a native of Newport, New Hampshire,
was born in 1840, going with his father to
Rochester, New York. In 1869 he went to
Suisun City, California, where he engaged in
644
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
the mercantile business. In 1875 he removed
to Silver City, Idaho, going by stage 200 miles.
Later he went to Boise City, Idaho, where he
secured a ranch on Wood river, and resided
upon it fourteen years. He died in 1894. He
had held a number of responsible offices and
was, politically, a Democrat. He had four
brothers, viz: William, Samuel Martin, Fred
George and James. During the Civil War
William was United States consul to China.
Francis Breck had five sisters : Margaret,
wife of H. H. Perkins. Her son. J. Breck
Perkins, is in the house of representatives
from Rochester, New York; Martha, wife of
W. F. Cogswell, of Rochester, a very success-
ful attorney, Mary, (died single); Ellen, un-
married, living in New York; Emma, wife of
H. Richardson. They have a son who has a
fine position in the geological service. The
grandfather of our subject, James Breck, was
born in Boston, and he married Martha Burr,
a relative of Aaron Burr.
The mother of our subject, Mary A. (Tom-
linson) Breck, was born in Derby, Connecti-
cut, January 9, 1833. She was educated at
Oberlin, Ohio, and left the college on account
of poor health. On her return home she mar-
ried Mr. Smith Riggs. He was wounded dur-
ing the Civil War, from the effects of which
he died. In 1869 the mother of our subject
went to California via the Isthmus, where she
attended Dr. Breck's school for girls (St.
Mary's of the Pacific). Following three years'
attendance she married a cousin of Dr. Breck.
She came to Montana with her two chillren in
1895, and settled in Carbon county, where she
has since resided. Her father, James C, was
a native of Connecticut, and her paternal
grandfather was Agnus Cortelyou. of the same
family as Secretary Cortelyou.
The education of our subject was received
mainly from his mother, who was a school
teacher for many years. With her he came to
Montana.
December 17, 1900, he was married to B.
V. DeBonnaine, born in Clarksville, I\Iis-
sotiri, moving to St. Louis when a child. She
is the daughter of Lafayette and Delia R.
(Allerd), both natives of Missouri. They
have one child, Naomi F., torn May 19, 1902.
RILEY TYLER. Probably no other man
in the state of Montana knows the west so
well as those who followed riding the range
for considerable periods in the early days.
And it is with sighs of regret, in a measure,
that these experienced in that wild, free, furi-
ous life on the frontier, see, year by year, the
ranges curtailed and the transformation of the
broad stretches of open country, as by a vision,
into farms and towns with the screaming
engines rushing in all directions. Surely the
metamorphosis is progressing and soon only
in song and literature will live those wonderful
days of real cowboy life, a distinctive phase
of human existence and human enterprise,
known only to the west of the United States
of America. The cowboy life is more familiar,
perhaps to a Montanian than to anyone else, as
it reached there at such an early date and has
clung so long. But to have been a participant
in that unique existence, so gloriously inspir-
ing that danger was scorned, fatigue forgot-
ten, and the most trying hardships passed over
as immaterials, is as if one had tasted of life
on another planet. Glorious days when the
free rein was not hampered by fence from
Texas to British Columbia! Seventeen years
of this life was the allotment of the gentleman
of whom we would now write. Commencing
in Colorado, and Texas, he has ridden clear to
the north of Montana and is familiar with the
country as only such a rider could be. Now,
!Mr. Tyler is dwelling some five miles south-
east from Miles City on a quarter section
whicli is largely under the ditch, besides which
he has three-fourths of a section for grazing
purposes, and with these holdings he is giving
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
645
his time and attention to raising stock and
general farming.
At Holden, Missouri, on October 25, 1859,
our subject first saw the light, and tiiere he
was reared, educated and wrought with his
father on the farm until about 1879, when he
was led by an adventurous spirit to try the
scenes of the west. Colorado was the objective
point, and soon he had selected the life he de-
sired, namely the saddle on the range. Then
came the long years of riding until 1896, when
he retired from that arduous calling to settle
down in life and build a home. Selecting the
place we have mentioned, he has turned the
same energy and activity into building a good
place as he manifested in his labors of the
years of activity on the various ranges. He is
succeeding and is counted one of the sub-
stantial men of Custer county, and has done
much to assist in her progress and upbuilding.
Riley Tyler came from a good, strong
American family, who saw much frontier life.
His father. Jacob Tyler, was born in Tennes-
see, in 1832, and came with his parents to
Missouri when a small boy and they settled
far out in the wilds in those days, when they
were forty miles from a postoffice. An occa-
sional log cabin, with its occupant or occu-
pants, was to be found once in a while, but
the country was practically unsettled. When
the terrible war came on, Jacob Tyler promptly
enlisted to keep down the ravages of the bush-
whackers and for four years was occupied in
that most trying and dangerous of all warfare,
and so well did he distinguish himself that he
was made captain of the scouts. As soon as
the bloody strife was over he turned his at-
tention to farming. Later he removed to Kan-
sas and one year after that he died in Kansas.
He had married Caroline Cox. who had come
with her parents when a girl up the Missis-
sippi and Missouri to central Missouri, where
they carved out a home in the wilds. She is
still living with a son in Nevada, Missouri.
On August I. 1896, Mr. Tyler married
Miss Annie Hennings, born in Minnesota, Sep-
tember 19, 1872. She came with her parents
thence to Montana in 1S79, tra\eling from
Bismarck to. Miles City by steamer. Her fa-
ther, Fred Hennings, was born in Germany,
followed merchandising and then went to rais-
ing stock in Montana, which he continued till
his death in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler are
capable and genial people and have many
friends. They have three children : Andruss
J., born July 21, 1899; Nellie M. born June
23, 1901 ; and Walter E., May 11, 1905. Mr.
Tyler is a good stanch Republican and a man
well informed and progressive.
CHARLES E. HATCH is one of the
prosperous residents of Custer county, his home
place being about two and one-half miles south-
east from Miles City. His liirth occurred in
Ottumwa, Iowa, March 5, 1872. George
Hatch, his father, was born in England and
came to the United States with his parents
when a small lad. They settled in Cincinnati.
Ohio, and there he grew to man's estate. After
that he came to Centerville, Iowa, and fol-
lowed farming until later he removed to Ot-
tumwa where he remained until his death,
in 1892. He married Mary Betterton.
born in Pennsylvania, August 17, 1827,
who came with her parents to Iowa when
a girl. Her death occured in Iowa in
1894. From the public schools of Ottum-
wa, our subject received his education
and was with his father until grown to young
manhood. Then he determined to try the west
and soon we find him in Montana, searching
for a good location. He finally decided that
his present place was suitable for stock raising
and farming, the related occupations he had
decided to embark in, and so we see his efforts
at once began the work of making a home and
646
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
starting" into business. From that time till the
present he has continued in this worlv and is
doing well in his labors.
Seeing that he needed a helpmeet, Mr.
Hatch sought for the right lady and found her
in the person of Miss Maude Keenan, a native
of Montana, and a very charming and intelli-
gent lady. Mrs. Hatch takes great pride in her
native state, and she well may. for Montana
is the great state of resources and wealth, as
varied and rich as an empire, and only waiting
for the diligent hand of wise industry to show
forth her greatness to a world. Airs. Hatch's
father, Mike Keenan, wa"S born in Pennsyl-
vania, came thence to Kansas, and later settled
in Montana, and for years was wheelwright at
Fort Custer for the government. He and his
wife are now dwelling in California. ]\Irs.
Keenan was in maiden life Miss Mary Hamil-
ton. She was born in Pennsylvania, came to
Kansas and there married Mr. Keenan.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hatch have been born
three children, namely, Harry, in 1902; Mary,
in 1903, and Charles in 1905. Mr. and Mrs.
Hatch are attendants at the Methodist church
and are highly esteemed people. Politically he
is a Republican and he takes an interest in all
the questions of the day.
MAURICE S. WENTWORTH. who is
now one of the prosperous land owners of Car-
bon county, comes from good old New Eng-
land stock and was reared on the farm in
Maine. His birth occurred in Waldo county,
Maine, December 29, 1864 and there he was
educated and remained until man's estate. His
father, John D. Wentworth, was born Novem-
ber 19, 181 7, in Conway, New Hampshire and
moved over to Maine in early life. He fol-
lowed farming and logging and died Decem-
ber 22, 1868. He had married Mehetable Gur-
ney, who was born ■ in Maine, November 7.
1823. She came from a good New England
family and died on June 5, 1905, at Worces-
ter, Massachusetts, whither she had moved a
few years previous to that date. Our subject
is the youngest of fourteen children, and aside
from his brother, Manus L., who is in Red
Lodge, the rest of the family are in the east.
The common schools furnished the educational
training of our subject and he followed farm
work until he was eighteen, when he decided
to try the boundless west, and as Leadville was
then attracting attention, he went thither and
spent four months. As his health was poor
he returned to Maine expecting to settle there,
but after a few years on the farm he was
satisfied to try the west again. This time he
came to Judith Gap, Meagher county, and
there ranched for two years. Alter that he
came to his present ranch and took a home-
stead. It is easy to say a man is a pioneer, to
talk alxiut the hardships of those days, but
but it is altogether another thing to face the
problem itself. As Mr. Wentworth came to
the bare quarter, without means, and with a
family on his hands, he faced a problem that
meant much toil and self-denial. But his en-
ergv' and pluck were equal to the occasion and
he and his faithful wife took up the burdens
with a resolution before which everything had
to give way and they are now masters of the
situation. Remember that the land has to be
put in shape before a morsel of food can be
raised, the crop must be watered, and fenced,
the family must have shelter and only one pair
of hands to do it and then, add to that, the
hard work of getting sustenance while this is
being done, and one gets some glimpse of the
situation. Every rod of cultivated soil, every
post in the fence, every piece in all the build-
ings, and every foot of ditch, had to be ac-
complished by labor, steady and hard. Soon
prosperity came to perch on Mr. Wentworth's
banner, and he soon had means to purchase
another quarter and he has a large tract under
the ditch, has diversified crops, good improve-
ments and plenty for the luxuries of life as
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
647
well as the essentials. His stock is all well-bred
and excellent, while everything- about shows an
air of thrift and prosperity.
On June 7, 1883, ^^^- Wentworth married
Miss Minnie E. Sheldon, who was torn Feb-
ruary 17, 1866, in the same place as her hus-
band. Her parents, James and Relief M.
(Sawyer) Sheldon, were born in Maine. The
father died there long since but the mother
resides there now, aged seventy-four. Mrs.
Wentworth is the youngest of six children and
has one brother, Charles R., at Skidgate, Queen
Charlotte Island, British Columbia. To Mr.
and Mrs. Wentworth the following named
children ha\'e been born : Elvira, born March
30, 1884; Guy L., born June 27, 1886, and
died October 11, 1886; Milo H., born January
23, 1888, and died August 26, 1901.
Mr. Wentworth is a Republican but is not
especially active in political matters. In faith
the family are identified with Christian Science.
GEORGE H. CAHOO. at the present
time in the service of the United States go\'-
ernment as wheelwright at Fort Keogh, has
had much to do in the history making events,
not only of Montana, but of ^'arious other
places of the northwest, as well. Much of his
career has been in connection with the military
and he is intimately acquainted with both reg-
ular service in the Ci\-il War and the Indian
fighting for twenty years thereafter.
George H. Cahoo was born in Toledo,
Ohio, on July 23, 1844, the son of Mike and
Rose A. (Ferrel) Cahoo, natives of Ireland
and emigrants to America when children. The
father came with his father and settled in \'er-
mont, whence, in 1836, he remo\'ed to Ohio.
Tlie mother settled in Paterson, New Jersey,
when she came with her people to the United
States. At his old home in Ohio, the father
died in the fall of i860. In Toledo, our sub-
ject received his early education and from
school life he went direct to the front to fight
for his country, enlisted in Company H, Fifty-
second Ohio Volunteers, on July 30, 1862. He
participated in all the hardship and service that
his regiment saw through the entire war and in
1866, re-enlisted in the Thirty-first Infantry,
regular, and served in that capacity until 1869.
Then he enlisted again in the Fifth Infantry,
regular, and in this relation served ten years
steadily. In all of this work he was fighting
Indians, and most of the time was under Gen-
eral Miles. He was in all the leading Indian
campaigns of this time and became an expert
Indian fighter. In 1876 he came with his com-
mand to Montana and was a participant in all
the Indian wars here. Finally, in 1879, he ac-
cepted his honorable discharge and immedi-
ately went to work for the government in the
capacity of wheelwright as mentioned above.
He has been established at Fort Keogh and is
well known and highly esteemed.
In 1884, Mr. Cahfio married Mary C.
Burnett.
ALEXANDER S. GASS. A cursory
glance at the career of Mr. Gass will convince
any one of his energy and progressiveness, as
his activity is so marked and his success so
dependent on his own efforts that it is com-
mendable in a high degree. Dwelling now on
a model farm on Willow creek, five miles
northwest from Roberts postoffice, he is es-
teemed one of Carbon county's best citizens
and certain it is that his example of thrift and
up-to-date way of conducting everything is
worthy of emulation.
In detailing his career we note that his birth
occured in Mexico, Missouri. May 11. 1863.
His father. Samuel B., a Kentuckian by birth,
died in September. 1873, aged fifty- four years.
He was a tiller of the soil in old Missouri,
ha\-ing come thither with his father, the grand-
father of our subject, in 1821 the family comes
648
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
from Virginia colonial stock. The mother of
our subject was Mary Pearson in maiden life
and she sprang from North Carolina stock,
and died when Alexander S. was six years of
age. ?*Ir. Gass is the youngest of ten children
and the only one of the family to live in the
west. He was thrown on his own resources
in very young days and his education was se-
cured not only from school, which he had little
opportunity to attend, but from hard experi-
ence in the work-a-day world, and from his
persistent reading and study when opportun-
ity presented itself. He followed farm work
until 1878. then came to Bismarck, Dakota,
and spent one winter. In the spring of 1879,
he came to Glendive, Montana, and worked
on the construction of the Northern Pacific.
The following winter he cut and hauled wood
for the government fort and after that followed
teaming, railroading, and had charge of
the commissary of the construction department
of the railroad till 1882. At that date he found
himself in Livingston and then went to work
for a horse ranch. "Sir. Gass remarks that he
remembers Billings when it was a handful of
saloons, a store, and a blacksmith shop and
was known as Coulson. After a year on the
ranch he spent a year in the store of H. Clark
& Co., the principal contractor on the North-
ern Pacific and also lor them freighted goods
to the surrounding country within a radius of
one hundred and fifty miles. Subsequent to
this occupation he took up the work of the cow-
boy and followed it incessantly for five years,
riding over all parts of Carbon, Sweet Grass,
Park, Yellowstone and Rosebud counties, many
times. He rode many times over the ranch
where he now resides when it was a part of the
Indian reservation. In i88g, Mr. Gass com-
menced work in the Billings freight office and
two years later went in the same capacity to
the Miles City office. In 1892, he went to
braking and in, 1894 quit the road. His next
venture was a dray business in Billings and af-
ter six months of success in that he opened a
livery barn and conducted it two years. The
following year he was in partnership with state
Senator C. O. Gruwell in a livery barn where
the Stapleton block now stands. In 1898 he
sold his entire stock and received the appoint-
ment of road supervisor for district number
two, in which capacity he served with credit
to himself and benefit to the country for seven
years. This ended in October, 1905, and the
previous August he had purchased his present
ranch which he is taking great pains to make
a first-class place in every respect. He also
has a house and two lots in Billings. His farm
has one hundred acres in crops, a fine orchard
and a beautiful dwelling.
On May 7, 1896, Mr. Gass married Miss
Alice Kelly, a native of Ainsley, Nebraska.
Her father is dead but her mother lives in the
home place in Nebraska. Mr. Gass is a charter
member of the K. P., No. 28, in Billings and
also belongs to the Royal Highlanders. Politi-
cally, he is a Democrat of the JefYersonian type.
Mr. and Mrs. Gass are well read, intelligent
and up-to-date people, have their home sup-
plied with the best literature and owing to
their geniality, kindness and uprightness have
hosts of friends from every quarter.
GUNDER OSTRUM is to be numbered
with the industrious and progressive agricul-
turists who are bringing great portions of the
great state of Montana to blossom as the rose
and be as productive as the best land in the
west. His place lies on Red Lodge creek,
some twelve miles east from Absarokee and
he has one hundred and sixty acres of deeded
land and as much more as his homestead.
He came onto the property without any im-
provements and has shown in the years here
what can be done toward the improvement and
subjugation of the wild prairie sod. Our sub-
ject was lx>rn in Stavanger, Norway, Feb-
ruary 13, 1872, the son of Ole and Ingobar
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
649
(Hereim) Ostrum, both natives of Norway,
the former dying when forty-five and the lat-
ter now Hving on the old home place aged
sixty-five. Gunder was the second of four chil-
dren and his brother, Jacob, is with him, while
another brother, Christ, is on Butcher creek.
From the common schools of his native land
he gained his education and when sixteen he
began the duties of life for himself. He took
a man's part in all work on the farm, the rail-
road, and in the mines^ and in 1893 came from
Norway to Castle, Montana. Here he herded
sheep for two years, not losing an hour, and
then purchasetl a band of sheep, running them
on to the Musselshell for three years. This
resulted in a nice little accumulation for him
in finances and then he returned to Norway to
make a visit and to claim his bride, who had
been waiting for him. Eight joyous months
were thus spent in the trip and then in com-
pany with his young wife he came back to
Montana, landing at Absarokee, where he
bought a bunch of cattle, taking them the first
winter to Fishtail creek. The next spring he
purchased his present place and here he has
been since.
The marriage of Mr. Ostrum and Miss
Carrie Luming occurred in June, 1901 and her
parents are still living in Norway. The chil-
dren born to this couple are Oscar, on January
31, 1903, Ingabor, October 15, 1904. and the
baby, yet unnamed, on March 5, 1906. Mr.
Ostrum is a Republican and is affiliated with
the Lutheran church.
WILLIAM B. JOHNSTON, who assisted
in building Miles City in its inception and later
as well, and who is one of the pioneers of
southeastern Montana, resides about four miles
east from Miles City and owns there one of the
choice ranches of the county. He took it as
a homestead, raw and unimproved in any
shape, and has transformed it to be a beautiful
and valuable place. As Mr. Johnston is a
skilled carpenter, he has put his knowledge to
good account and has erected on the farm ex-
cellent buildings of all kinds and in abundance
and his dwelling is one of the finest in this
part of the country.
At Dunbar, Scotland, in the vicinity of
Edinburgh, William B. Johnston was born,
the date being April 6, 1849. His father,
George Johnston was born in the same place
and he married Isabel Birrie, also a native born
Scotch lady. During his life time the father
was foreman on the well known Lochand es-
tate near Edinburgh. Our subject was educa-
ted and reared in his native place and while
young fully mastered the carpenter trade. In
1870, he started out for himself and soon made
his way to England where he wrought in the
ship yards for a time. Then he went to Chi-
cago immediately after the great fire and as-
sisted to rebuild that stricken city. In 1874,
we find him in San Francisco, where he fol-
lowed his trade for a short time, after which
he engaged in mining. At INIarysville and
other points he delved for the golden sands
for two years, with what success we are not
told, and then he joined the stampede to Wood
river, Idaho, in 1880. A short time there satis-
fied him it was not the place and he went on to
Kinnikinick, Idaho, then to Beaver county,
Montana, where he spent the winter of 1 880-1.
It was in 1881 that Mr. Johnston came to
Miles City and he soon was engaged in build-
ing the city and since that time he has contin-
ued here. The next year, 1882, he took the
homestead we have mentioned and since that
time he has divided his time between caring
for and improving his farm and doing building
in Miles City and elsewhere. In all his labors
our subject has l>een prosperous and his prop-
erty at this time is valuable and a good divi-
dend payer.
In 1892. Mr. Johnston married Mary Holt,
of Leavenworth. Kansas.
650
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
J. R. WEAVER, one of the well known
and popular business men of Red Lodge, is also
one of the pioneers of Montana, as he came
in with a band of horses in 1881. Those were
the days of bufifalo and Indians and Mr.
Weaver remarks of those days, "Buffalo hunt-
ing and fighting Indians was the regular
thing." Mr. Weaver located with his horses
on Heart mountain and there he has continued
to hold headquarters for his stock business
since. In 1888 he came to Red Lodge and
opened a liven,- and feed stable and since that
time he has continued steadily in the same
business and his barn is one of the finest in
the state. In equipment of every kind as well
as in stock, Mr. Weaver always selects the
best and the care and pains taken for the com-
fort and safety of his patrons have made him
justly popular as a man and especially in his
business relations. His barn is one of the
landmarks of Red Lodge and there is hardly
a resident of the county who does not know
Mr. Weaver.
Tiie birth of our subject occurred February
28, i860, on the home farm in ^Missouri Bot-
tom, Douglas county, Oregon, whither his par-
ents had come in 1850. He is one of a family
of twelve, ten boys and two girls. The parents.
Hans and Harriet Weaver, crossed the plains
from Ohio to Douglas county, Oregon, with
ox teams in 1850. The father was born in 181 2
and the mother in 181 8 and they did a noble
part in the great work of opening and develop-
ing the west. In 1880, our subject left home
and came to eastern Oregon, where lie lived a
comboy's life till the next year, when he jour-
neyed to Montana with a band of horses as
mentioned before.
Mr. Weaver was united in marriage to
Lottie Strobe, at Red Lodge, July 5, 1896,
and they have become the parents of three boys
Allen, aged ten, Stanford, aged seven, and
John, four years old. Republicanism has al-
ways claimed Mr. Weaver and he takes a keen
interest in matters of state and nation. He is
a prominent lodge man being affiliated with
the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Eagles.
HON. FRANK HENRY, judge in the
Sixth Judicial District Court, in the state of
Montana, has the excellent distinction of hav-
ing served on the bench continuously longer
than any other judge in the state. Much of
the time he has been elected without opposi-
tion so thoroughly has he won the confidence
of the people. All will be pleased to see a re-
view of his life in this history and we append
the same with pleasure.
Judge Henry was born in Dayton, Ohio,
November 15, 1855, being the son of James
M. and Elizabeth Henry, whose ancestors
were originally from Virginia. The father was
a minister in the Christian church in Dayton
and held one pulpit sixteen years in that city.
He died at Chillicothe. Missouri, in 1882 and
his wife had preceded him from the same city
in 1880. Frank received a common school
education and was admitted to the bar in Chil-
licothe, in 1877. The next year he was attor-
ney for that city and there practiced his pro-
fession till 1883 when he came west to ]\Ion-
tana, locating at Livingston in October of the
same year. He was elected attorney of Galla-
tin county, which then included Park county,
in 1886 and removed to Bozeman in January,
1887. He resigned the position in August,
1888. and returned to Livingston. He was ap-
pointed city attorney upon the organization of
Livingston and w^as elected judge. Sixth Judi-
cial District, October i, 1889, his name appear-
ing on the Republican ticket. The district then
included Gallatin. :Meagher, and Park counties.
He was re-elected in 1892 and 1896 without
any opposition. In 1892 the district consisted
of Meagher and Park counties. In 1896, Car-
bon, Park, and Sweet Grass constituted the dis-
trict. In 1900 Judge Henry defeated W. H.
Poorman and in 1904 he was again elected
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
6.^1
without opposition. His present term expires
in 1908. Since March i, 1907, the district is
composed of Park and Sweet Grass counties.
It is evident to all that such a magnificent
record as this is positive proof in what estima-
tion Judge Henry is held by the people of the
Sixth Judicial District.
In Davis county, Missouri, in 1881, Judge
Henry was united in marriage to Julia E. Bal-
linger and they have one son, Merrill, who is
married and dwelling on a farm in the Shields
river valley, Park county.
MADISON M. BLACK was torn Jan-
uary I, 1855, in Laurel county, Kentucky, the
son of Leander M. and Mary A. (McHargue)
Black. Mrs. Black was boni in Laurel county,
Kentucky, and died at Bozeman, Montana, No-
vember 3, 1895. She was married to L. M.
Black at the old Kentucky home, April 13,
1854. Her father, \Villiam McHargue. mar-
ried Sarah IMcBrooni and moved from North
Carolina to Kentucky in 1805. Mrs. Black's
grandfather was born August 5, 1845, ^'"^d
died August 7, 1876, and his father came from
Ireland to the new world shortly after the May-
flower. He settled first in Pennsylvania and
went thence to North Carolina. The paternal
ancestors of our subject came from English
and Scotch stock and were among the first
colonists to settle in what is now South Caro-
lina, whence they went west to Kentucky, Mis-
souri, Colorado and Montana. L. M. Black
secured the contract from the government for
the supplies of the Army of the Platte during
the Civil War and in 1859 went to Denver
leaving his family on the old plantation. They
heard nothing from him until 1864, when he
returned. In 1867 L. M. Black came on to
Montana and did freighting and a mercantile
business. Also he secured the contracts to
furnish the Crow Indians with provisions and
other supplies, treated with the Indians
j through authority from the Secretary of the
Interior and built the first agency. After tli^t
he established several trading posts and did a
very large business and became one of the lead-
ing citizens of Montana. His death occurred
July 18, 1 88 1.
Referring more particularly to the immed-
iate subject of this sketch, M. M. Black, we
note that he received a good education, study-
ing at Paul's College, Palmyra, Missouri, and
came to Montana in 1871. He returned to
Lexington, Kentucky, and finished his educa-
tion at the Kentucky LTni versify there. In 1873
he again came to Montana. He became book-
keeper and assistant cashier of the First Na-
tional Bank of Bozeman, an institution his fa-
ther had established, later published the Boze-
man Times, organized the Bozeman Silver
Cornet Band and was president of the same
for ten years. In 1875 Mr. Black was proprie-
tor of the Northern Pacific hotel in Bozeman
and in the same year was one of a party that
trailed down some savage Sioux Indians who
murdered James Hughes, in which trip the
whites suffered much exposure. On August
31, 1875, occurred the marriage of Mr. Black
and Miss Rosa G. Fridley. Bishop Tuttle per-
forming the ceremony. Their first born, Nellie
Agnes, saw the light June 9, 1876 and the last
day of the following August Mrs. Black and
the baby returned to St. Joe, Missouri. It is
memorable that in June of that year the snow
lay four feet deep on the level. Mr. Black was
handling his father's bull train in 1876 and re-
members that on December 27, the thernio-
meter registered sixty degrees below zero. On
January 5 following, the Indians ran ofif a
large bunch of the freight cattle and Mr. Black
organized a party of nineteen and got them all
back, but had a very dangerous experience as
they closed in and took the stock just as the
Indians were about to fight General Miles'
command of soldiers. So close was the call
Mr. Black termed it into the jaws of death and
out again. About this time Mr. Black became
652
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
associated with Mr. Daniels in business and
the firm was changed from L. M. Black & Com-
pany to Black & Daniels. Mr. Black having
taken over much of his father's business. Mr.
Black established a post on Pease bottom, op-
posite the mouth of the Big Horn river and
trafficked with the Indians. He put in a ferry
and later sent the first steamboat load of robes
and furs to St. Louis. In 1877 Black & Dan-
iels moved all their stock to Bozeman. The
following year they sold out to W. H. Ran-
dall. In September, 1880, Mr. Black was nom-
inated by the Democrats for county clerk and
was elected, and two years later he was re-
elected by the largest majority on the ticket.
Two years later he was nominated again but
defeated by James Gourley. On March 26,
1887 Black & Nevitt bought out the electric
light company. In 1892 they sold out for forty-
five thousand dollars. Two years later Mr.
Black bought out H. Arment. in the book and
stationery business at Bozeman and the same
year sold it to W. B. Burkett. Since 1897
Air. Black has made his home at Fridley, where
he is handling his ranch and the townsite. He
is also devoting considerable time to an in-
vention that is about perfected.
Mrs. Rosa G. Black died at the old Frid-
ley homestead October 18. 1903. She was born
in Scott county, Iowa, May 27, 1858, and
left besides her husband, two daughters, Nellie
Agnes, now Mrs. Harry C. Clark, of Spokane,
Washington, and Edith Lillian, now Mrs. Dr.
Charles E. Collamer, her birth occurring Au-
gust 18, 1878: a daughter was bom to Mrs.
Collamer December 28, 1906. Mrs. Black's
father, Franklin F. Fridley, was born to Jacob
and Nancy Fridley, in Augusta county, \^ir-
ginia, October 22, 1824. The family went to
Ohio in 1828, to Iowa in 1843. where the
parents died. In 1849 ^^^- Fridley went to
California and did well mining and returned
the last of 1850 via the isthmus. On April 15,
185 1 Mr. Fridley married Miss America J.
Mounts, who was born near Albion, Illinois,
October 25, 1830, and died at Bozeman, Sep-
tember 22, 1892. Mr. Fridley brought his
family from Iowa to Montana in 1864. He
located where Fridley is now. His death oc-
curred September 8, 1892, and his wife fol-
lowed him September 22, 1892. They were
both highly esteemed people.
HON. ALBERT L. BABCOCK. One of
the leading merchants and bankers of the
thriving and progressive city of Billings, which
his energ}-, foresight and business capacity,
have aided in building, Albert L. Babcock pre-
sents in his career of business enterprise and
public usefulness a fruitful theme for the pen
of the biographer. He is a native of Albany,
New York, where he was born December 22,
1851, the son of William C. and Julia (Law-
rence) Babcock, both natives, also, of the Em-
pire State, and descended from families long
prominent in its civic and military history. In
1856 they removed to what was then the "far
west," and located at Pontiac, Illinois, and
near there engaged in successful farming for
a number of years. The father finally retiring
from the farm, engaged in business at Pontiac
and soon after, on February 14. 1876, dying
there.
While li\'ing and working on the farm near
this little interior town and attending district
school during the winter months, Air. Bab-
cock was reared and educated, until the age of
fourteen years, when he began an apprentice-
ship in a country newspaper office and learned
the printer's trade which he followed for a
time. ■ This calling, not being altogether to his
liking, he finailly abandoned it and sought em-
ployment in a country hardware store and tin
shop, beg'inning at the Ixittom and was s-oon
promoted to salesman behind the counter.
When twenty-one years of age he had saved
a few hundred dollars which he combined with
the savings of a young friend and with very
little capital embarked in business in 1873.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
653
which he continued with success, though quite
hmited, until the spring of 1882, when, be-
lieving the opportunities more favorable in the
undeveloped west, decided to locate at Billings,
and opened a small hardware store and tin
shop, the business of which grew from year to
year until 1892 when it was converted into a
stock company under the name of the A. L.
Babcock Hardware Co., which has developed
into one of the largest hardware and agricul-
tural implement houses in the middle west,
their trade extending for a great distance in
every direction throughout eastern Montana
and northern Wyoming.
In 1895, Mr. Babcock erected the Yellow-
stone Valley flouring mill with a daily capac-
ity of 200 barrels. The flour is sold largely
throughout Montana and northern Wyoming
and a considerable quantity is sold in competi-
tion with other hard wheat products to points
on the west coast. The A. L. Babcock Hard-
ware Company and the Yellowstone Valley
Mills, now incorporated under the name of the
Billings Milling Co., in all their departments.
give employment to a large number of men.
In 1895 also, in company with others, he built
the Billings Opera House and was its manager
until it was destroyed by fire in 1906. In 1895
he also organized the Billings Telephone Com-
pany and was its president from its inception
until disposed of to the Bell Telephone Co.
Four years prior to the beginning of these
enterprises, in the year 1891, he founded the
Yellowstone National Bank and served two
years at its first vice-president, and in 1893 'i^
was elected its president, an office which he
has held continuously since that time and to
which institution he gives his principal atten-
tion. In addition to his principal commercial
enterprises known as the A. L. Babcock Hard-
ware Company, and the Billings Milling Com-
pany, of Billings, of both of which corpora-
tions he is president, he is now conducting a
general store at Pryor, Montana, and at Brid-
ger, Montana, he is engaged in the agricul-
tural implement business under the name of
A. L. Babcock & Co., and is also vice-president
of the Bridger Coal and Improvement Co. of
Bridger, Montana. Mr. Babcock is largely
interested in real estate, being president of the
Billings Realty Company, which company
owns large tracts of valuable lands adjoin-
ing Billings. Mrs. Babcock is at present
erecting the Babcock theatre, store and
office building on one of the principal
corners in Billings, occupying a space I50x[40
feet. The Babcock theatre will be one of the
finest in the Northwest. These are the numer-
ous and active enterprises, but all their multi-
tude of interests and details receive close per-
sonal attention from Mr. Babcock, and their
success demonstrates the versatile character of
his business capacity and the wide range of his
mental activities.
Mr. Babcock is a zealous and ardent Re-
publican, and has been active and prominent
in the councils of his party. He has been chair-
man of its county central committee during a
number of campaigns, and has been its choice
for representative positions from time to time,
having served as chairman of the board of
commissioners of Yellowstone county from
1885 to 1889, and, upon the admission of Mon-
tana as a state in 1889, Mr. Babcock was elec-
ted to the state senate as the first senator from
Yellowstone county ; and served in the lower
house from 1892 to 1894, and again in the
senate from 1894 to 1898. He was an influen-
tial member of the committee on arid lands,
and on other important committees. He has
served on the military staffs of Governors
White, Toole and Rickards with the rank of
colonel.
Fraternally he is identified with the Ma-
sonic order, including lodge, chapter, com-
manderv and Mvstic Shrine. In this order he
654
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
has filled several local chairs in the various
bodies, and was chosen grand commander of
Knights Templar of the state of Montana in
1894. He is also a member of the Knights of
Pythias, and the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, serving as the first exalted ruler
of Billings lodge.
Col. Babcock was married September 12,
1877, to Miss Antoinette Packer, of Pontiac,
Illinois. They have one son, Lewis C, a gradu-
ate of Shattuck Military School of Mennesota,
and of the University of Chicago, and, al-
though young in the business, he has taken an
active position in the Yellowstone National
Bank. He is at present cashier and a member
of. the board of directors of this growing bank-
ing institution.
PART IX
CHAPTER
PRESS OF THE YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
PARK COUNTY.
Park county has a newspaper history
covering a period of twenty-five years.
During that time there have been es-
tabHshed within its borders eight w-eekly,
two daily and one monthly publications,
besides several campaign papers, which
had only short lives. All of the news-
papers i?ave been published in Livingston with
the exception of Wonderland, at Gardiner. Of
these, three weeklies survive, the Enterprise
and Post at Livingston and Wonderland at
Gardiner.
It was on December 19, 1882, that the first
l>aper published within the boundaries of the
present Park county, then a part of Gallatin
county, was taken from the press. This pio-
neer paper was the Livingston Gazette, a six-
column folio, all home print, under the man-
agement of C. A. Carson, A. G. Carson and
J. W. Allen. In their salutator)' these gentle-
men said :
The first number of the Livingston Gazette is be-
fore you. As the initial number indicates, it will be
run in the interests of Livingston and the upper Yel-
lowstone valley, and will at all times be found defend-
ing those interests and upbuilding the good name of its
citizens. In politics we are independent, but at all
times shall have and express an opinion on public af-
fairs and the acts of public servants, whether they be
of high or low degree.
Owing allegiance to no man or clique, the columns
of the Gazette are our property, and will be run in the
interests of the public. Relying upon your hearty sup-
port, we remain respectfully,
C. A. Carson,
A. G. Carson,
J. W. Allen.
For some reason or other the Gazette was
not a success, and after only a few numbers it
was ninnbered among the things that had been.
Its place was taken by the Livingston
Tribune, which might be said to have been the
successor of the Gazette. The first number was
printed February 3, 1883, by C. A. Carson,
who was one of the founders of the Gazette,
and M. J. Meehan. The first number of the
Tribune presented a good appearance and was
replete with statistics showing that Livingston
was the center of the earth from a physical,
mineralogical, esthetical, financial and geo-
graphical point of view. Livingston was at
that time just beginning to take its place on the
map. On July i, 1883, Mr. Carson disposed
of his interests to W. S. Eberman and R.
Dickinson, and they in conjunction with Mr.
Meehan became publishers. We find that on
August 30, 1884, Messrs. Meehan and Eber-
man, the publishers, are disposing of the plant
to Wright & Hendry, who in June, 1883, had
launched the Daily Enterprise. The latter firm
assumed control September i, united the plants
and subscription list and discontinued the pub-
lication of the Tribune. The Tribune was Re-
publican in politics.
The third paper to make its appearance was
6s6
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
a daily, the Livingston Enterprise, which was
estabhshed June 4, 1883. by Geo. H. Wright
and J. E. Hendry. The first two numbers of
this paper were Httle leaflets — two-column fo-
lio— owing to the non-arrival of paper and the
desire of the publishers to get the paper early
on the market. The third issue, however, was
a five-column folio, which form it maintained
during its life. The. Enterprise was an even-
ing paper and its subscription price was $12 per
year, or ten cents a copy. Wright & Hendry
at once began the erection of a building for an
office — the sixth frame building in Livingston.
On June 25, 1883, the Enterprise was made a
morning paper, but was changed back to the
evening edition November 13 of the same year.
Wright & Hendry bought the National
Park Pioneer, a weekly publication wliich had
been established the preceding June by W. D.
Knight, on August 26, 1883. Before this
event they had not published a weekly edition,
but now they continued the publication of the
National Park Pioneer, making it the weekly
edition of the Enterprise, and later changing
the name to conform with the daily. With
this purchase the Enterprise and Tribune
were the only papers left in the city.
The publication of a daily paper in ]Mon-
tana at this time was quite a venture, and there
were very few towns which had assumed the
importance of being able to support daily
papers. With the suspension of the Bozeman
Daily Chronicle in June, 1884, there "were only
five such towns in the territory — Butte, Hel-
ena, Fort Benton, Livingston and Miles City.
The proprietors of the Enterprise bought
the Livingston Tribune September i, 1884,
leaving the former a clear field. The daily
Enterprise was an excellent paper, considering
the small field in which it operated, and did
much toward the development of Livingston
and the surrounding country. Hard times
came upon the little town after the boom days
of 1883, and on November 8, 1884, the last
number of the daily was published. Wright
& Hendry announced that the suspension was
only temporary, and that publication of the
daily would be resumed in the spring. But
conditions had not improved to any ap-
preciable extent in the spring, and the
intentions of the publishers were not
carried out. They then devoted all their
attention to the weekly edition, which be-
came one of the leading newspapers of Mon-
tana. The weekly Enterprise was a seven col-
umn folio.
The firm of Wright & Hendry was dis-
solved October 21, 1885, Mr. Wright continu-
ing the business. jMr. Hendry, who withdrew
to engage in newspaper work in other parts
of the territory, was a young man with excep-
tional ability in newspaper work and well liked
and well known throughout the whole of Mon-
tana. He died some time after his removal
from Livingston. Under the manage-
ment of Wright & Hendry the Enterprise was,
nominally, an independent paper, but invari-
ably supported the Democratic nominees. When
Geo. Wright became sole owner and publisher
he conducted the paper as a Republican organ,
and in the campaigns of 1886 and 1888 the
Enterprise worked for the success of the Re-
publican nominees. On June i, 1889, the paper
was enlarged from a seven to an eight column
folio.
During the prosperous days of 1889 Mr.
Wright again undertook to issue a daily edi-
tion, which was begun on September 1 1 of that
year. The venture was not a financial success,
and the daily was discontinued February 8,
1890. The weekly was enlarged June 4, 1892,
to a six column quarto, all home print, and it
has retained that form ever since. During the
campaign of 1896, when the free silver senti-
ment took possession of the members of all
parties in Montana, ]\Ir. Wright made the
Enterprise a supporter of Bryan and Sewall,
but conducted it in the interests of the Republi-
cin county ticket. In the following campaign,
however, the Enterprise abandoned the regular
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
657
Republican party, and lent its support to the
Silver Republican tickets of both state and
county.
On April 29, 1899, Geo. Wright, who had
presided over the destines of the Enterprise
for sixteen years, sold out and engaged in
other work. He was an excellent newspaper
man and is deserving of a large share of the
credit for the prosperity of Livingston in the
early days. He is now in business in Spokane,
Washington. Mr. B. F. Hoover, who had
recently come from the east, was the buyer of
the Enterprise. He announced that the paper
would be Republican under his management,
but had been in charge only a few months,
when he was killed by the accidental discharge
of a shot gun, which he was cleaning. This
accident happened August 24, 1899. C. H.
Campbell, administrator of the Hoover estate,
then took up the publication of the Enterprise,
but on September i6th we find Alex Living-
ston's name at the head of the editorial col-
umn. One month after this the Enterprise was
purchased by a syndicate of residents of Liv-
ingston and vicinity — the Enterprise Publish-
ing company. Judge Frank Henry became
manager of the Enterprise, which, it was an-
nounced, would be a supporter of the Silver
Republican party. I
Alex Livingston purchased the stock of i
Mr. Henry, July 11, 1900, and became the
general manager of the Enterprise Publishing
company, no radical change in policy resulting
from this change. Mr. Livingston disposed
of his stock and retired from the management
early in October, being succeeded by Frank
Wright, brother of the founder of the paper.
During the campaign 1900, beginning October
8th, the Enterprise was issued three times a
week. It supported Bryan and Stevenson for
president and vice-president, and worked for
the election of the Independent Democratic
state and county tickets. In the following
spring the paper renounced the Silver Repub-
lican movement and became a straight Re-
publican paper.
Frank Wright, who had been manager for
some time in the employ of the Enterprise Pub-
lishing company, purchased the paper June 28,
1 90 1, and has since been the owner and pub-
lisher, conducting it as a republican paper. In
June, 1902, he purchased the plant and good
will of the Park County Republican, leaving
the Enterprise and Post the only papers in
Park county.
The Enterprise always has been and still
is one of the leading papers of eastern Mon-
tana. The plant is one of the best to be found
in the state devoted exclusively to the publica-
tion of a weekly journal. Among the recent
improvements was the installation of a Mer-
ganthaler linotype in December, 1906.
Now let us return to the boom days of
1883, when all kinds of new business enter-
prises were being started in the town of Liv-
ingston, and tell of the founding of the fourth
Park county newspaper. This was the Nation-
al Park Pioneer, and came into existence June
26th. Although there were then two news-
papers in Livingston — the weekly Tribune and
the Daily Enterprise — W. D. Knight, pul>
lisher of the Yellowstone Journal at Miles
City, thought, there was room for the third
and backed his judgment in the launching of
the Pioneer. He remained at its head only a
short time, selling to Wright & Hendry, of the
Daily Enterprise, on August 26, 1883. The
latter firm had, up to this time, published only
a daily paper, and they now made the National
Park Pioneer their weekly edition, without
changing its name. On April 6, 1884, how-
ever, they changed the name to the Livingston
Enterprise, and on this date the history of the
National Park Pioneer ends, the subsequent
history of the Enterprise having been already
told.
The Livingston Sentinel was the name of a
weekly publication that was circulated in the
42
658
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
county seat town during the campaign of 1888.
It was a campaign paper, printed in Bozeman,
but bearing a Livingston date line.
For a few years after Wright & Hendry
purchased the Tribune the Enterprise was the
only publication in Livingston and Park
county. But in 1889 came opposition in the
form of the Livingston Post, one of the three
Park county newspapers still in existence. This
was started April 19, 1889, by J. D. Whelpley,
who until a short time before had been with
the Enterprise. It was an eight column folio,
Republican in politics. In August, 1890, J.
E. Hull & Co., assumed control of the Post,
Mr. Hull having been connected with the paper
as an employe since the publication started.
Under this management the paper was still re-
publican. In the fall of the same year George
Alderson bought the Post and became its
editor, still continuing it as a Republican
organ.
June 8, 1898, articles of incorporation of
the Post Publishing Company, capital stock
$5,000 were filed. The stock was subscribed
by three men — George Alderson, $2,450;
Benjamin F. Myers, $1,300; Maurice Roth,
$1,250 — and the Post became Democratic.
George -Alderson retired from the management
in August, 1901, and A. M. Alderson became
editor and proprietor. During the summer of
1904 the paper was run as a semi-weekly, but
soon returned to the weekly edition.
Mr. Anderson leased the plant on January
I, 1905, to J. E. Mallery that he might accept
the position of adjutant general of the state
militia. He returned to the control of the
paper later and still conducts it. The Post is
Democratic. It ranks well up among the
weekly papers of Montana, and has a well
equipped plant.
The Liznngston Herald was the name of a
paper which had an existence of a little over
seven years during the nineties. It was foun-
ded April 22, 1 89 1, by De Hart & Mahoney,
was an eight column folio and Democratic in
politics. On the 5th of August, 1891, the pro-
prietors began the publication of a daily edi-
tion, with the intention of making it a
permanent institution. Lack of patron-
age proved its downfall, and the daily
was suspended September 12th of the
same year. A stock company secured
the Herald plant in September, 1892,
and Thos. J. Bouton, late of the Buffalo
(Wyoming) Echo, was installed as manager.
He conducted the paper until May 9, 1898,
when the plant was bought at a mortgage sale
by Geo. Wright for $605, the amount of the
mortgage and interest due. The publication
was then discontinued.
Montana Agriculturist was the name of a
monthly farm paper which began life March
9, 1895. at Livingston. It was an eight page,
four column paper, made up mostly of plate
matter, and the subscription price was fifty
cents a year. Geo. Wright was the publisher,
and it was issued from the Enterprise office. It
was discontinued in August, 1895, because the
postoffice authorities ruled against its admis-
sion to the mails as second class matter.
The county campaign committee of the
Silver Republican party issued the Silver Re-
publican from October 15, 1898, until Novem-
ber 5th, of the same year. It was a campaign
paper and was issued from the office of the
Livingston Enterprise.
Another paper that played a part in the
press history of Park county was the Park
County Republican, which came into existence
December 23, 1899. The Republican party
of Park county at this time was badly split,
and the Republican was founded as the mouth-
piece of one of the factions. The Enterprise
at the time was supporting the Sih'er Republi-
can party ; the Post was Democratic ; it looked
like a good opening for a straight
Republican paper. A. M. Williams was
the founder of the new paper, which
was an eight column folio. It continued
its existence until early in June, 1902,
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
6S9
when tlie causes which led to its found-
ing were removed, and it was sold to Frank
Wright of the Enterprise, who discontinued its
publication.
The only Park county paper ever estab-
lished outside of the county seat was Wonder-
land, published at Gardiner. It was founded
in May, 1902, by M. W. Pettigrew, who con-
tinued to preside over its destinies until Oc-
tober, 1903, when Frank D. Geiger took
charge. Mr. Geiger, who had formerly been
connected with the Big Timber Pioneer, ran
it for some time, when it was discontinued.
As the ]Vonderland News it was revived in
June, 1906, by W. F. Gossel, formerly of Chi-
cago. This paper, a five column quarto, is
still published by Mr. Gossel.
SWEET GR.ASS COUNTY.
Four weekly newspapers have had an ex-
istence in Sweet Grass county at one time or
another since the first was started in 1890, all
having been published at Big Timber. These
were the Big Timber Pioneer, the Szceet Grass
and Boulder Blade, the Big Timber Express,
and the Yellowstone Leader. Of these four
only the first named is now published.
The Big Timber Pioneer was the first
paper published within the boundaries of
the county of Sweet Grass. The first issue, a
five column folio, was put forth on the 24th
day of November, 1890, when Big Timber was
yet a place of slight importance among the
towns of Montana. M. W. Hatch was the
editor, and M. W. Hatch & Co. were the pub-
lishers. For the first nine months of its life
the Pioneer was printed in the oflice of the
Livingston Enterprise. July 11, 1891, the
paper was enlarged to a quarto, and late in
August of the same year Hatch & Co. installed
a plant and began printing the paper in Big
Timber.
J. M. Ramsey purchased a one-half interest
in the Pioneer on March 15, 1892, and there-
after the publishing firm was Hatch & Ramsey.
Two months after this change in proprietor-
ship the paper was enlarged to a seven column
folio. August 9th the announcement was
made that the Pioneer would support the Re-
publican ticket, it having been previously an
independent paper. Mr. Ramsey did not long
remain with the paper, disposing of his inter-
ests to Mr. Hatch September 20, 1892, the
cause of the sale being "differing views as to
conducting the paper." After Mr. Hatch be-
came sole proprietor, the hard times period
came on, and the Pioneer became anything but
a paying business. During this period there
were many changes made in the size and form
of the paper to meet the exigencies of the pat-
ronage. These changes were as follows : May,
1893, five column quarto; February 15, 1894,
seven column folio; April 26, 1894, five col-
umn quarto; September 6, 1894, six column
folio; November 6, 1894, five column quarto;
March 28, 1895, six column quarto.
With the issue of April 16, 1896, the
Pioneer Publishing Company, incorporated
under the laws of the state of Montana, assum-
ing charge of the destinies of the Pio)ieer.
The personnel of the company was about the
same as it had been, Mr. Hatch being the prin-
cipal stockholder and editor. During the cam-
paign of that year the paper underwent a
change of politics, as did so many other papers
of Montana at that time. It supported Mr.
Bryan for the presidency and worked for the
success of the Democrat-Silver Republican
county ticket.
Mr. Hatch, who since the founding of the
paper had been the guiding spirit of the enter-
prise, disposed of his interests in January,
1897, and retired from newspaper work. He
died in November, 1899. Messrs. L. C. Olm-
stead and F. D. Geiger succeeded Mr. Hatch
as managers of the journal, announcing that
they would continue the publication without
material change in policy or form. However,
soon after taking charge, they reduced the size
66o
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
to a five column quarto. January 20th Mr.
Geiger sold his interest to his partner, and Mr.
Olmstead became editor and manager. He
made the Pioneer a Republican paper which
has been the politics of the paper ever since.
Mr. Olmstead retired from the active man-
agement on February 15, 1900, to accept the
appointment of postmaster of Big Timber. He
was succeeded as manager by Mr. J. E. Sheri-
dan, the ownership being vested in the Pioneer
Printing and Publishing Co. In April articles
of incorporation for that company were filed.
the incorporators being J. E. Sheridan, R. H.
Bemis and L. C. Olmstead ; the capital stock
was $4,000. Mr. Sheridan continued at the
head of the Pioneer for six years. Under his
management there were the following changes
made in the size of the publication : December
6, 1900, six column folio: September 12, 1901,
five column folio; December 5, 1901, five col-
umn quarto; March 13, 1902, six column
quarto; February 9. 1905, five column quarto;
July 27, 1905, six column quarto.
Mr. Sheridan died February 22, 1906.
Thereafter for a short time attorney A. G.
Hatch conducted the business for the Pioneer
company. Then, on April 19, 1906, J. T. La
Fond, proprietor of the Yellowstone Leader,
became manager of the Pioneer, consolidated
the two plants and discontinued the publica-
tion of the Leader. Since that time the Pio-
neer has been the only newspaper in Sweet
Grass county. Mr. LaFond has made many
improvements in the paper since he assumed
charge. It is now a six column quarto, all
home print, and is one of the several first-class
papers of the Yellowstone valley.
The second publication to bear a Big Tim-
ber date line was the Szcect Grass and Boulder
Blade, which made its appearance on June 7,
1893, under the management of B. T. and E.
L. Boardman, formerly of the Red Lodge
Picket. The Blade was an eight column folio.
Coming into existence as it did just before the
panic, it was not destined to live long and
soon passed away. Its untimely demise was
said to be a matter of deep regret by the peo-
ple of Big Timber. The plant remained in
Big Timber until the spring of 1895, when it
was purchased by Shelby Eli Dillard, of the
Nezi' Idea at Red Lodge, and used in the pub-
lication of that paper.
The third newspaper to venture into the
Sweet Grass county field was the Big Timber
Express, which was started in 1895 and con-
tinued in existence nearly six years. The first
issue was taken from the press on October 2nd
from a plant which had been in use up to that
time in the publication of the Columbus Ex-
press; in fact, the Big Timber paper was sim-
ply a continuation of that publication. Walter
Aitken and A. C. Potter, under the firm name
of Aitkin & Potter, were the publishers, and
continued to direct its destinies until April,
1896. On April 13, of that month. Mr. L. C.
Olmstead purchased the interests of Mr. Pot-
ter, and the publishing firm became Aitkin &
Olmstead. The junior member of the firm
soon sold out to his partner and acquired an
interest in the Pioneer, and Mr. Aitken became
sole publisher. Up to the campaign of 1898
the Express had been Republican in politics,
but a change of faith was announced at that
time, and thereafter until its death the paper
was a Democratic organ, of one faction or
another.
Mr. Aitken departed from Big Timber in
June, 1900, having leased the plant at that time
to Walter Lesser, who conducted the paper
during the 1900 campaign in the interests of
the Daly faction of the Democratic party. He
left in December of that year, and Mr. O. H.
Segerstrom became the lessee. That gentle-
man conducted the Express until March, 1901,
when, on account of ill health, he was com-
pelled to relinquish his lease, and publication
was suspended. The field was entirely too
small for the three newspapers that were then
being published in Big Timber, and there were
not many regrets when one was given up. The
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
66i
subscription list of tlie Express was turned
over to the Pio)iccr, and that pubhcation filled
out the unexpired subscriptions. The plant of
the Express was purchased by John R. Stout
and moved to Glendive.
The fourth paper to make its appearance
in Big Timber was the Yellowstone Leader,
Democratic, which was started by State Sena-
tor William J. Hannah on September 30, 1899.
There was a story connected with the birth of
this paper to the effect that Senator Hannah
while in the legislature of 1899 had received
$15,000 for his vote for William A. Clark for
United States senator, and that it was part of
this money that was used in the establishment
of the Leader, and that the paper was started
for the sole purpose of working in the interest
of ]\Ir. Clark. In fact, the matter of brib-
ery of ]\Ir. Hannah was definitely alleged in
affidavits presented to the senate of the United
States when Mr. Clark's seat in that body was
contested. Mr. Hannah, who never had the
reputation of spending much time looking
through the dictionary to find mild words to
express his thoughts in his issue of December
16, 1899, said what he thought of those who
accused him of selling his vote, as follows :
The editor of the Leader is in some doubt about
the journalistic propriety nf usini; tliese columns for the
explanation of mattcis cnKirning himself. But in
view of the allegation lliat he received $15,000 for sup-
porting W. A. Clark, which was presented to the United
States senate last week by Hon. Robert Smith, Hon. H.
C. Stiff, Hon. A. J. Campbell and Hon. Chas. S. Hart-
man, W. J. Hannah, as an individual, is prepared to
say that these men are four dishonorable liars.
The Leader was started as a seven column
folio, but was soon enlarged to a quarto. There
were manv changes in size and form during
the life of the Leader. The paper was issued
semi-weeklv a short time di!ring the fall of
1902.
Articles of incorporation for "The Leader
Company" were filed ]\Larch 3. h)03. and this
company became the publishers of the Leader,
which, however, brought about no change in
the management of the paper. The incorpo-
rators were W. J. Hannah, Margaret A. Han-
nah and Edward Roberts ; the capital stock was
$25,000, of which $6,500 was paid in. The
paper was again issued as a semi-weekly in
the spring of 1904, but the twice-a-week edi-
tion was discontinued after a very short time.
The Yellozi'stonc Leader was purchased by
J. T. LaFond on May i, 1904, and
Mr. Hannah retired from the newspaper
business. Mr. LaFond continued the publi--
cation of the Leader until April, 1906, when
he became manager of the Pioneer, consoli-
dated the two plants, and discontinued the
publication of the Leader.
C.A.RB0N COUNTY.
The Red Lodge Picket was started in 1892
by E. L. Boardman, who remained in control
one year and then sold to W. A. Lemas. That
gentleman conducted the paper until 1898,
when he sold to W. A. Alderson, who has since
had control.
Another paper that came into existence at
Red Lodge in 1892 was Vociferator, which
was established by Shelby E. Dillard. The
J'oeiferator talked to the people of Carton
couiity only about six months.
The Nezi' Idea was founded at Red Lodge
in October, 1895, under the editorship and
management of Dillard & Weber. It remained
in existence two years.
The Carbon county Sentinel came into be-
ing in the latter part of the nineties. V. H.
Beeman and Chas. Howard were interested in
its publication.
In the latter part of the year 1899 ^ stock
company was formed and the Carbon County
Democrat was launched at Red Lodge. J. D.
Matheson, of Billings, was installed as edi-
tor.
662
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE V.\LLEY.
The Carbon County Cliroiiiclc made its ap-
pearance at Red Lodge June 25, 1901, with
Jean P. Kirkpatrick as editor.
Another Red Lodge paper that came into
existence was the Carbon County Republican.
with Johns & Cushman at the hehn.
Li November, 1903, F. T. Sheppard estab-
lished at Joliet a paper named the Taxpayer.
This was purchased the following June by B.
A. Harlan, who changed the name of the pub-
lication to Joliet Journal. Later Walter
Worthington became associated with Mr. Har-
lan in the management of the paper.
The Bridger Tribune enjoyed a brief exis-
tence. It was owned by S. H. GHdden and was
edited by C. J. Leucke. It suspended publi-
cation in January, 1905.
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Yellowstone county has a newspaper hist-
ory covering a period of over twenty-five years.
During that time there have been established
a total of twelve weekly or semi-weekly, five
daily and two monthly publications. Of this
number two daily, two semi-weekly and one
monthly are in existence today. These are
the Daily Gazette, Daily Journal, the Semi-
weekly Gazette, the Times (semi-weekly), and
the Yellozi'stone Monthly, all of Billings; the
Tri-County A'^cw.y (weekly), of Columbus; and
Laurel Sentinel (weekly), of Laurel.
Many were the trials and tribulations of the
newspaper publishers of Billings in the early
days, especially during the period following
the "busting of the boom," and the later per-
iod of depression following the panic of 1893.
During prosperous times, however, the news-
paper men reaped the benefits of their labors,
and were highly successful. Judge J. D.
Matheson, who has been in the newspaper bus-
iness in one capacity or another ever since
Yellowstone county was organized, has writ-
ten of these times :
"The pioneer journalists had not the mod-
ern facilities for printing good papers, and
their patrons were few and widely scattered,
but a perusal of the old files of their papers
shows that they were public spirited and fully
alive to all matters and schemes which it was
thought would be of benefit to the city. From
the earliest period of the city's history the Bil-
lings papers were widely quoted, and no oppor-
tunity was lost to speak flatteringly of the
prospects of Billings. Optimism appears to
have been the key note of the early newspapers,
and in the bright lexicon of Billings' youth
there was no such word as 'fail.' "
The county's newspaper history begins
with the month of January, 1882, and to Abel
Kelsey Yerkes, afterward known as "the poet
of Sour Dough Creek," belongs the credit of
being- the founder of the first newspaper in the
future Yellowstone county — in fact the first
in the Yellowstone valley west of Miles
City. In the Yellowstone Jonr)ial (Miles
City) of January 7, 1882, we find this
modest announcement of the intention of Mr.
Yerkes to found the Coulson Post; "On ]M on-
day next A. K. Yerkes, formerly of this ofiice,
will leave with a complete newspaper equipn
ment for Coulson, where he will establish the
Coulson Post. Mr. Yerkes will, we have rea-
son to believe, prosper in his new departure."
The plant was purchased from the proprietor
of the Yellowstone Journal, the material in
that office being considered sufficient to supply
two papers, and Mr. Yerkes freighted the outfit
to the little town of Coulson. There, late in
Januan,', he issued the first number of the Post.
Mr. Matheson has written of the life of the
paper there as follows : "Coulson was the
busiest towai of the Yellowstone for a few
months, with several general stores, hotels and
restaurants, and more than the average of sa-
loons and gaming houses. There was a con-
stant influx of homeseekers, and every 'pil-
grim' made it a point to call on the editor and
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY
663
secure local mention of his arrival, and pur-
chase a liberal number of copies to send to his
friends 'back east.' "'
When, in the summer of 1882. Billings
sprang- into being, after an ineffectual attempt
to stay with the old town, most of the resi-
dents moved to the new city, and the Post
came with them, taking the name ^'Billings
Post." That publication said of the renKival :
"About the end of June last it was evident that
Billings, and not Coulson, was to be the com-
ing city, and the office was removed to its pres-
ent headquarters." On the 4th day of July,
of the same year, just after the change in lo-
cation, Mr. Yerkes sold the Post to J. D.
Matheson. The later conducted the paper
until late in April, 1885, when a consolidation
was effected among the newspaper publishers
then in Billings, which resulted in the found-
ing of the Gazette, mention of which will be
made later. The Post was a weekly jiuljlication,
and was Republican in politics.
The second paper to be established in the
future county of Yellowstone was the Billings
PIcrald, the first number of which was taken
from the press on June i. 1882. The foundc.s
were Alexander Devine, formerly secretary' to
the general traffic manager of the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway,
with headqquarters at St. Paul, and E. A.
Bromley, the firm name of the publishers be-
ing Bromley & Devine. Billings was ju.t
starting at the time, and the Herald l>egan pub-
lication in the fourth building erected in the
town. It was an eight column folio, and tw.j
of the pages were composed of "patent" matter.
The subscription price was four dollars per
year, which in this advanced age would be con-
sidered rather a fair price for a weekly publi-
cation, and the pubfishers met with unbounded
success in the booming town. Billings had not
at that time secured a postofifice, and the Her-
ald was entered as second class mail matter in
the Coulson office. The publication was Demo-
cratic in politics and worked heartily for the
success of that party.
On November 23, 1882, the firm of Brom-
ley & Devine was dissolved, Mr. Bromley re-
tiring and Mr. Devine assuming full control.
The size of the publication was reduced to a
seven column folio on January 4, 1883, but at
the same time it became an all home print pa-
per, which practically made the change an en-
largement. Publication of a daily Herald was
begun April i, 1883, and Billings boasted its
first daily paper. Its contemjx)rary, the Bil-
lings Post, said of the establishment of the
daily edition : "The daily Herald made its
appearance Monday afternoon. It is a fi\e
column folio, and its appearance is very cred-
itable. If it is kept up to the standard of the
first issue, Billings need have no cause to be
ashamed of its first daily." Mr. Devine sold
a half interest in the paper to Walter Matheson
on May 12, 1883, and the publishers of the
daily and weekly became Devine & Matheson.
After giving the daily a fair trial it was found
that the advertising puljlic would not render
the support necessary to make the Nenture a
financial success, and it was discontinued Jan-
uary 16, 1884, the weekly edition being con-
tinued. Another change in proprietorship was
made September 6. 1884, when Mr. Matheson
sold his interest to Charles S. McFarlin. De-
vine & Mcl'^arlin then conducted the Herald
until late in April, 1885, when the consolida-
tion took place, and the name "Billings Her-
ald" passed out of existence in e\erything ex-
cept memory.
The next venture in the journalistic field of
Yellowstone county was the daily Rustler.
which was founded at Billings Novemlier 5,
1884, by J. W. Kinsley. For a short time the
paper was printed in the Herald office under a
contract with the publishers of that journal,
and then a plant of its own was installed. No
weekly edition of the Rustler was issued. In
the spring of 1885 J. W. Cobb, who was later
664
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
badly burned in a fire and died of his burns,
became the pubhsher. He issued only a few
numbers when the plant was sold to the com-
bination that was formed for the publication
of the Gazette, and the Daily Rustler passed
out of existence.
In the month of April. 1885, there were
beings published in Billings the following
papers: Billings Post, by J. D. Matheson; Bil-
lings Herald, by Devine & McFarlin ; and the
Daily Rustler, by J. W. Cobb. The idea was
conceived of uniting all these papers under one
management and issuing but two' papers — a
daily and a weekly. In accordance with these
plans the publishers of the Post and Herald
(Alexander Devine. J. D. ]\Iatheson and C. S.
McFarlin) formed the Gazette Publishing
Company, bought the plant and good will of
the Rustler, and made preparations for the first
issues of the Daily Gazette and the Montana
Stock Gazette, the latter to be the weekly edi-
tion. The three plants were moved into one
building May 2nd, and that night the building
and the combined plants were destroyed by fire,
which also burned one of the business blocks
of the city. All was destroyed except the lit-
tle Pearl job press and a few cases of type
\\-hich were mostly in the form of "pi." The
company's loss was $5,500, insured for $2,750.
The proprietors with true newspaper in-
stinct, got enough material together to pub-
lish a diminutive copy of the Daily Gazette.
which was issued Sunday morning. May 3rd,
chronicling the news of the fire and how the
paper had been almost suffocated at its birth.
This initial paper was a three column
folio, printed on a job press The cir-
cumstances under which the Gazette was
started were certainly discouraging, but the
proprietors did not lose courage ; they imme-
diately ordered a new plant, built a new brick
building and continued the publication unin-
terrupted. Mr. Matheson was editor of the
paper, Mr. Devine business manager, while
Mr. McFarlin was superintendent of the "art
preservative" deparmicnt. These gentlemen
conducted the paper as an independent jour-
nal, taking no part in politics.
The weekly edition, which was named
Montana Stock Gazette, made its appearance
May 23, and was five column, eight page
paper. Two months after its establishment it
was enlarged to six columns. Messrs. Devine
and McFarlin withdrew from the paper Oct-
tober I, 1885, and iNIr. Matheson, who had
purchased the stock, became the sole owner.
He conducted both the daily and weekly edi-
tions until January 20, 1887, when Mr. E. B.
Camp purchased the stock and assumed
charge. To edit the paper Mr. Camp employed
James Davenport W'helpley, who now has a
national reputation as a Washington corre-
spondent. Mr. Camp decided that the daily
was too great a luxury, and on Wednesday,
February 15, 1888, it was suspended. Lack of
support by the business men was the reason
assigned for the suspension. At the same time
the name of the Montana Stock Gazette was
changed to Billings Weekly Gazette, the first
number under the new name appeared Febru-
ary 2T,.
Mr. Camp sold the paper September 13,
1888, to E. H. Becker, who conducted it for
many years as a Republican paper. At the time
Mr. Becker took charge it was the only paper
in Billings and Yellowstone county, as it was
for several years, but still was not enjoying a
superabundance of prosperity. During the next
decade the Gazette lived a vacillating life.
In bright times a daily was published ; with
the tightening up of business a drop would be
made back to a weekly issue, with perhaps the
hope of "a daily next spring." The first daily
under the management of Mr. Becker was be-
gun in September, 1889, but was short lived.
The weekly edition, which up to this time had
been a six column quarto, was reduced to a
five column paper on November 12. 1891, but
was again enlarged to the former size August 4.
1892. The daily was again published during
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
665
the campaign of 1892, beginning with the issue
of October 3rd. Again in 1894 Mr. Becker
decided to launch a daily issue. The paper was
started July ist, but lived only until the latter
part of August. A little longer life was ac-
corded, the same kind of a venture the next
year. A Thome typesetting machine was pur-
chased, full Associated Press dispatches were
secured, and September 3, 1895, the Daily Ga-
zette once more greeted the citizens of Billings,
.this time as a morning publication. A semi-
weekly took the place of the weekly edition
January 21, 1896, and has been issued ever
since. Business conditions were of such a
character during the late nineties that the daily
publication on the scale it was being run by
Mr. Becker could not be profitably maintained,
and after the election in November, 1896, the
Daily Gazette was no more.
In June, 1898, Mr. E. L. Boardman, who
since December, 1894, had been editor of the
paper took a four years' lease on the plant and
assumed control of its afifairs. A morning
daily was established September 11, 1900, and
was published for nearly three years, suspend-
ing April 30, 1903. In the meantime Mr.
Becker had again taken charge of the office.
The Daily Gazette again made its appearance
October 13, 1904, being published every even-
ing. Later it was changed to a moming paper,
linotypes were added to the office, Associated
Press dispatches were secured, and the Gazette
has now taken its place as the leading daily
paper of eastern Montana. The Gazette was
purchased early in the year 1907 by Clinton
Ham, formerly of Chicago, and that gentleman
now presides over its destinies.
In chronicling the events in the history of
the Gazette we have entered into present day
conditions. To turn to the pioneer days : From
May, 1885, to April, 1891, the Gazette was the
only paper in Yellowstone county. On the la^t
named date (April u) the Billings Times, a
weekly publication devoted to the interests of
the Democratic party, came into existence un-
der the guiding hand of that veteran news-
paper man, J. D. Matheson. It was a five col-
umn quarto and an excellent publication. Mr.
Matheson continued the publication without
interruption until February 7, 1899, when he
sold it to M. C. Morris, formerly of Little Rock
Arkansas, and that gentleman has conducted
it ever since. Mr. Morris made the Times a
semi-weekly publication and early in 1901 es-
tablished a daily, which was published for a
short time. The publication is now semi-
weekly, and is a six column folio. M. C. Mor-
ris is editor and proprietor and Ralph L. Mor-
ris is business manager.
An offshoot of the Gazette was the Mon-
tana Wool Journal, a monthly publication de-
voted to the interests of flockmasters, which
came into existence in August, 1891. It was
in the form of a pamphlet, sixteen pages, and
E. H, Becker was the publisher. It continued
in existence two years, suspending in August,
1893. Lack of interest by those engaged in
the wool and mutton business was the reason
assigned for the suspension.
For a short time in 1892 Shelby Eli Dillard,
who before had published the Red Lodge
Picket, conducted a paper in Billings, labeled
The Montana Vociferator, the printing be-
ing done from the Times plant. Mr. J. D.
Matheson, who was the publisher of the Times
at that date, has given us the following history
of the lurid J'ociferator:
Shelby Dillard was a humorist of homespun type,
who discovered the system of simplified spelling before
Roosevelt, and the Vociferator's appearance was eagerly
looked for, for every issue was a roast for some one.
It continued until near the election of that year. Feel-
ing sore one night over the thought that he was not
receiving his full share of the good things the Demo-
cratic state central committee was supposed to be dish-
ing out, Shelby sat down and indited the following tele-
gram to the chairman at Butte: "I must have $200
by tomorrow or hell will begin to pop." Promptly by
the first mail came a check for the required amount.
.Shi'lWy w.i'^ sn tiusy celrlirating its receipt that he neg-
l.'ci''1 t.' i--ue anv in^irr luinibers of the Vociferator,
I which wa^ certainly a hind publication while it lasted.
1 The weak spot in tlie Democratic armor which the com-
666
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY,
mittee was afraid of hav
covered.
vealed was never dis-
Until the fall 1892 there had not been a
paper founded in Yellowstone county outside
of the county seat town. The first one was
the Stillwater Bulletin, which was started by
J. M. Ramsey, formerly of the Big Timber
Pioneer, at the little town of Stillwater (now
Columbus), about the ist of October, 1892.
It was a six column folio and liberally patro-
nized by the business men of Stillwater. W.
L. Kearns bought a one-half interest in the
journal one year after its founding, but sold
back to his partner in November, 1894. Mr.
Ramsey then moved the plant to Billings, and
in company with H. L. Knight founded the
Yellozi'stone VaUe\ Recorder.
The Recorder made its appearance early in
December, 1894, the publishing firm l>eing
Knight & Ramsey. It was a seven column
quarto, and was independent politically. It
continued an existence under the same manage-
ment until late in August, 1896, when the pro-
prietors removed the plant to Missoula and
established the Missoula Daily Democrat.
The little town of Columbus had its second
journalistic experience in 1895. In June of
that year Messrs. Walter Aitken and A. C.
Potter, who had formerly been employed on
the Livingston Post, brought a printing outfit
from Broken Bow, Wyoming, and established
the Columbus Express, a six column publica-
tion, independent in politics, but irrevocably
attached to the free silver issue. Not securing
the desired support, the proprietors in Septem-
ber of the year of founding moved the plant
to Big Timber, and continued publication un-
der the name of the Big Timber Express. Co-
lumbus was again without a newspaper.
After E. H. Becker had leased the Billings
Gazette to E. L. Boardman in 1898, he started
a new publication, the Billings Republican,
which first saw the light of day August 5.
1899. Later H. F. McFarlin became associa-
ted with the founder. The Republican was is-
sued for only a short time.
The Billings Nezcs was established in 1900
by Al. Filson, who continued to preside over
its destinies until the fall of 1901. It was then
sold, and in September J. D. Matheson became
the editor. Soon after publication was discon-
tinued.
Two papers had already tried to perma-
nently establish themselves in Columbus, but
it was not until late in the summer of 1901 that
a successful venture was made. In August a
stock company was organized for the purpose
of publishing a weekly paper in the town.
Part of the plant of the defunct Big Timber
Express, w^hich had once before been employed
in printing a paper at Columbus, was secured,
and before the close of the year the Tri-
County Ncii's came into existence, under the
management of Mr. Snyder. A. J. Bryant
later became the publisher and he is now pub-
lishing the paper, which is a five column
quarto.
The little town of Laurel has been the
home of a newspaper since September, 1906,
when the Laurel Sentinel came into existence.
The Laurel Publishing Company is the pub-
lisher, and D. W. Watsbaugh is the manager.
The Sentinel is a seven column folio.
The Billings Daily Jounml (evening) was
published for the first time on December 12,
1906. .It was established by the Commercial
Printing Company (inc.), and is a six column
quarto. Although young in years, it has taken
a prominent place in the business life of Bil-
lings.
The latest venture in Yellowstone county
journalism is the Yellowstone Monthly, estab-
lished in May, 1907, by E. W. Beedle.
Among those who performed commend-
able editorial service on Billings newspapers
in past years, aside from those already men-
tioned, were Alessrs. B. S. Scott, J. E. Hendry,
S. P. Panton, A. H. Hersey and Walter Alder-
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
667
ROSEBUD COUNTY.
Tlie establishment of newspapers in Rose-
bud county lias not been very prolific. The
first paper started within the lx)undaries of the
present county of Rosebud was the Forsyth
Times, which first saw the light of day on
September 29, 1894. It was a six column folio,
independent in politics, and was owned and ed-
ited by F. G. Tyrrell. Mr. Tyrrell retired
from the management March 9, 1895, when F.
H. Benjamin became editor. The paper was
increased in size to a six column c|uarto. In
1899 Thomas Alexander took charge and ran
it a year, when Lyons & ]\Iarcy became the
owners. They ran it one year only and then
sold to Ira Cole, the present owner. In the
spring of 1906 Mr. Cole purchased the plant
of the opposition paper, discontinued its publi-
cation, and has become the sole newspaper pub-
lisher of Rosebud county.
The Rosebud County Nexvs, Forsyth, was
founded in 1903 by A. H. Buchanan. He ran
the paper only a short time, when V. Beeman
assumed charge. The latter conducted the pa-
per nearly a year and then sold to W. Ellery
Johnson. March i, 1906, Mr. Johnson sold
the plant to Ira Cole, publisher of the Forsyth
TiDies. and the Rosebud Cou)ity Nezi's went
out of existence .
CUSTER COUNTY.
The first newspaper published in Custer
county, the first in the Yellowstone valley and
the first in Montana territory between Bis-
marck, N. D.. and the Rocky mountains, was
the Yellowstone Jourual. which was first taken
from the press at Miles City on the 24th day
of July, 1879. The material for the publica-
tion of this pioneer paper was freighted in by
bull teams from the point that was then the
terminus of the Northern Pacific rail-
road, a distance of 350 miles. The founder
of the Journal was Major Thompson P. Mc-
Elrath, an hereditary and practical newspaper
man, being the son of the McEIrath who was
part owner with Horace Greeley of the New
York Tribune about the time of the breaking
out of the civil war, and himself having been
engaged in the newspaper business in New
York city. Mr. McEIrath was a major of the
United States regular army and took station
with the troops at Fort Keogh in the fall of
1876. In 1879 he deemed the community that
had congregated at Fort Keogh and Miles City
worthy of a newspaper, and the result was the
establishment of the Journal. Concerning the
starting of this paper the Yellowstone Journal
in after years said :
"Old timers maintain that the paper was
started as the personal organ of Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, at that time colonel of the Fifth U. S.
Infantry, stationed at Fort Keogh, and that the
money that purchased the first equipment was
furnished by Col. Miles. Of the truth of the
latter allegation, the writer is uninformed, but
the files of the paper during the period when
Col. Miles was here do not warrant the asser-
tion that it was his organ in the usually ac-
cepted sense. While the issues of those days
make frecjuent complimentary mention of Col.
Miles, it must Ije remembered that' at that time
most of the news was military, and Miles was
'doing things" that warranted newspaper com-
ment. It is quite likely that he favored the
starting of the Journal, even to the extent of
giving- financial aid, and so far as ability is
concerned it would have teen hard to find a
more capable man for the literary end of the
enterprise than Major McEIrath, an educated
gentleman, thoroughly schooled in etlitorial
work, but so opposed to diligent methods that
he was never ready for either publication day
or pay day."
In his salutatory Major McEIrath said :
"Our functions are of a local character — to re-
cord the growth and progress of this new
country, and to aid in those results whenever
it lies in our power, to place before eastern
668
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
readers the fullest possible information re-
specting the advantages which nature has so
lavishly bestowed upon this 'New Northwest.'
* * * In a word to be the honest and
impartial journal of the Yellowstone valley."
Politically the Journal was Republican, and in
size it was a seven column folio.
Early in January, 1880, there came from
the Black Hills country, where he had been
engaged in newspaper work for three years
previous, W. D. Knight, an expert printer and
pressman, a natural mechanical genius, local re-
porter, solicitor and general all-round man. To
him on January 8th was given the publisher's
chair of the Yellowstone Journal. He infused
business methods into the office and gave the
paper a new impetus, which would never have
been accomplished under the easy going Major
McElrath. One year later Mr. Knight retired
from the Journal and the founder again as-
sumed charge. On Octol^er 29, 1881, the pa-
per was increased in size to a seven column
quarto.
During the year 1881 Mr. Knight estab-
lished a second paper in Miles City, the Chron-
icle, but on the last day of that year he pur-
chased the Journal from Major McElrath and
discontinued the publication of the Chronicle.
Lender Mr. Knight's ownership the Journal
was Democratic. During the campaign of
1882 he ran a daily edition of the paper, hav-
ing associated press news service. The daily
was continued several weeks after election, and
was then discontinued, after a life of about
three months. July 14, 1883, Samuel Gordon
purchased a half interest from Mr. Knight,
and thereafter the paper was Republican in
politics. In September, 1883, shortly after
Mr. Gordon became a member of the firm, the
daily edition was again started and became a
permanent institution. Mr. Gordon became
sole proprietor in July, 1891, at which time the
paper was made a six column quarto.
From a special edition of the Yellowstone
Journal issued in 1900 we take the following:
"It is one of the pleasing memories of the
Journal's editorial den that at one period in its
career a positive engagement was made with
'Bill' Nye to come to Miles City and write for
the Journal. At that time 'Bill' was not as
famous as he became later on, though he
was far from being unknown. His health was
poor, and he was seeking a locality congenial
to his physical condition. A friend of his, then
resident of Miles City, and who, being afflicted
with the same complaint — a pulmonary one —
had found great relief here, had urged Nye to
come here. He had replied that he could not
afford to be idle, and that while he was doing
some syndicate work, he would like to secure a
position with a local paper that would at least
pay his expenses. The matter was presented to
Knight and Gordon, and though there was at
the time no necessity for additional help on the
literary end of the paper, the proposition was
received favorably, an offer made to the illus-
trious 'Bill' and accepted by him. but it never
came to anything. Shortly afterwards ^Ir.
Nye was picked up by a Wisconsin cyclone and
had his leg broken, and his lengthy convales-
cence and rapidly growing popularity com-
pelled him to ignore his engagement with the
Journal. Had he come here and stayed, he
might have been alive yet."
As casually mentioned before, W. D.
Knight started the Chronicle at Miles City in
1881. This was Custer county's second news-
paper. Before the end of the year, however,
Mr. Knight had purchased the Journal and dis-
continued the Chronicle.
The building of the Northern Pacific rail-
road to Miles City in the early eighties made
that city quite a prominent one and business of
all kinds thrived. There was considerable ac-
tivity in the newspaper line and for se\-eral
years the establishment of weekly and daily pa-
pers was of common occurrence. On February
19, 1882. ]\Iajpr Thompson P. McElrath and
PRESS OF YELLOWSTONE VALLEY.
669
J. W. Cobb started the weekly Press. In June
of the same year we find that John X. David-
son is in possession of the Press plant and that
he is running the Miles City Daily Press. The
daily edition was apparently short lived, for
we read in a contemporary on February 24,
1883, that the daily edition is again being re-
sumed, this time as an evening journal. Li the
spring of 1883 T. B. McElrath again became
the ];.ii!j]isher of the Press. Telegraphic news
was received and the paper otherwise im-
proved, but in June, 1884, the paper was again
laid to rest, the cause alleged being lack of pub-
lic support.
The Daily Rustler made its appearance on
the streets at Miles City April 14, 1883, pub-
lished by E. H. Becker.
The Daily Record^ Democratic, came in
August, 1884. It was an evening paper and
svas owned by W. W. Carland.
The Slock Gro'u'ers' Journal was estab-
lished at ]\Iiles City in 1884.
The Daily Gacette was the name of
another paper which made its appearance on
the streets of Miles City May 11, 1885.
The Miles City Independent was started
August 27, 1903, by the Independent com-
pany, of which Chas. Larsen was president and
James G. Ramsey, formerly of Glendive, was
the editor and manager. August 10, 1905,
Jos. C. Smith succeeded Mr. Ramsey. Later
J. P. Kirkpatrick became manager, and after
him B. F. Yerkes.
DAWSON COUNTY.
Dawson county's first newspaper was the
Glendive Tiines^ the first issue of which was
published on August 11, 1881, by W. W.
Maybee. The paper met with popular ap-
pro\'al from the start and for more than a year
was the only paper in the county. A daily edi-
tion was put out from June 4, 1884, to Novem-
ber of the same year.
The county's second paper was the Yellow-
stone Press, which was established at Glendive
in the fall of 18S2 by Blake & Burdick, in op-
position to the Times. W. W. Maybee, owner
of the Times, soon after bought G. M. Bur-
dick's half interest in the Press. In January,
1883, publication of the Press was suspended,
leaving the older paper alone in the field.
The Glendive Independent came into ex-
istence in 1884 and for many years took a
prominent part in the affairs of Glendive and
Dawson county. For two weeks during the
campaign of 1884 a daily edition was pub-
lished. In September, 1892, J. R. Widmyer
took the management of the Independent and
made a Republican paper of it.
The Dawson County Rez'iew was estab-
lished at Glendive in 1898 by John R. Stout
and is still running under the same managa-
ment.
The Yellowstone Monitor, of Glendive,
was started by C. L. Rood, March 2, 1905. E.
A. Martin purchased a half interest June i,
1906, and the paper is now run under the man-
agement of Rood & Martin.
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